Levsimus

iTrader: (1)

Last week my rear windshield blew out overnight. Lame, but I have insurance so I'm only out 50 bucks or so. Oh well.

Fun fact - rear windshields aren't easy to come by, especially bronze! I'm sure they're out there but there are no OEM and the glass company could only source two pieces of rear in the US, one "blue" regular old fishbowl glass and one bronze. I got lucky and got the last new piece of bronze rear glass in the US, I think

Anyways, my rear defrost never worked, which previously I assumed was because it looks like the car had tint removed at some point - but while cleaning all the glass out of the back seat, I pulled the cushions and found a wire I never noticed before, black wire. Obviously a ground but its bolted to the brace that runs horizontally from one side to the other behind the rear seat back. It has been cut at some point. Is this by chance the ground for the rear defrost? I'll take a picture if necessary tomorrow while I'm at the shop.

I haven't pulled any trim pieces yet, the glass company is getting paid to do all that so I'm going to let them deal with that - I've no idea if theres another wire that runs up inside the trim yet or not, just figured I'd ask.

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

you can try grounding the wire and gently put a ammeter on the grid of the rear window with the rear defrost on. if you get a reading with the wire grounded its for the rear defrost

Levsimus

iTrader: (1)

I suppose I did phrase my original question poorly - all I have is the bolted end of the ground wire (the end that attaches to ground with a small length of maybe 6-8 inches wire attached to it. I have no idea where/what component it was originally attached at the other end (though hopefully I'll have my answer whenever they come out to pull whats left of the glass and I get to see whats behind all the rear trim.)

Hectic

iTrader: (20)

Whatever it was, it's not a factory ground. Just toss it out and forget about it.

How did you rear windshield "blow out"? Not surprised aftermarket ones are scarce. It's good you got a bronze one though. Could have always pulled one from the yard if it came to that. I had a blue windshield installed last summer and wasn't very happy about it at the time because of the blue tint at the top. Doesn't bother me anymore though, it's really not something I or anyone else notices.

UniqueMax

Usually people ground their amps there. I do it whenever I get a job like that. Big bolt + very good ground + hidden spot + close to the amp.
Previous post was right. That's not a factory ground.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

The factory ground for the window defroster is about halfway up the C-pillar. there's a 1/4" push-connect attached to the glass, and then about a 4-5-6" strap with a ring terminal that is screwed into the sheet metal in the c-pillar.

This is from my 240, but the Maxima was the same way. the other side has a connector in about the same spot, but the wire runs into the body harness and goes up to the dash switch/relay.