VW Crafter Window Heater Failure Hits Electric Models

I had a similar issue with my 2020 e-Crafter that sounds exactly like what you are describing. As someone with moderate car repair experience, I initially thought it was just a blown fuse for the window heater system. After some troubleshooting, my repair shop found that the battery was heavily discharged, which affected the heating coil functionality in both the front and rear defroster systems. The window demister and defrost functions require significant power to operate effectively. The total repair came to 290€, which included a thorough battery check, system diagnosis, and necessary fixes to restore proper function. The rear defroster was completely non-responsive in my case too, which is often a clear sign of power supply issues. The repair resolved both the front and rear window heating problems completely. To better assist with your specific case, could you share: How long have you noticed these symptoms? Have you observed any other electrical issues? Does your battery warning light show on the dashboard? What is the specific error code stored in your system? This information would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced and could save you some diagnostic time at the workshop.

Latest service was just 2 weeks ago at 198000KM. The symptoms started appearing shortly after. The rear defroster issue matches what you experienced. Looking at my logs, the error code is B10045. No other electrical problems and the battery shows normal charge levels with no warning lights. I did notice the window heater works briefly when first starting the vehicle but stops after about 30 seconds. The front defrost system shows similar behavior but with very weak performance. Both front and rear window heating elements seem to fail in the same pattern. Your feedback about the power supply makes sense, though in my case the battery diagnostics show normal operation. Will have the workshop check the connections and power distribution to the defroster circuits specifically.

Thanks for those additional details. Your symptoms are interestingly different from what I experienced, even though we have similar e-Crafters. The fact that your thermal window system works briefly before failing suggests this might not be a straightforward power supply issue like mine was. In my case, the auto defrost system failed completely. Your situation where the window heater runs for 30 seconds points more toward a potential controller issue or a faulty heating coil. The error code B10045 is often associated with the heating element circuit rather than power supply problems. Since your battery shows normal charge and there are no warning lights, I would suggest having the workshop focus on: 1. Testing the heating coil continuity 2. Checking the controller module 3. Inspecting wire connections at the thermal window elements The repair for this type of intermittent window heater failure typically runs between 350-450€, depending on which components need replacement. If the controller needs replacing, expect to be at the higher end of that range. Would you mind sharing the outcome once you get it checked? It would be helpful to know if your issue ends up being different from the power supply problem I encountered.

The workshop inspected it today and found a failed control module, exactly as suggested. The auto defrost system was shutting down due to a faulty circuit in the controller, not a power issue. Total repair cost was 420€ including parts and labor. The heating coils themselves tested fine, but the controller was not maintaining proper voltage to the window heater elements. They replaced the control module and both the front and rear defroster are now working perfectly. The thermal window system maintains consistent heat without cutting out after 30 seconds. Really appreciate the detailed troubleshooting suggestions. Would have wasted time focusing on the battery if not for the insight about the error code and intermittent operation pattern. Will update the vehicle service records to document this repair in case others run into similar rear defroster problems with their e-Crafters.