One of the most important features of your Chevy Silverado is the defrost function. Even though many drivers overlook this feature, it is very important, especially during cold weather. If you have to drive with frost on your rear window or windshield, it could limit your visibility. This could result in harm to you and other road users.
Because of this, you must take prompt action once you notice that the defrost feature of your Silverado isn’t working. In this post, we will tell you the most common reasons why this feature stops working. Also, we will tell you what to do to fix the problem.
Chevy Silverado Defrost Not Working: Common Causes and How to Fix
There are so many reasons why your car defrost feature is not working. Some of these reasons are peculiar to your Silverado while others are common to other cars. It will be difficult to discuss the peculiar reasons so we will stick to the more common ones.
Before we go ahead, we must let you know that there are a front and a rear defroster in your car. The defroster in front makes use of the fan, venting system, and blower motor that your HVAC system uses. As such, the dry air that ran through the air-conditioning evaporator helps to rid the windshield of moisture. It also removes ice or snow and eliminates fog and humidity.
When you look at the rear window of your car, you will notice some tiny lines. These aren’t regular lines, they are electrical wires. When current passes through these wires, they heat up. This makes them displace any condensation resting on the window. You must be wondering why you don’t get burned when you touch this part of your car. Well, they don’t produce as much heat.
Now that we know how the front and rear defrosters work, let’s look at why they will stop working.
Front Defroster
As the name implies, this is the defroster located on the windshield of your car. Here are some of the most common reasons why the front defroster stops working. We will also provide you with some solutions to the problems.
Stuck buttons
The defroster is controlled by certain knobs or buttons. Any of these knobs or buttons can get stuck or jammed. This could be a result of wear and tear, corrosion, or sheer damage.
You can oil these buttons and move them back and forth for a while for the oil to circulate. This will free them up so that they can start working properly. If the buttons or knobs are corroded, then you need to clean them up properly. You can do this by getting them out first. After doing this, the buttons should be unstuck and working properly.
The fresh air intake is blocked
There is a feature that lies just beneath your windshield known as “fresh air intake.” This feature draws in the fresh air that the defroster needs to function. What could block the “fresh air intake?”
From dirt to dust and debris, just about anything could clog this area. Once it is blocked, the defroster will cease to function normally. All you need to do is unclog this part of the windshield. Simple cleaning will do the magic and you will have your defroster working as usual.
Low anti-freeze levels
Without the anti-freeze, your heater core cannot function optimally. As we have explained above, the defroster of your Silverado needs the heater core and other parts of the HVAC. Without these components, it wouldn’t perform as it should.
Check the anti-freeze compartment and be sure that it is at optimal levels. If your car is low on anti-freeze, simply top it up. After doing this, the defroster should start to work.
Vent issues
Interestingly, your front defroster needs the vents located on your dashboard to work. When these are clogged, air can no longer reach the windshield. Dirt, dust, and debris can all clog the vent.
To rid the vents of all of this, you just need to vacuum it with a regular car vacuum cleaner. This should be a quick fix. However, there are times when the vents need deep cleaning. In this case, you need professional help.
Malfunctioning thermostat
The thermostat plays a huge role in how your HVAC system works. It acts as a valve between your car engine and the radiator. The thermostat opens up once the engine gets hot to ensure the circulation of anti-freeze or coolant.
Sometimes, the thermostat gets stuck in the open position. Because of this, the engine remains cooler than usual. As a result, there is no warm air required for the defroster to work properly. Fix the thermostat and the defrost feature will start working normally.
Broken heater core
Most people regard the heater core as a mini radiator. It is also the main component of the heating system in your Silverado making it essential to your defrosting system. When this part of the HVAC system goes bad, then the defroster stops working. Simply fix it and the problem is solved.
Rear Defroster
This defroster is located on the rear window of your car. Here are the possible reasons why it would stop working and how to fix it.
Broken grid
This is the most common reason why the rear defroster will stop working. There are several reasons why the grid will be broken including wear and tear and external objects. When the grid is broken, the circuit opens up. You need to fix the grid to get the defroster working again.
Broken tabs
Each side of the rear defroster has tabs that connect it to the window. If any of these tabs is broken or fails, it affects the defrosting system. Check the tabs to be sure that they are intact. If they are not, seek professional help to fix them.
Window tinting
If you tint your rear window, you can damage the grid and stop the defroster from working. This is because the tint may bond with the grid lines. Fixing this might be quite difficult so you should speak to a professional.
Conclusion
There you have it for why your Chevy Silverado defrost is not working. We have also provided you with some simple ways to fix the problem. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments section below.
