Chrysler Repair: Rear Defroster on Cirrus, chrysler cirrus, rear defroster

Question
I have a 1998 Chrysler Cirrus and the rear defroster keeps clicking off and on every few seconds to minutes.

Any suggestions.

Thank you

Answer
Hi Vicki,
I would look at fuse #12 in the powerbox under the hood near the battery (40 amp) (front row of 3 large fuses, the one closest to the driver fender) to see if it has a subtle crack in its internal wire which causes it to cycle open and closed as it is called into providing current for the grid on the window. If that is OK then check fuse 15 (10 amp) in the fuse box hidden behind the dash (remove left end cap from dash for access). Let us hope one of those fuses turns out to have such a crack which would explain why it would be intermittent as you describe. The grid is supposed to be powered for increments of 10, 5, 5 minutes until turned off. There is a time function in the body computer that might be the issue but that would be likely requiring the replacement of the computer. The switch in the HVAC control panel could be it as well. But start by testing the fuses for continuity, and looking for cracks. A last possibility is the ebl relay (the defroster relay control, located in the box behind the dash directly below fuse 12) and you could check that possibility by exchanging that relay for another one of the same part number borrowed from the front powerbox as a test.
Roland