No front defrost activation when remote start

[Althescal]

Hi friends,
We had our first decent snow a few days ago and I have been noticing that when I use the remote start to warm up my JT, only the back glass defroster is activating and lit up. I can manually activate the front defrost, but am wondering if there is a setting that I can simply change(and how to access it), or if there might be a connection problem somehow. It will come on whenever I manually press the button, jut not automatically when I use the remote start. Any help is appreciated!

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[ShadowsPapa]

I noticed that it comes on when it's colder than xx degrees out. I went out the other day and the fan was running on high and I felt a huge blast of air as I got into the truck - the HVAC was still set to auto - and when I pushed the ign/start button after getting in, the fan still stayed on high and there was a lot of air coming out the defrost.
I've not researched it other than noticing the fan is running high and a ton of air comes out the front when it's really cold after remote start.

 

[Althescal]

It was way below 40 degrees the other morning, so the front should’ve been going too. There was still snow and ice stuck to the windshield that I had to clear after nearly a 15 minute warm up. I came from a 2018 JLUR and it would always activate the front defrost when remote start was used on mornings colder than 40 degrees.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'm talking in the 20s or less. I've not seen mine come on as warm as the 30s.
Maybe it is blowing some warm air up there in the 30s and I've not paid attention but I don't generally need defrost when it's that warm out.
I do know mine was running the blower on high (or at least a 5 or 6) and I could feel the air blowing at me as I got into the truck (and HVAC was in auto mode)
After the truck warmed up a bit the fan slowed and air started coming out the dash and lower, before that it was only out the defroster area.
And I've only noticed it with temps in the 20s or less.

I don't know the threshold for the defrost during remote start - but I have noticed it does work in the 20s.
I rarely use defrost anyway.

 

[jmdwifi]

You set it in the radio settings. If its set to remote starts or all starts, the heated sets and defrost, etc turn on when it's below 40 degrees. That is how it works on mine.

 

[Althescal]

You set it in the radio settings. If its set to remote starts or all starts, the heated sets and defrost, etc turn on when it's below 40 degrees. That is how it works on mine.

Thanks for the help. I thought that it was probably some kind of programmable function that I just haven’t learned how to do myself. Everything else is combining with the remote start, just not the front defrost. It’s blowing through the vents, but I need that warm air going to the windshield first. It almost seems like it’s set up backwards from the way my 2018 JLUR was working. I never had to scrape frost or ice off of it’s windshield. It would warm up much faster than the Gladiator does. Almost as if it had some sort of block heater in it.

 

[Willysglad21]

You set it in the radio settings. If its set to remote starts or all starts, the heated sets and defrost, etc turn on when it's below 40 degrees. That is how it works on mine.

Hey there! I’m still having issues with this too! I cant seem to find the radio setting for this... is there anyway you could walk me through this step by step? Apologies! I’m probably grossly overlooking something!
RH

 

[jmdwifi]

Go to settings, then seats and comfort. There you can choose, off, remote starts or all starts. Hit the X upper right and it will exit back to the radio.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The kicker is - it's all or none.
If you have heated seats and/or heated wheel and either of those ARE working but you are NOT getting front defrost, then it's not a settings issue.
If your heated mirrors/heated rear glass come on but the front defrost doesn't, then it's not a settings issue.
These are set to either be off, come on remote start, or come on all starts at under 40 degrees -
Heated steering wheel
Heated seats
Heated mirrors (outside mirrors)
Heated rear glass (rear window defrost)
So if you have any or all of those, they all are impacted by the exact same setting.
That means if you see ANY of those working, but not the front defrost - it's not a settings issue.

You can't have any of the above list come on but not the others (assuming you have any of those or all of those)

I did a remote start. It was in my unheated detached garage. It was 9 degrees outside, about 15 in the garage.
I went out to find the truck sitting at 155 degrees coolant temp, heated seats nice and warm, heated steering wheel warm, and the air was blowing strong and warm out of those dash end vents that point at the door glass to defog the side windows so you can see the outside mirrors.

The other day it was in the mid 20s and I did the same, went out sooner and the fan was blowing on what I'd guess was number 4 or 5 and air was blowing strong out of those end vents next to the side windows (not the ROUND vents that face you).
So if you do a remote start on a COLD day and go out rather quickly, you should hear that HVAC far running loud and strong and have air blowing out the vents at the ENDS of the dash where the air aims at the door windows.
It won't be as strong or as loud if it's in the upper 30s as it appears to adjust based on temperature.

 

[Willysglad21]

The kicker is - it's all or none.
If you have heated seats and/or heated wheel and either of those ARE working but you are NOT getting front defrost, then it's not a settings issue.
If your heated mirrors/heated rear glass come on but the front defrost doesn't, then it's not a settings issue.
These are set to either be off, come on remote start, or come on all starts at under 40 degrees -
Heated steering wheel
Heated seats
Heated mirrors (outside mirrors)
Heated rear glass (rear window defrost)
So if you have any or all of those, they all are impacted by the exact same setting.
That means if you see ANY of those working, but not the front defrost - it's not a settings issue.

You can't have any of the above list come on but not the others (assuming you have any of those or all of those)

I did a remote start. It was in my unheated detached garage. It was 9 degrees outside, about 15 in the garage.
I went out to find the truck sitting at 155 degrees coolant temp, heated seats nice and warm, heated steering wheel warm, and the air was blowing strong and warm out of those dash end vents that point at the door glass to defog the side windows so you can see the outside mirrors.

The other day it was in the mid 20s and I did the same, went out sooner and the fan was blowing on what I'd guess was number 4 or 5 and air was blowing strong out of those end vents next to the side windows (not the ROUND vents that face you).
So if you do a remote start on a COLD day and go out rather quickly, you should hear that HVAC far running loud and strong and have air blowing out the vents at the ENDS of the dash where the air aims at the door windows.
It won't be as strong or as loud if it's in the upper 30s as it appears to adjust based on temperature.

Ok, So I’m not crazy. I’m taking it to the dealer next week for a bunch of small issues and that is one of the primary ones. I didn’t think i changed anything on my end but who knows!

 

[Althescal]

I guess I will have to let the service department take a look at it then. I hope that it’s a simple fix!

 

[FutureOdin]

Remote starting my JT in the cold doesn't illuminate the front defroster button, but it's definitely blowing air out of the front defroster. I think it's an auto setting that, while it's in remote start mode (i.e. the start button hasn't been pressed), it's blowing out of the front defroster, but when the start button is pressed, it reverts back to your previous HVAC settings.

 

[Althescal]

Remote starting my JT in the cold doesn't illuminate the front defroster button, but it's definitely blowing air out of the front defroster. I think it's an auto setting that, while it's in remote start mode (i.e. the start button hasn't been pressed), it's blowing out of the front defroster, but when the start button is pressed, it reverts back to your previous HVAC settings.

Mine isn’t blowing hardly any air on the windshield. It’s nearly all coming out the side vents. Maybe it’s the way FCA designed it to work, but if they did, it was a poor choice. My windshield isn’t getting thawed out like it did in the Wrangler I traded in on my Gladiator.

 

[JeepCares]

Hi everyone--

We're sorry to hear about the concerns you're experiencing with your remote start and defrosting capabilities. If any of you would like additional assistance while getting this addressed by your certified dealer, please feel free to reach out to our @JeepCares team directly!

Thanks in advance,

Courtney
Jeep Cares

 

[kevman65]

It could be the switch on the trap door isn't throwing it to correct position for defrost.

Before you turn it off the night before, set it to defrost and make sure it switches to defrost before you hit the ignition button.

See if that gives you what you want when you remote start.

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