Retro fit heated rear tailgate window.

[FB1]

Picking up a 2018 T6 with tailgate next week. Wanting to fit rear window and looking at fitting one with the heating elements. I'm presuming that there'll be no wires already running from the dash to tailgate?
And I can't find retrofit switches anywhere to replace the blank, only a complete heater control. So my question is can you fit just the switch and have an auto electrician run the wires? Or am I forced into buying a complete new heater control just to obtain the switch?

 

[HoopDub]

Hi matey. The control wiring is CAN and is already at the panel. The blank on your unit is removable, you only need to replace the switch blank for one with the heated screen icon. Yey! You may think, but you can't buy the switch on its own (Booooo!!).
That said it does mean you could try and find a damaged or faulty unit and just pop the switch out.
The same control panel comes in Caddy's and Passats, and some other vag group. I found any advertised for sale as being T6 had a considerable increase in asking price, so look for one from another model to save same money.

I found a caddy one on FB Marketplace for £10 and just took the switch out and replaced the blank on my standsrd unit.

Wiring, you will need to run a 2.5mm wire from the BCM to the tailgate for power and another 2.5mm wire from the ground point tucked in the rear left/nearside D pillar to the tailgate.

Once thats done you will need to alter the coding of the BCM to let it know it now has a heated rear screen. That will activate it and your done.

Pardon our interruption...

 

[FB1]

Hi matey. The control wiring is CAN and is already at the panel. The blank on your unit is removable, you only need to replace the switch blank for one with the heated screen icon. Yey! You may think, but you can't buy the switch on its own (Booooo!!).
That said it does mean you could try and find a damaged or faulty unit and just pop the switch out.
The same control panel comes in Caddy's and Passats, and some other vag group. I found any advertised for sale as being T6 had a considerable increase in asking price, so look for one from another model to save same money.

I found a caddy one on FB Marketplace for £10 and just took the switch out and replaced the blank on my standsrd unit.

Wiring, you will need to run a 2.5mm wire from the BCM to the tailgate for power and another 2.5mm wire from the ground point tucked in the rear left/nearside D pillar to the tailgate.

Once thats done you will need to alter the coding of the BCM to let it know it now has a heated rear screen. That will activate it and your done.

Thanks so much for the detailed and thorough reply. Really appreciated !

 

[Squiz]

Hi while searching threads for a checklist of jobs for my t6 barn door to tailgate conversion I came across this thread, I can confirm the heated switch part was dead easy, I just bought a 2010 mk6 golf unit off eBay £9.50 !
You can see that behind the blank when you remove it the hardware is already behind it exactly the same as the golf so it pops straight in as Hoopdub said... all of 25 second job...wish the rest of it was that easy !