2017 Ford Escape Rear Defroster Not Working & Heated Mirrors
If the rear window will not clear on a 2017 Ford Escape, first notice whether the entire grid is dead or only part of the glass stays fogged. On equipped vehicles, the heated exterior mirrors are tied to the heated rear-window function, so comparing the rear glass and mirrors can provide another useful clue.
Whole window dead or just a few lines?
What Ford says about normal operation
Ford says the engine should be running before the heated rear window is used. Pressing the heated-rear-window button clears thin ice and fog, and the system switches itself off after a short period.
On Escapes with heated exterior mirrors, Ford says the mirrors switch on automatically when the heated rear window is activated.
Rear-defroster fuse and relay
| Item | Rating/type | Ford description |
|---|---|---|
| F22 | 25A | Heated rear window |
| F46 | 5A | Heated outside mirror relay coil |
| R3 | Micro relay | Heated rear window relay |
| R6 | Micro relay | Heated outside mirror relay |
These references are in the luggage-compartment fuse panel in Ford's current 2017 online chart. See the Fuse Box guide for the panel layout and other common circuits.
If only a strip of the rear glass stays fogged
A partial pattern often points away from the main fuse because much of the grid is clearly receiving power. The thin conductive lines on the inside of the glass can be damaged, which is why Ford warns against using razor blades or sharp objects on the inside of the heated rear window.
If the heated mirrors do not clear
First confirm the Escape is actually equipped with heated exterior mirrors. If both mirrors and the rear glass remain cold, look at the shared heated-rear-window operation. If the rear glass works normally and only one mirror does not, the problem is more isolated.
Ford also warns against scraping frozen mirror glass or forcing the mirror when it is frozen in place.
When the issue belongs in the electrical hub
If the rear defroster fails at the same time as several unrelated accessories, start with the Electrical Problems guide. One isolated rear-window grid problem is a different situation from multiple body-electrical systems dropping out together.