My wife got a nice big crack along the entire windshield last week. Called insurance and for $100 they are replacing it. Fast forward to today and she went to the place to get the windshield replaced. Said it would be about 3-4 hours due to the fact the vehicle has the lane assist and other features. When they went to replace the windshield they noticed that the windshield that was ordered was incorrect because it was ordered for a condensation sensor and not the rain sensor that is on our NXs. While the tech was inspecting everything else he noted that the vehicle has the plug for the heated windshield (de-icer). This was not optioned when my wife bought her NX, but the guy said he would order the windshield with the heating element in and it would plug straight up with the plug that is already there on the NX,

Has anyone done this before?

I will have to look into techstream to see if there is an option to tick to enable the front windshield de-icer but from what the tech said it's automatic, When you turn on the front defroster it automatically turns it on....etc.

Just wanted to see if anyone has done that or run across that.

*Edit: For proper terminology it is called the Windshield wiper de-icer feature.



Thanks,
-Nigel

 

Normally there is a button or menu section for controlling the de-icer. Even if you get it to work it will either be on permanently or be on every time you use the defroster. You will have no option to turn off de-icer with defroster on. Since deicer uses lot of power it is normally used just to thaw/melt stuff so other latent heat can do the rest. The manual even says something like do not touch the lower windshield since it may get too hot or something like that. i would just get the windshield your car was designed for..

 

From everything that I have read it will not stay on all the time. It has a 15 minute shut off. Even if it came on every time the defroster was on that still isn't bad. It's only 12v going through the coils. No different than the coils in the rear defroster. I checked Techstream and didn't find anything there in terms of turning it on. I am wondering now if it has to be plugged in and then it would have the icon in the menu of the climate control. I guess we'll find out next week. And worst case scenario is if it doesn't work it's no different than the windshield that doesn't have the heating element in it at the bottom. The plug could simply be unplugged as if it's not even there like it currently is with her windshield that she has now.

I'll update next week.

-Nigel

 

For what it’s worth, I believe it shuts down at ten minutes. I didn’t actually need to use it this last year so I’m shooting from memory, but that is my recollection using two year old memory cells. Beyond that, your logic makes sense to me.

 

I don't know what model year of NX you have so I arbitrarily looked up information for the 2019. If there is a chance to get the wiper de-icer to work on a vehicle that wasn't ordered with the Cold Weather Package, you will need to install the relay for it in an engine compartment fuse box. Here is an image showing the part number for the relay with a red arrow showing the relay location. It might help you get answers in the future if you add your vehicle information to a signature that displays when you post.

On some vehicles made by Toyota (e.g. generation 2 Sienna), I know for a fact that all it takes to get the wiper de-icer on a vehicle without the cold weather package is to install a windshield that has the heater grid and plug in the relay for it. Whether that works on the NX is anyone's guess.

There sure seem to be a lot of people on Club Lexus recently trying to get wiper de-icers on vehicles that don't have them. Is it getting cold outside or what?

It sure is a nice feature. I regard it as a safety feature that should be standard. Edit: It shuts off after 15 minutes.

 

Jim,

Excellent thank you for this information! Wife has a 2018 NX300. (I'll update my sig._
Pretty much has every option minus the power rear seats, and pano cameras(she got the luxury package w/triple beams, power foot rear liftgate..etc). Not sure why the dealer didn't have the $100 option installed but looking at all their vehicles they always equip them with triple beam headlights and forgo the de-icer and rear power seats. For some reason if one is spending $1500 for lights, personally whats and extra 500 to get two very useful things in my opinion.

I will check and if the relay isn't there already will order it in preparation for this week. *Found it new on ebay for $6.

-Nigel

 

Hi - I have a 2015 nx200t Executive trim (top non f-sport model) in Canada. How do I know if I have the windshield de-icer. I would hope it is standard up here!

 

Look at the first picture I posted and if you have those lines in the windshield you have the windshield wiper de-icer feature. There should be a setting in the climate control in the on screen menu to turn the feature on.

-Nigel

 

cool - ive got it. so it automatically comes on when i use front defrost or do i manually have to put it on?

 

Unfortunately, you have to manually turn it on - which is a bit of a nuisance as it’s a bit buried in the menu. It will only stay on for 10 or 15 minutes, but you can restart it as many times as you like.

 

good to know - ok frosty day Im ready for ya now

 

What a debacle. Took the car BACK to safelite yesterday. Drop the car off pick/up my wife up and as we are headed home they call her. Inform her that the black trim pieces on the front of the windshield use metal clips or something. They don't have those, so when they pull them off they need to be replaced. Had to drive all the way back, pick up the damn car and it's now scheduled for Saturday. I asked if there were ANY other potential issues.. and was assured no. The windshield ordered is correct and I asked 4 times if it had the heating element and was assure it did. On a side note I ordered the Toyota relay and will have that by Friday. I can update later that day once everything is plugged in and I can see if any of this all works..lol

-Nigel

 

Jim,

Wanted to ask the question if the windshield wiper de-icer also needed a relay anywhere? I ask only because I found a thread where you helped out someone and they needed both a fuse which you provided the location and then they also found out a relay was needed.

Do you know if that is the case with the NX or simply just the fuse?

*Wife's nx is at the body shop getting a fender scrape taken care of and then afterwards the windshield will be replaced at the glass place. Figured I'd ask because if it did need a relay I'd order that while the vehicle isn't here.

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

The red arrow in the diagram I posted points to the relay for the wiper deicer. You said earlier that you found the relay on eBay for only $6. Are we having a "senior moment"? LOL.

If you instead meant to ask if there is a separate fuse for the wiper deicer, then I suggest that you check the fuse lists on the fuse box covers since Toyota has stopped putting detailed fuse information in owners manuals. If there is a separate fuse, my guess is that it will be in one of the two engine compartment fuse boxes. There is not always a separate fuse for the wiper deicer. The fuse for the wiper deicer on our Sienna is a big 140 amp fuse that also services many other components.

I hope you are successful in this venture but there is no guarantee. There are sometimes subtle differences in electrical components between vehicles that have optional features and those that don't. Like I said, I've seen documentation about successfully adding the wiper deicer for only one vehicle Toyota makes - the 2004-2010 Toyota Sienna on which the wiper deicer was optional as it is on the NX.

The wiper deicer is one of my pet peeves. I struggled through 24 winters driving Lexus LS sedans with no wiper deicers which really pissed me off since they were standard in some other countries. I remember stopping every few miles on one 200 mile trip to knock ice off the wipers so I could barely see to drive - totally frustrating. When I bought the "geezer bus" I mostly drive now (2014 Toyota Sienna Limited), I made damned sure it had a wiper deicer.

 

Jim,

I'm an idiot. That's exactly what I had was a senior moment and I'm still 25+ years away...lol whoopsies. I will have to check for the fuses just in case but you are correct, that's what I should have said. I did received two oem blue fuses for the lexus so once we get her car back and the windshield is replaced I can plug the one in and see what happens.

If she gets the car back this week hopefully next week before thanksgiving, if not then I'll update afterwards and see if this works.

-Nigel