Our Customer Service staff tracks the most frequently asked Frost Fighter questions and answers them here... Looking for the Clear View FAQ?

Two other resources may be of help. For more information on compleate defrosters  see the Clear View Product page. For more on defrosters and repair see the Fit It Troubleshooting Guide.

Tab and Grid Questions & Answers

I have never repaired my defroster, is it hard?
Repairing defrosters is easy as all Frost Fighter kits come with step-by-step illustrated instructions.

My defroster slowly started to fail and now barely works. Any chance of repairing it?
Old age may have gotten the better of your defroster. Defrosters use a silver filled coating that is heat cured in the inside of the rear window glass when the window is manufactured. This silver filled coating is made up of very tiny flakes of silver which when drawn together tightly by the coating form a perfect balance in electrical properties.

Over the years with sun, cleaning or scratching some of these conductive silver particles can come off the glass creating more and more electrical resistance until finely the defroster stops working all together. If the grid is scratched you can use the 2000 Grid Kit to fix the areas that have the small breaks. If the grid is generally shot then you might think about a Clear View kit that can replace the entire grid BUT please read the FAQ on Clear View Kits before diving in to this replacement.

My vehicles defroster does not work.
If the defroster only partially works then it normally means you have a damaged defroster grid. This damage can be repaired with a Frost Fighter GRID Repair Kit. If the defroster does not work at all then it could be a separated main power tab. Use the Frost Fighter TAB Repair Kit to reattached these tabs. 

To understand more about defrosters see the illustrated Frost Fighter Fit It Troubleshooting complete guide.

My defroster stopped working and the wire on the side is dangling/loose.
Total failure of the defroster is likely due to one of the tab/clips on the side of the defroster coming loose. Use the 2000 Frost Fighter Tab Kit to re-bond the power tab.

One of the power Tabs/Clips was lost - what now?
If one or both of the main power tabs was lost when the tab separated from the defroster then use the Frost Fighter Uni-Clip Kit to replace the missing clip. The clips supplied are generic and will work on all makes and models.

I bonded my tab back on with five minute epoxy/super glue/competing product and my defroster still does not work. Why?
These adhesives (yes even a competitors) are not electrically conductive and in most cases insulators. The main defroster tabs must be ELECTRICALLY connected to the defroster so the glue must be highly conductive. The 2000 Tab Kit is just the ticket here.

Someone glued the defroster tab back using regular glue now what?
It is very common for folks to stick on the metal clips using a non-conductive adhesive expecting it to make an electrical connection to the defroster. Here is what you can do. Gently remove the suspect tab with pliers and then use the sand paper supplied with the 2000 Frost Fighter Tab Kit to remove any excess non-conductive glue. Mask off the area with tape to limited the sanding marks. If the non-conductive glue is thick, use a screw driver to carefully scrape pry it away from the defroster. Make sure to sandpaper the base of the removed tab and there is a good metal contact. Once removed, mask off the area and apply the Frost Fighter 2000 Tab adhesive after mixing then bond the tab back into position making sure there is a good contact between the defroster material and the silver conductor.

If your not concerned about the aesthetics you can bond on the cleaned defroster tab directly to the vertical main power in another position.

I used a Permatex Kit and it still does not work. How is Frost Fighter Better?
Lets just say we get a lot of customer calls with this question. Frost Fighter Kits use a very high sliver loading for the best possible electrical properties. This means that your tab will bond to the defroster and make a good electrical connection in one operation.

My tab fell off and pulled some of the defroster. Now what?
Here is what to do. Using masking tape mask off a square area that covers the damaged area on the defroster and incorporates some of the good defroster as well. Add a second layer of tape on top of the original making tape so there are TWO tape thicknesses around the bonding site. It should look like a little rectangle.

Follow the illustrated instruction on the tab kit and apply some of the silver adhesive to the masking area and, using a smooth edge, "squeegee" the adhesive into the masked off area using the masking tape as a guide to set the depth of the silver paste. Make sure the bonding area is smooth, has an even two tape thickness and then dip the new connector foot in the adhesive and position it on top of the bonding area while wet.

Next, and this is critical, hold the connector in place (light pressure with screw driver) and using a hair dryer or heat lamp or other heater warm up the bond site for several minutes until the adhesive starts to lock down. Then keep the area warm for several hours (lamp, hair dryer or such) and your back on the road. Sounds complicated but its not.

Are Frost Fighter Kits expensive?
The use highly engineered materials with very high silver loading and when compared to the cost of back glass replacement which starts at several hundred and goes to over a thousand dollars for SUV or Mini-Van glass, the Frost Fighter kits provide an excellent value - epically since most insurance does not cover glass.

Do the repairs match the color of the defroster?
Yes. The grid repairs are color matched to the brownish defroster color for nearly invisible repairs. The tab repair kit is pure silver much like the factory original equipment.

Why isn't the silver adhesive conductive right away?
Both the grid and tab repair kits require the material to be fully cured for maximum conductivity and adhesion. The curing process forces the tiny silver particles together resulting in improving electrical conductivity. Warming the repair with a hair dryer or heat gun is recommended.

How long a gap can I repair in my defroster grid?
The excellent conductivity of the Frost Fighter grid repair material allows 4 -6 inches of grid to be replaced. Normally defroster grid damage is small at less than an inch in length. 

What are Clear View Kits?
Frost Fighter 2600 Clear View Electric Automotive Rear Window Defroster Kits are complete rear window heaters that are easy to install. These kits match the look and performance of factory installed defrosters, melting snow, ice and clearing mist in seconds for safe winter driving. These high performance defrosters melt snow and ice and clear mist instantly.

What is the shelf life of the products?
The shelf life of the Frost Fighter Kits is one year unopened and six months after opening. 

How long does it take to complete a repair?
The grid repair can be done in under five minutes with the required drying time of thirty minutes. The tab repair can be done in just over five minutes with curing times of up to two hours. Curing times can be reduced with the application of heat which is recommended.

How many repairs can I do with a kit?
Frost Fighter Kits are designed to deliver over ten repairs per kit but it depends on the extent of the damage.

Chrysler Sebring Convertible Problems
We get a lot of calls on Sebrings and defrosters which are normally clip/tab separation issues. Back glass for this vehicle is very expensive, but the good news is all you need is the 2000 Tab Kit to fix the problem. You can do several repairs with one tab kit should the challenging design of the defroster on the Sebring cause this again.

My tab fell off when I heated it to cure, did I get it too hot?
The silver tab adhesive, as it heats up initially (just after you apply it) gets thinner and less sticky for a few minutes. This may lead the tab to fall off the defroster. You can tape the tab on the window or pin it in place with a screw driver while heating with the hair dryer. In about 5 minutes the adhesive starts to cure and then locks up hard in 10 minutes after the heat is applied. Keep up the heat for 20-30 minutes and your on your way. Heat curing makes a much stronger and more conductive repair!

I removed a sticker from my window and my defroster stopped working.
While trying to a remove stickers/coatings/tint from the inside of the rear glass it is very common to damage the defroster. Use the Frost Fighter Grid Repair Kit to fix this damage!

See our full online catalog here