[Peternb]

2022 LCI X3 20i M Sport
It’s been cold in the UK the last few mornings! The car was reading minus 3 today. Anyone think the heated windscreen is really slow to work? Other than pressing the heated windscreen button is there any other setting I should be looking it?

The image below is after 4 mins with engine running, it took well over 9 minutes for the screen to clear sufficiently for me to drive!

Not having the ability for remote start in the Uk, I find it crazily slow? I had remote start in my 2021 Disco Sport, and the heated screen seemed way quicker anyway, so no idea why we can’t have that on the X3 in the UK. It must be legal otherwise Landrovers wouldn’t be able to have it!

[avi66]

Originally Posted by Peternb

2022 LCI X3 20i M Sport
It’s been cold in the UK the last few mornings! The car was reading minus 3 today. Anyone think the heated windscreen is really slow to work? Other than pressing the heated windscreen button is there any other setting I should be looking it?

The image below is after 4 mins with engine running, it took well over 9 minutes for the screen to clear sufficiently for me to drive!

Not having the ability for remote start in the Uk, I find it crazily slow? I had remote start in my 2021 Disco Sport, and the heated screen seemed way quicker anyway, so no idea why we can’t have that on the X3 in the UK. It must be legal otherwise Landrovers wouldn’t be able to have it!

I’ve found the window ventilation pretty poor in the X3. Front and side windows often mist over when ac is in auto. No heated front screen means using blown air, which is slow.

I guess old fashioned staring the car and leaving it is the only solution for cold starts.

[fdpxfunix]

I have the same button in my 2018 X3, but it’s not a heated windscreen. All my button does is fire max ventilation through the top vents at the windscreen and I think uses AC a bit too.

I had to use my button on Monday evening and it took 7 or 8 minutes to defrost.

My wife’s old Ford Fiesta Style Climate had a heated windscreen, and you could see the heating elements running through the glass.

J.

[arRod1981]

The windshield itself is not heated. I know what you are talking about it being heated on your LR (my old LR you could see the little heating element lines in the glass itself), but for BMW that button is just to blow the air out of the vents under the windshield.

[mattsheng]

As many people have already said, the windshield itself is not heated. The deforesting is achieved by blowing hot air on the windshield. In order to get hot air front ambient temperature, the cabin air first goes through the heater core (Item 12) in the coolant circuit and then enters the cabin as hot air (See attached)

The heater core gets energy from the coolant circuit as the engine heats up. Due to the cooling strategy of B46/B48/B58TU engines, the hot coolant will bypass the heater core during the cold-start and the initial warm-up phases. As a result, you don't get much hot air blowing on the windshield when the car is just idling in your driveway. The hot coolant will start flowing through the heater core once the engine reaches a certain temperature and now you get hot air blowing on the windshield but this process can be lengthy in cold temperatures as you experienced.

The most efficient way to get your engine up to operating temperature is of course driving your car but it's not very safe when the windshield is all fogged up...

[Peternb]

Originally Posted by avi66

I’ve found the window ventilation pretty poor in the X3. Front and side windows often mist over when ac is in auto. No heated front screen means using blown air, which is slow.

I guess old fashioned staring the car and leaving it is the only solution for cold starts.

Wow I never knew there wasn’t a heated windscreen! How weird that explains it then! My wife has a Mini, obviously made by BMW, that has a heated windscreen how come X3’s don’t, that makes no sense?

[lap777]

Ford released a car with heated windscreens in 1985, makes you wonder..

[arRod1981]

Originally Posted by Peternb

Wow I never knew there wasn’t a heated windscreen! How weird that explains it then! My wife has a Mini, obviously made by BMW, that has a heated windscreen how come X3’s don’t, that makes no sense?

If it makes you feel any better my '22 X5 45e doesn't have a heated windshield either. I don't think any BMW model has a heated windshield.

[Peternb]

Just seems strange that Minis. which are the same manufacturer, have them!?

[avi66]

Originally Posted by Peternb

Wow I never knew there wasn’t a heated windscreen! How weird that explains it then! My wife has a Mini, obviously made by BMW, that has a heated windscreen how come X3’s don’t, that makes no sense?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an option on an actual BMW for a heated windscreen. The tech has been around for years, so no idea why.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by avi66

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an option on an actual BMW for a heated windscreen. The tech has been around for years, so no idea why.

Originally it was a patent issue. They will have expired years ago. May be a glass maker involved as well. From memory, Ford and its companies had the initial rights. Then it seemed to be associated with who owned what motor manufacturer, and their history.

BMW haven't to my knowledge fitted heated screens. Mini, don't know the history of how they got heated screens. VW also got some rights a good few years back as well.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Peternb

The image below is after 4 mins with engine running, it took well over 9 minutes for the screen to clear sufficiently for me to drive!

The problem we have is, the more efficient engines become, the slower we get heat, particularly 'waste' heat to the HVAC systems.

It used to be diesel which had the issue, due to being more energy efficient, but they get an electric auxiliary heating element to help speed cabin heat. We really need the same element in petrol engines these days.

Ford owned the rights the the 'Quickclear' heated screens when Land Rover and Jaguar belonged to them, hence why they also had heated screens, the rest is history as they say.

[Coi]

Mercedes also has heated windscreens, though it's a pricey option. Some Subarus have heating elements at the bottom of windscreen where the wipers rest. I think it's most common on Range Rovers though.

My father had one on his RWD S-Class (it also had heated armrests but low-profile summer tires; really odd spec). When a stone cracked it a replacement was $2700 before labor. Car also had a HUD, and there was only one heated+HUD windscreen in the entire US at the time. Luckily insurance just covered it but yikes.

[bouchy]

actually means "blow the windshield to get quickest defrost", not electrically heated window. Your photo is correct, the defrost begins at the center. And it's actually impressive, comparable to a heated window (in another car)... More info: in various brands, it is possible to get either thin wires, or a foil, completely invisible. Wires: https://www.zauto.cz/news/foto/25/3.jpg
Edit - you're right, they don't offer that in the configurator.

[BMWZ4]

Crank the heat up to the max...28c I think is this max? It'll melt the ice much faster. I've had 1/2 inch thick of ice in recent winters and cranking the defrost heat to the maximum made for a quick melt.

[rob175]

That "MAX" button also turns on the AC which defrosts the from windshield faster because the AC also "dehumidifies" as it blows air. It dehumidifies best with warm air, however, even if the engine isn't up to temperature the dehumidifying will help speed it up.

[avi66]

Originally Posted by rob175

That "MAX" button also turns on the AC which defrosts the from windshield faster because the AC also "dehumidifies" as it blows air. It dehumidifies best with warm air, however, even if the engine isn't up to temperature the dehumidifying will help speed it up.

That would help reduce internal condensation, but not removing ice on the "outside" of the windscreen.

[rob175]

That is correct......to remove "ice" buy a scraper.....for fogged or a light layer of "frost" it will work fine.

I'd rather wait a few minutes than try to rush off and drive when I can't see.......otherwise I could be the first to the "accident scene"....LOL

[stanstan]

My x3 has stop start adaptive cruise control that requires the forward facing cameras mounted in front of the rear view mirror to have a clear line of sight. Obviously a frosted windscreen will stop the cameras seeing and will generate the following warning.

https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/attac...1&d=1671189332

However if I select the rear screen heater I observe the following melt pattern on the windscreen which suggests there is some kind of heating element in the windscreen to clear ice away from the cameras field of vision. The rest of the windscreen relies entirely on warm air on the underside of the screen to melt any ice and frost.
https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/attac...1&d=1671189336
My issue is that only one camera is being "defrosted" and the second camera is prone to condensation forming on the windscreen directly in its line of view.
My auto dipping main beams are also impacted if both cameras can't see clearly.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by stanstan

My issue is that only one camera is being "defrosted" and the second camera is prone to condensation forming on the windscreen directly in its line of view.
My auto dipping main beams are also impacted if both cameras can't see clearly.

Don't you wipers sweep over the camera 'windows', like they do over the auto wiper sensor?

[stanstan]

Yes they do, the wipers sweep just as you describe. Which in a way makes the melt pattern I see all the more odd. There must be a reason for this and my guess it's to assist with the underside of the screen to remove condensation.