MGF Tech – Fitting a heated screen switch

No-one can have failed to notice that more and more club members are acquiring ‘modern’ MGFs and TFs to join their classics and, with the recent deluge from the skies, one accessory many is acquiring is a hard-top roof.

Attaching the hard-top is a relatively straight-forward and quick operation using four catches (and you just have to fold back the soft-top) but, to get the full benefit, you need to also connect the heated rear screen.

Fortunately all MGFs and TFs were manufactured with the wiring in place for the screen but, unless there is a dashboard switch already fitted, you will need a switch and a relay to operate the screen.

MG Rover specialist HAS can supply these for £24.18 plus VAT for the MGF switch (slightly more for the TF) and £15.12 plus VAT for the relay.

Scott and his team kindly agreed to show me how to install the switch and relay and to demonstrate that it is the work of a few minutes.

The switch goes into one of the blanks in the panel in front of the gear lever that also holds the window switches. The easiest way to access this is to unscrew the side panel beside the driver’s left foot and you can then pop out the front panel.

The bank unclips and the new switch fits neatly into its place. You then need to connect the back of the switch into the spare blue connector that should be behind the panel and not connected into anything else. You can then slip the front panel back into place and re-locate the side panel.

The relay goes into the fuse box under the dash – when you open it up you should see a blank yellow spare position (left) on the bottom right hand side and the yellow relay unit just clips into that position.

The nearside connector from the elements on the rear screen clips into its counterpart which should already be wired up inside the car. You should be able to locate this but lifting up the soft-top enough to access the fabric alongside the hinge for the soft top – the wires and connector should be under this cover. Be careful not to trap the wires when you return the soft-top to its down position.

Having connected everything up, turn on the ignition and press the switch – the light on the screen switch should illuminate to show it is working.

If you don’t want to do the installation yourself HAS can do it in about 15 minutes and charged £11 labour – club members, of course, get a 10 per cent discount.

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