2000 Accent - Rear defrost short
 

My 2000 Accent ( 3-door hatch) is developing quite the personality. Any
assistance with the following problem would be greatly appreciated. Here is
what happens.

- The rear defrost is not working. The button on the dash board works in
that when I push it, the imbedded indicator light comes on and I can hear
the relay engaging, but there is no action with defog on the rear window.
What does happen is that the brake light in the rear window comes on with
normal illumination. Push it again and the light/relay/defog indicator
light goes off.

- When I press on the brakes the indicator light in the defog button on the
dashboard comes on though I don't hear the relay. The rear corner brake
lights come on fine and the rear window brake light comes on but very very
dimly as well the lights for the rear license plate goes off. When I take my
foot of the break then the brake lights go off and the plate lights come
back on.

Something like this happened about a year and a half ago while the car was
under warranty and I took it in. The tech said that there was a short that
he found and fixed, but I failed to ask him specifically where it was ( I
didn't think it would happen again). I've checked the wires at the back and
they appear to be in good shape. The connections also appear to be clean.

Thanks.

J.

Re: 2000 Accent - Rear defrost short
 

John wrote:
>
> My 2000 Accent ( 3-door hatch) is developing quite the personality. Any
> assistance with the following problem would be greatly appreciated. Here is
> what happens.
>
> - The rear defrost is not working. The button on the dash board works in
> that when I push it, the imbedded indicator light comes on and I can hear
> the relay engaging, but there is no action with defog on the rear window.
> What does happen is that the brake light in the rear window comes on with
> normal illumination. Push it again and the light/relay/defog indicator
> light goes off.
>
> - When I press on the brakes the indicator light in the defog button on the
> dashboard comes on though I don't hear the relay. The rear corner brake
> lights come on fine and the rear window brake light comes on but very very
> dimly as well the lights for the rear license plate goes off. When I take my
> foot of the break then the brake lights go off and the plate lights come
> back on.
>
> Something like this happened about a year and a half ago while the car was
> under warranty and I took it in. The tech said that there was a short that
> he found and fixed, but I failed to ask him specifically where it was ( I
> didn't think it would happen again). I've checked the wires at the back and
> they appear to be in good shape. The connections also appear to be clean.
>
> Thanks.
>
> J.

The symptoms suggest that there is a common ground for both
defogger and 3rd brake light. Failure of that common ground
will cause the interaction you are having.
I'm not intimately familiar with the wiring back there
(and it's too cold to go out and look in mine:-(

Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/