i have a 2006 monte carlo 3.5L LTZ ..cant get the rear defroster to work..i've checked the wires ,all good i've checked the relay and fues , there good i've replaced the relay to make sure that it wasn't it..now i've got out my voltmeter and found i have only 7v,, shouldn't i have bat, power to the rear defroster like around 10v or better??? i was told that it might be the HVAC Control Module ..everything else is ok ac works fans work all other controls are fine...any suggestions would be helpful...

 

I know the '06+ Impala (another W-Body car) has defroster issues. A friend of mine and I (along with help of my father and the Impala forum) figured out a problem on his sister's '06 Impala.
If the '06 Monte is close to the '06 Impala in wiring, here's what we found on that Impala (feel free to see if the Monte is the same):
- In the interior of the car, at the passenger side foot well is an access to a fuse panel. Pop that panel. There should be a BIG connector for a wiring harness to/from the fuse panel. Seperate that harness. If one of the connectors in that harness is black/melted looking that is problem #1. On the Impala, GM used a connector underrated for the juice flowing through it and it burns out. Fix, cut the wires on both sides of that connector and splice it together (we spliced it due to time and materials available, the Impala guys were using a fused link to it).
- If the defroster still does not work, have one person in the car with a test light checking for power at the connector, the other at the defroster relay wiggling it. We found wiggling the relay and it began to work. We then removed the the fuse panel (which on this Impala was under the hood), took the panel apart. Found the forks in the fuse block that the blade from the relay sits in seperated. Tightened them back up, put it back together, problem solved.

Again, that's info pertaining to the Impala. The Monte and the Impala are both W-body cars, so I'm not sure if the designs of the Impala carried to the Monte. Hope it helps.

 

Check the metal tabs on the back glass and wiggle it around if it is loose or it come off there's a product made by frost fighter that I used to put mine back on and it was the only thing I found that worked. There might also be a small module behind the drivers c-pillar (antenna module) they have. Even a problem for melting wires and the connector.

 

ok ill try that out both tabs on glass to make sure ther ok.also i do rember seein' a fuse panel on passenger side ill try ther also..i dont have a web site on that impala wiring could you pass along the site pls ..thanks Justin Knight and The_Maniac for taking the time to help me out ill post as i move on ..got home late from work had a 12hr day ill have to try tomarrow but thanks... this was very helpful...

 

Here are two threads from two different Impala forums with pics about the connector problem in the Impala by the passenger side kick panel fuse box:
07 LS No rear defogger - 2006+ General Discussion - NAIOA
Rear Defroster Burnt Wire Fix Write Up - Chevy Impala Forums : 2011 Impala Forum

No pics about the "fix" to the fuse box under the hood. Just keep notes of where all the fuses and relays go before you rip it apart (if your testing proves that to be a problem).

Keep us updated, it would be interesting to know if your problem is similar to that of the '06+ Impalas.

 

hey alrite that site really nailed it !!! got back late pulled a 14hr day..been really busy with thanksgiving coming up wher close next week from thursday on till monday so its kinda ***** out right now.. got to the passenger side and pulled the the fuse box out and low and behold...there it was baked just like the impala pull it apart and stab it had to take a break here and ther.. got pretty cold ,,but now it works like a champ..thanks guys really needed this..on a side note i think gm should recall that before someone has a in car campfire lol... just glad it just melted ...will try and post pics here in a few days..also ive notice the wirein for the radio got hacked alitt..dont know what the prv owner was doin other than puttin in an after market radio has a kenwood in it now but not to happy with the lnstall ive have to post that later in days to come its really late got to crash now ... thanks for you time guys i would still be woundering about that defroster ..not defogger sorry it was late when i was posting would be up like 3 in the morin thinking why isnt working right...

 

Given the amount of defrost problems in the '00+ Montes and Impalas, I agree GM should have done SOMETHING. Anything from an extended warranty to recalls. I completely feel a recall is needed on that baked connector.

Glad we could help!

 

glad you got it fixed correctly....pics would be great, this is still something that hasn't worked on my car since I bought it 2 years ago! it's a total pita when you can't get the rear window clear during the winter/colder months......

 

Sounds like an easy fix. I'll have to keep this in mind if mine ever quits.

 

Check the links I posted to some threads on the Impala forums. No need to be a member to see the pics.

I believe it is safe to say, this is a '06+ Monte/Impala only fix. The '00-'05 Monte and Impala do not have a fuse panel access in the lower, passenger side foot well (it does have one on the passenger side of the dash). But I am entitled to be wrong