HRW element gone

[bathtub tom]

One of the elements on my heated rear window has packed up.

A circle forms in the condensation part way along it, which I would think indicates a high resistance breakdown rather than a complete break.

As the car's less than three years old, what chance do you think I've got of getting it done under warranty?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Depends what the cause is ....

[bathtub tom]

Reckon it's just a failure as I've never carried anything large enough to need removing the parcel shelf.

Another indication it's not physical damage is the 'broken' line has a 'hot spot', suggesting there's a high resistance point rather than a break.

[Mooly]

I doubt a 'high resistance' area would survive given the current flow. Easy to prove though by measuring the voltage either side of the 'break' and comparing that to the voltage at left and right ends of the track. If you see the same voltage its a break. If the voltage is lower across the break than at the ends then it is a high resistance spot.

A break need only be a few tens of microns across for electrolysis to occur and for you to observe the circular spot.