Front windshield defrost not on with remote start in cold WX

[Rich]

Just leave the climate on auto. When the truck is heating it will always blow toward the windshield and feet

Yes, it seems so!

I just got back from snow blowing and tested the truck. I remote started it and let it run a while. It seems that it didn't go into defrost mode, but was blowing some warm air on the windshield, but the majority of air seemed to be coming out the downward floor vents.

To me this is not defrost mode, but it did heat the windshield a bit. I'm not sure how it would do if the windshield was iced up, but it may help.

Today for me, even though it was 14F out we had a powdered snowfall, So I couldn't really fully evaluate how the windshield defrost worked in remote start mode. It certainly was not as robust as my other vehicles were, which is what led me to post this thread, I have to wonder if this is what FCA intended.

 

[Rich]

I haven't had good weather to test this lately, but I did notice something new. I'm not sure if it's a new symptom or just something I didn't notice previously.

If I remote start the truck and it's cold outside (below freezing) and the truck is stone cold (from not being run overnight), if I get to the truck quickly, before it has a chance to warm up, when I unlock the doors and quickly check inside I can feel a strong flow of air to the front windshield defroster. But by the time you get in and sit down the hard blowing air seems to have slowed itself down even before you can get press the start button to bring the truck to life. It seems that unlocking or opening the door causes the fans to slow down considerably.

I need to do more testing, but I'm also wondering that if the fan speed seems to be high at start, and then slows down as the engine warms up, so no warm air is ever blown on the windshield to melt any ice that could be there from an overnight ice or snow storm?

There seems to be a lot of things going on here so it's not easy to quickly test it. You have to start with a stone cold vehicle each time, and it must also be below freezing out for the test to be valid.

My dealer didn't seem to want to do much about this, so I'm on my own trying to find the symptoms. I'm not sure if I found it was not working if they would even listen to take a report. The last time they just said they tested another truck and it works the same way, so it must be ok!

 

[HeliPilot]

We've had -21 Temps recently. I can tell you, without doubt, that the defrost is on full blast at my front windshield when I get in after remote starting the truck...and it does not slow down because I opened the door. It remains on full blast as it defrost the windshield. I've had to manually take it off of Auto to direct it down to my feet because they were freezing as I drove down the road. Not sure how yours is acting, but mine functions as one would expect.

 

[Rich]

Which radio do you have? Or perhaps we can compare software versions?

My truck was left in the 'Auto' setting as I always do.

I just tested my truck again. I got inside locked the doors and hit the remote start. The truck started and after a minute the defrost came on high. The engine was stone cold so the air it was blowing was cold, which is no help to defrost anything.

I sat there watching while the engine warmed up. A couple of minute later, and before any warm air was coming out of the defrost to the windshield, the air changed to come from the heating vents by my feet. It wasn't even warm air blowing yet.

I didn't wait too long as I had to get going, but no warm air came out at all. I then pressed the start button to end the remote start sequence and drove away.

It never got warm, this won't work at all.

 

[TimmyG]

There is a recent TSB to update the software on the HVAC system. Wonder if it addresses this as well...

 

[MG99]

It's been getting cold here in NH (below freezing cold).

When I remote start, I notice the rear defroster is on, but I've never seen the front windshield defrost turn on!

My seat and steering wheel heat turn on, as well as the rear window defrost, but why not the front defrost?

I searched here and also the manual, but can't find any documentation to describe what to expect, not any settings to change to affect this.

Another thing for a dealer visit?

This may have already been stated in the many responses (I didn’t read them all) but I believe whatever setting it was on the last time you turned the engine off is what will turn on with remote start. The heated seat and steering wheel automatically turn on when the temperature outside is under 40 degrees, if you set up heated seats/wheel in the settings menu in uconnect.

 

[Rich]

This may have already been stated in the many responses (I didn’t read them all) but I believe whatever setting it was on the last time you turned the engine off is what will turn on with remote start. The heated seat and steering wheel automatically turn on when the temperature outside is under 40 degrees, if you set up heated seats/wheel in the settings menu in uconnect.

I leave it on auto, it should handle this, just as it turns on the rear defroster.

 

[MG99]

I leave it on auto, it should handle this, just as it turns on the rear defroster.

 

[MG99]

I leave it on auto, it should handle this, just as it turns on the rear defroster.

Hmmm. Not sure then.