Odyssey Heated Windshield Failure: Owner Seeks Solutions

Hey there! Had the same problem with my 2012 Honda Pilot last winter. The heating element completely failed and showed an error code too. From my garage visit, it turned out the issue was in the control module and some damaged wiring connected to the heating grid. My mechanic found that road salt and moisture had corroded some of the connections over time, plus there was a fault in the control unit itself. It wasn't just a quick fix, they had to replace both the control module and repair some of the wiring. Pretty serious job since they had to work carefully to avoid damaging the windshield. This kind of heating element failure is actually quite common in these Hondas after 100k+ kilometers. Would definitely recommend getting it checked soon, as driving with a fogged-up windshield isn't safe, especially in cold weather. Best of luck with the repair!

Thanks for sharing your experience! Sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with on my Odyssey. I'm a bit relieved to hear it's a known issue with these models, though not happy about needing repairs. Quick question, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole fix? And has everything been working fine since then, or did any other heating-related issues pop up? Thanks again for the helpful info!

Hey again! Glad I could help! Actually, I just got my Pilot back from the shop last week, and I've got some good news to share. The windshield heating is working perfectly now, way better than before it failed. The total bill came to 585 Euro for the whole job. They had to fix the defective heating element, which was exactly what they suspected. While it wasn't exactly cheap, I'd say it was worth every penny considering how well it's working now. The defrost kicks in quickly and the whole windshield clears up evenly. Since the repair, everything's been running smoothly, no error codes, no patchy heating, nothing. It's like having a new system installed. I was worried there might be some lingering issues, but nope, it's all good now! If you're getting the same symptoms I had, it's probably the same issue. At least now you know roughly what you're looking at cost-wise. Just make sure whoever works on it knows their way around Honda electrical systems, that's pretty important for these kinds of repairs. Let me know how it goes when you get it fixed!

Just got back from the mechanic today and wanted to update you! You were spot on about everything. The repair was similar to what you described, though my bill came in a bit higher at 650 Euro because they found some additional wire damage. The funny part was when they showed me the old corroded wiring, it looked absolutely terrible! Can't believe it worked as long as it did. The mechanic I found was actually great, really took the time to explain everything and show me exactly what needed fixing. They got it all sorted in about a day and a half. Just drove home and tested the heating system, works like a charm now! The windshield clears up so much faster than before. Guess sometimes you just need to bite the bullet and get these things fixed properly. Thanks again for your advice, it really helped me know what to expect and not get caught off guard by the repair cost. Definitely feeling better about the whole situation now!