Hardtop - heated rear windscreen

[Rouseyboy]

I have finally fitted my hardtop, after some intensive cleaning and adding a bit of missing trim. Popped on beautifully, and I am delighted with it - first time I've had it on since I bought the car, and very welcome in this cold weather.

But it seems the heated windscreen does not work - not sure even of the wiring is hooked up - any idea how to check it?

Please bear in mind that I am an absolute airhead when it comes to this sort of thing - so a step by step procedure would help!

Cheers

... Dave

[V Mad]

Dave, the electrical contacts for it are at the top of the B-posts, one each side. Inside the B-posts there are supposed to be plastic receptacles with contacts in the middle; these usually break up and will need replacing. Before you bother though, check the hardtop first with a meter to see if the rear screen circuit is intact (meter on resistance/ohms range). The screen element may be open circuit (useless).

[martin]

Hiya Dave, I agree with Chris, it's almost certainly the B post connectors. Take the hard top off and look down at the top of each B post, you should see something that looks like a bulb holder, the central brass contact should be at/near the top, they're held in a nylon holder which is in turn held in place by two small screws, these also hold on the stainless plate that dresses the top of the pillar. The nylon gets brittle with age and they often break up, dropping the contact. They're about £9 a side.
If you do need to change them, to get that plate out of the way and extract the remains, you will have to slacken the T bar end bolts to slide the plate out. DO NOT remove those two bolts, just slacken them as much as you dare, if you remove them, the T bar will spring and you may well not get them back in. As Chris says, if you can, check the window elements and wiring. Good luck, ask again if you can't follow this. Sorry this is so long, but you did say step by step. Martin.