110Matty

Member
Hello all. Having trawled through Google and searching here, I’m still not sure if it’s possible / relatively easy to add a heated rear window and add a rear wiper and wash. I’ve just bought. TD5 90 2004 (collect Saturday coming) and it’s currently not fitted with the above. I found a previous post suggesting that the wiring / relay might already exist in the rear door and that the connectors might also be behind the dash. Does this mean that all I need will be dash switches, motor and arm etc? Not sure whether the wash side of things would be present (pump, pipe from washer tank to jet etc). Pretty sure the jet itself isn’t present. Any advice / encouragement or bad news would be appreciated!! Cheers, Matt.
 
Hello all. Having trawled through Google and searching here, I’m still not sure if it’s possible / relatively easy to add a heated rear window and add a rear wiper and wash. I’ve just bought. TD5 90 2004 (collect Saturday coming) and it’s currently not fitted with the above. I found a previous post suggesting that the wiring / relay might already exist in the rear door and that the connectors might also be behind the dash. Does this mean that all I need will be dash switches, motor and arm etc? Not sure whether the wash side of things would be present (pump, pipe from washer tank to jet etc). Pretty sure the jet itself isn’t present. Any advice / encouragement or bad news would be appreciated!! Cheers, Matt.
I would not bother with a rear wash. The pump will not be there and neither will the hole for it in the washer bottle, not a problem you can just drill one I have just done this on my rebuild. However, I did this knowing full well I would never use it, and did it just because everything else was there if it wasn't I would not go to the effort to add it. The reason I say not to bother with the wash is I have never used it in 15 years of owning mine and have replaced the rear nozzle a couple of times as but as soon as you reverse into a hedge or similar the rear nozzle snaps off as it is unbelievably fragile.

Similarly I have never used my heated rear screen and my current rear door (S/H fitted during the rebuild) does not even have a heated screen despite the fact that I have all of the relays and switches for it.

A rear wiper is slightly more useful and does get very occasional use on mine but again not really required as the flat rear means very little rain actually hits the rear window is more road spray than anything.

My experience might be a little different from yours as I have a 110 with a large rear mounted spare and I would be interested to know how often other members use these items. But certainly for me the only one of the three I ever use is the wiper and that is rarely.

Also on a slightly sarcastic note but the sentiment rings true: if you want to see what is behind you that is what the wing mirrors are for, all you look out the rear screen for is to check the trailer is still attached. And before you complain about that comment just remember that is how vans and HGV's operate.
 
I seldom bother with the rear washer, wiper or heated screen on mine. When I first got the vehicle 12 years ago I used the heated screen to demist the rear window - a couple of the bars seemed to be working but not all of them. I just use the side mirrors for everything now. I check the washer and wiper prior to each MOT and have replaced a couple of spray nozzles because they're very brittle. Being a flat backed vehicle, the muck that gets drawn on to the back of the vehicle is difficult to shift with a wiper blade and a dribble of screenwash. It usually has to wait until I'm washing the car with a pressure washer and a bucket and sponge.

Yes, you might have the wiring - pop the trim panel off the door and check. But like @dag019 I hardly ever bother using mine. Certainly not enough to make it worth buying a new glass panel with a decent element in it.
 
Thanks Dag019, very interesting comments and could save me time and bother. This is my first Defender and forecast tomorrow was / is rain so i'll have a good 2-3 hrs on the M5 to test it out. Thanks for the reply :)
 
many thanks @Brown - x2 votes for leaving it. As i said I'll be testing it well tomorrow ! I will be fitting a heated front screen and mirrors though !
 
i had the same quandry but mine is fitted with a wash/wipe and heated window but neither work. so instead i fitted a Jansite rear view camera and screen in place of the rear view mirror and then i can see even better than if the rear screen had been clean and demisted.
 
@drfoster - that's another interesting take on things, doubles up as dash cam for insurance etc. I see there are 4k resolution ones from wolfbox - probably others too. Thanks for posting.
 
@drfoster - that's another interesting take on things, doubles up as dash cam for insurance etc. I see there are 4k resolution ones from wolfbox - probably others too. Thanks for posting.
yes it does, dashcam front and rear. i got it on a deal from Amazon when it was reduced and added a hardwire kit as well so it comes on and goes of with the ignition. i think the wolfbox ones are pretty much the same but , i think and don't quote me, they are more expensive. all in i think it cost me about 70 quid and the resolution is better than my wifes Kia reversing camera with the added bonus its on all the time and gives about 160 degree rear view.
 
Mine used to have a rear demist, but for a working vehicle easy to damage so when I broke the door window a plane glass went back.
I recon HRH the Queen mum had the answer, she had her 109 fitted with wipers on the rear door, one on the outside and one on the inside to wipe away Corgi breath.:)
 
Mine used to have a rear demist, but for a working vehicle easy to damage so when I broke the door window a plane glass went back.
I recon HRH the Queen mum had the answer, she had her 109 fitted with wipers on the rear door, one on the outside and one on the inside to wipe away Corgi breath.:)
 
I can confirm that no loom for rear wash / wipe exists 🥹 it was almost bone dry on the drive home so didn’t test the theory of not needing it. I’m sure it won’t be long before I get another chance 🤣
 
If you fit a dash cam or rear cam and hard wire them, according to this week's THREATEN THE MOTORIST READERS WITH PRISON/EXECUTION AND UNLIMITED FINE scare story, if you don't inform your insurance company it'll void your insurance because a hard wired camera is seen as a modification yet one plugged into the cigar lighter isn't...
 

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