Why Is My Defrost Not Working on My Car?

As autumn quickly approaches, Metro Vancouver begins to experience warm days, and chilly nights. And as such, many Vancouverites turn to their defrost function in their vehicle before their early morning commute.

However, after 5 months or so without utilizing our defroster, many people find themselves asking, “why is my defrost not working on my car?”. And in the Lower Mainland, you definitely need a functioning defroster when colder weather hits.

Today’s blog post is about what causes a car’s defrost function to stop working, what to do about it, and where to get MORE cash for scrap cars if you’re considering scrapping your car instead.

Why Is My Car Defrost Not Working?

If your car’s defrost isn’t working, it could be due to several common issues. A malfunctioning blower motor or a broken fan could prevent warm air from reaching the windshield.

Low coolant levels may stop the heater core from producing enough heat. Blocked air vents, a faulty thermostat, or vacuum leaks can also affect airflow. In some vehicles, broken blend doors or actuators inside the HVAC system may not direct warm air to the windshield.

Additionally, clogged cabin air filters can reduce airflow. Electrical issues or a blown fuse might also be to blame. Professional inspection may be necessary for diagnosis.

Defrost Not Working on Car

There are a variety of things that could cause your defrost to fail on a car. Below are the most common causes of defroster malfunction, and what the signs and symptoms for each one are.

Most Common Causes of Defrost Not Working Include:

1. Low Coolant Levels

Low coolant levels can impact your vehicle’s ability to properly heat or cool your vehicle. And when using the defrost setting, heat is essential at clearing your windshield.

Low coolant levels can prevent your car from getting hot enough to actually defrost ice and/or snow on your windshield. It can also reduce your car’s ability to clear away any condensation on the inside of your window.

Which is particularly common on older vehicle with worn weather stripping. As well as aging convertibles with leaky soft-tops.

2. Bad Blower Motor

It’s not always the heater itself that fails when your defrost isn’t working on your car. Sometimes, it has nothing to do with how much heat is being produced.

But actually, as to do with your vehicle’s inability to blow that hot air out because of a malfunction or failed blower motor.

Signs Your Blower Motor Is Failing Includes:

• Minimal or no air coming through vents
• New or worsening noises when air is turned on
• Vents allow air through, but work better when driving (as air gets forced through)
• Defrost and other heating or cooling settings work intermittently
• Nothing is coming through your vents at all

As a professional scrap car removal company serving the Lower Mainland since 2005, we see a lot of old or aging vehicles. And one of the most common failures on them all is a failed blower motor.

Fortunately, we pay MORE cash for cars with mechanical issues than any other scrap car buyers in Metro Vancouver or the Fraser Valley. Just give us a call to get an instant cash offer on your car.

3. Blocked Air Vents

Aging, older, or high mileage vehicles are prone to clogged vents. Because after 15-20 years of driving, things naturally get dusty, and debris builds up inside smaller structures, like the ventilation system.

This is why blocked air vents are a common cause of a vehicle’s inability to defrost its windows, even when you’ve got the heater on max and your defrost setting selected.

If you’re noticing little air coming through your vents on any setting, particularly the defrost setting, it could mean that you’ve got debris built up inside your air vents.

The best thing to do is give them a vacuum and a wipe. Failing that, visit your local mechanic for a quick inspection. Our friends at BMG Automotive in Surrey about. They can help diagnose virtually anything!

4. Faulty Thermostat

If your vents aren’t clogged, your coolant is topped up, and no electrical issue with your blower motor seems to be present, it could be a malfunctioning thermostat that is to blame for a poor defroster.

If your car’s heating system can’t get to temperature, or even engage heat at all, it won’t be able to defrost your windows, let alone heat up your vehicle on a cold and frosty morning.

And if you’re driving an older vehicle that has leaks, mould, mildew, or even just regular condensation, you’ll want to ensure that you have your thermostat inspected promptly to prevent further issues.

5. Clogged Cabin Filter

Just as our vehicle’s vents can get clogged, so to can our cabin air filter, which is responsible for filtering the air we breathe inside of our vehicle.

This issue doesn’t usually restrict your car’s ability to defrost at all. But rather reduces the efficiency of your defroster. Which means that it will take noticeably more time to defrost than it usually does.

An air cabin filter is a relatively inexpensive fix, depending on the type of vehicle you drive. And they are usually inspected during routine oil changes. So, if you’re overdue for an oil change, get your car in and have them check your cabin air filter as well.

6. Electrical Problems

some cases, the cause of malfunction is actually much deeper than a specific part failing or breaking down.

Electrical problems are a mechanic’s worst nightmare. Because they take hours to diagnose. Moreover, usually when you find one issue, another is present.

Because the electrical system is like the arteries of a vehicle. Everything is interconnected and when one thing shorts, it causes other system failures. Like heating and cooling issues, among other things.

Signs Your Vehicle Has an Electrical Problem:

• Dimming or flickering lights (interior/exterior)
• Malfunctioning power door locks or windows
• Issues with your radio display or the speakers
• Blown fuses
• Dimming dashboard lights
• Heater or A/C features not working
• Heater or A/C controls only working intermittently
• Difficulty starting your vehicle

We pay MORE cash for cars with electrical issues, because it’s one of the biggest reasons that perfectly good vehicles get scrapped. So, give us a call if you want to sell a vehicle that has electrical problems.

Rear Defrost Not Working on Car

Sometimes, your front defroster will be working, but your rear defrost won’t be. That’s because they are operated by different switches and are wired separately.

With SUVs, crossovers, and older luxury sedans, the rear defrost failing is especially common. And there are a few different things that could be causing it.

Causes for Rear Defrost to Not Work Include:

1. Faulty Switch

The first things to check if your front defrost is working but your back one is not the very thing that turns it on; the switch.

A damaged or malfunctioning switch could be a quick fix and might be exactly what’s causing your defroster to not work. The best way to determine that is to check for any signs of damage.

Failing that, put your ear to the switch as you turn it on, and see if it sounds like it’s engaging. If it doesn’t, you may have found your culprit.

2. A Blown Fuse

Fuses are an important and vital part to the operation of any of our accessories on a car. So, naturally, when a fuse is blown, that accessory may not work well, if at all.

In cases where your rear defroster isn’t working, but your front one is, it could be something as simple as a blown fuse.

Fuses can be purchases at Canadian Tire, Princess Auto, KMS Tools, and a wide variety of other automotive supply stores for just a few bucks. You can easily find how-to videos on Youtube, or just stop by your mechanic’s and have them swap out the bad fuse.

3. Electrical Issues

As mentioned before, electrical issues are a big cause of heating and cooling features not working on a car. And if you’ve checked the switch and the fuses and your rear defrost still isn’t defrosting, it might be an electrical issue.

Electrical problems are costly to repair. Because many time, you might be searching for one potential issue, but there might be more than one electrical failure happening at that time.

This is why many people scrap their aging vehicles with electrical problems at More Cash For Scrap. We pay MORE cash for scrap cars in any condition. Even when they are plagued with electrical issues.

Cash for Scrap Cars in Metro Vancouver

Getting MORE cash for scrap cars with mechanical failure, electrical problems, heating or cooling issues, or even collision damage is easy. Just choose the scrap car removal services of More Cash For Scrap.

We have been buying scrap automobiles throughout Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley since 2005. And unlike some scrap car buyers, we make the process quick and easy.

Our scrap car removal team members live and work in the areas we service. So, you can call today, and typically have your junk car gone TODAY. And we always offer MORE!

How Much Cash for Scrap Cars Do We Pay?

Every vehicle has a different valuation, because every vehicle is different, and being scrapped for a different reason.

Provide us with the make, model, year, condition, mileage, and locatino of your junk car. Then, let us know if it’s still running or not. Because at More Cash For Scrap, running vehicles are always worth MORE!

Once we have all of this information, we’ll make you an instant cash offer right over the phone. We can arrange scrap car pickup 7 days a week, between 7:00 AM-11:00 PM. We even operate on stat holidays!

Call or Text Our Scrap Car Removal Team Today!

Getting an instant cash offer on your junk vehicle is quick and easy when you choose the scrap car removal services of More Cash For Scrap.

We strive to live up to our name every single day by paying MORE cash for scrap cars than the other guys. And we do this while also offering free towing and same day pickup.

If you want MORE customer service, MORE flexible scrap car pickup times, and MORE cash for scrap cars than the other guys are offering, choose More Cash For Scrap. We simply offer MORE!