I know this questions been asked before and I have searched and read through a few threads but not really found what I was looking for, so apologies if I'm going over old ground...

I have a nice '99 B (now with shiny new bumper and no dents) and have acquired a hard top with heated rear screen. I have replaced the car plug (as the hood had just bare wires) and the hood plug with something else, so they fix together nicely, and the heated rear window button lights up nicely.

However, the screen does not warm up, even though all tracks look to be in perfect condition. I have read elsewhere that a fuse needs to be fitted and/or the fuse box modified?

Is this right? If it is, where and what needs to be done?

Many thanks,

Richard

You need the bridge connector that goes in the back of the fuse box and the fuse in the bottom right hand slot in the driver side fusebox. This can be hard to get at..unscrew the fuse box and twist it on its wires so you can see the the back of the unit...F* knows why they built it that way. If you don't have the bridge connector then you should be able to make one with a couple of male spade connectors on 2" of 13 amp cable.

Heated screen is run by a relay behind the switch in the roof. You should hear a click when you push the button

Also you need to buy one fuse that goes under the drivers side.

A complete nightmare by Fiat. "Rustbucket is right" I had to get an auto electrician to sort mine out..

Why not just plug and play!

Mines not working now. Sirc h is illuminated until I switch it on then light goes out but nothing happens. No click from any relay behind switch. There is power to the switch though so relay must be fed by a separate fuse. Steve

Check the fuse. 30amp bottom right in driverside fusebox.

Thanks Very much for the great advice.

I have had to hard wire the hard top using an electrical connector block, since the rubber covered connector behind the drivers seat has broken.

Does anybody know where i can get a proper push fit connector?

Also, the blown fuse i removed from the bottom right fuse box, was 20 amp not 30 amp. It's working with a replaced 20 amp, but should i use a 30 amp as suggested above?

Thanks again
Bryan

Connector isn't anything special..any male / female plug will do. I bought a jumbo pack of bullet connectors for PC power connectors in Maplins and they work just fine on low volt circuits in cars.

Mine is 30amp..not sure what the official rating is..but nothing melted yet.!

Hi, i have a problem with heated rear screen too.
The power comes to the conector of the hard top (12V) and the light on swich turns on, but heated screen does not work. The fuse is also in the fuse box.
What can be wrong ?

blink182 said:

Hi, i have a problem with heated rear screen too.
The power comes to the conector of the hard top (12V) and the light on swich turns on, but heated screen does not work. The fuse is also in the fuse box.
What can be wrong ?

Click to expand...

Sounds a familiar story. I havent checked my fuse yet ( I had plenty of fun with my fog lamps) When the HRW was working, there was a definite click from behind the switch and, I'm told there is a relay behind the headlining. If you have checked the continuity of the fuse supplying the 'live' input to the relay, it sounds like the relay itself may have failed. I am going to check mine at the weekend and will post the outcome on here. I will be interested to hear your developments.

Steve

This is like pulling teeth!

To make the heated rear screen work you need the following:

1) Hardtop with glass rear screen..unfortunately the plastic scratched, creased etc standard panel just won't do..

2) The relay fitted behind the black plastic panel which holds the round switch. I've seen a s/h top fitted with no relay behind the switch, to the utter confusion of the new owner...

3) The hardtop plugged into the 2 pin power flex which is fitted down behind the driver seat.

4) The L shaped fusebox bridge connector that goes in 2 slots in the BACK of the fusebox. Also a 20-30amp fuse in the bottom right socket of the fusebox.

If you don't have the bridge connector fitted then the switch will light up, the orange LED will come on but the relay won't trip..no current to the back window!

bumble said:

Sounds a familiar story. I havent checked my fuse yet ( I had plenty of fun with my fog lamps) When the HRW was working, there was a definite click from behind the switch and, I'm told there is a relay behind the headlining. If you have checked the continuity of the fuse supplying the 'live' input to the relay, it sounds like the relay itself may have failed. I am going to check mine at the weekend and will post the outcome on here. I will be interested to hear your developments.

Steve

Click to expand...

Steve I have a spare relay that goes in behind the roof switch if you need one. But if the light comes on it's unlikly to be that one. Possibly the one behind the drivers side.

PM me if you need this relay for the roof switch.

Very generous of you Steve. I will try to check the problem out on Sunday and let you know how I get on. On mine, the orange light is on all the time and goes off when the button is pushed in? It did work, however , and you could hear a click from the relay behind the switch.

Steve

Sounds like it will be the fuse in the passenger footwell. I had the same.

If it worked before and suddendly it has stopped then I would change the one 1st, you can swap one over just to test, there are two of the same fuses in the footwell.

Bryan Sheridan said:

Thanks Very much for the great advice.
Does anybody know where i can get a proper push fit connector?
Bryan

Click to expand...

When I was looking for the same, I was advised against the Fiat original, and on looking at the existing connectors, there are three wires, so I went for a straight forward 3 pin mains euro plug and line socket (kettle type) from maplin:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=219727
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=1360

Maplin also do a slightly smaller set that looks a little neater:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=13182

These are good for at least 1500W (6A 250Vac) while a 30A fuse on 12Vdc supply is good for 360W, so they are fine for the duty.

Cheers,
Rich

Rustbucket said:

This is like pulling teeth!
4) The L shaped fusebox bridge connector that goes in 2 slots in the BACK of the fusebox. Also a 20-30amp fuse in the bottom right socket of the fusebox.

If you don't have the bridge connector fitted then the switch will light up, the orange LED will come on but the relay won't trip..no current to the back window!

Click to expand...

Really usefull info. Since I bust my wrist I've not had a chance to progress this until today. I have changed the 20A fuse in the bottom right hand slot for a 30A, the switch on the hardtop lights up, but i hear no relay click.
So I need to add the bridge behind the fuse box. I know I can use two linked spade connectors, I'm just a little unsure exactly where to stick them...

Does anyone have any pics of the back of the fusebox? Also, with my limited number of limbs, to improve access to the fusebox, do I remove the three 10mm bolts? Its just a bit fiddly with one good hand!

Barchetta Parts will sell you the bridge connector for beer money..they will also send you 2 jpegs showing where it fits..If you ask nicely.

PS. You need three good hands (or an assistant) to fit this wee thing unless you want to run through your entire stock of swear words...

Undo the 4 bolts that hold the fusebox into its frame and pull the complete unit through the frame as far as it will go. There is just enough slack in the cables to twist the unit 45 degree to see the sockets in the back where the connector goes. Fit the connector and reassemble the fusebox..ensuring you didn't pull any multipin plugs out..I did and the feccker wouldn't start afterwards...

Italians should design the car, Japanese do the electronics and the Germans build it...