Pathfinder rear window heating issue

My 2004 Nissan Pathfinder with the diesel engine is giving me grief. The rear window heating has stopped working. I scanned it and there's an error stored in the memory, plus I've noticed the windshield heating isn't as effective as it used to be. I suspect it's linked. I've checked the fuses and they seem fine. Anyone had similar heating issues with their Pathfinder?

4 comment(s)

That's a pain. The rear defroster on these can be a bit temperamental. Have you checked the battery recently? A weak battery can cause all sorts of weird electrical problems. I'd start there before digging too deep into the heating coil itself.

Interesting point about the battery. I hadn't considered that. Is a low battery voltage known to mess with the heating circuit? I'd assumed it would just affect starting.

Yeah, absolutely. Modern cars are sensitive to voltage drops. The heating system, especially the auto defrost, can be one of the first things affected if the battery is struggling. A heavily discharged or defective battery can throw error codes and cause the symptoms you described. Given the age of your Pathfinder, it might be worth getting the battery properly tested before looking at more complex defroster repair. If the battery is fine, it may be time to visit a workshop.

Thanks for the heads-up about the battery. Took it to a shop, and you were spot on. Turns out the battery was on its way out. Replaced it, cleared the error codes, and everything's working perfectly now. Cost me 290€ all in. Cheers for the help!

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