Overview
ISO 5898:1997 - Passenger cars - Rear-window defrosting system - Test method - defines a laboratory test procedure for assessing rear-window defrosting systems on passenger cars. Published by ISO (second edition, 1997), the standard specifies definitions, test equipment, environmental and vehicle preparation, test conditions and a photographic method for recording the defrosted area. ISO 5898 does not set pass/fail performance levels or reference areas; it provides a repeatable method for measuring defrosting performance.
Key topics and requirements
Applications and users
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Who uses ISO 5898:
- Automotive manufacturers and component suppliers - for design validation and comparative testing of rear-window heaters and integrated defrost/wipe systems.
- Vehicle test laboratories and type-approval bodies - to perform repeatable laboratory assessments supporting regulatory or customer requirements.
- R&D teams - to evaluate design changes, materials or control strategies affecting defrost performance.
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Practical value:
- Provides a standardized, reproducible method to quantify cleared (defrosted) area and to compare system performance under controlled cold conditions.
- Supports product development, quality assurance, homologation testing and benchmarking between designs.
Related standards
- ISO 5897 - Rear-window demisting system - Test method (related in the same series)
- ISO 6255:1997 - Rear-window washing and wiping systems - Test methods
- ISO 3468 / 3469 / 3470 / 9619 - Windscreen defrosting/demisting/washing/wiping test methods
- ISO 3833, ISO 1176 - referenced for vehicle definitions and mass codes
Keywords: ISO 5898, rear-window defrosting, test method, passenger cars, defrosting system, environmental chamber, spray-gun, defrosted area, automotive testing.