i do not have a picture of it but i will explain. my car has heated mirrors that button is next to the mirror switch it has heated rear window button on dash it has heated seats 2 buttons near e-brake then it has another button in front of the heated seats with what looks like a heated wiper but my cars window does not have the heated strips in it. the switch lights up if i press it but nothing happens anywhere. is it a switch for heated wiper and someone replaced the window with a non heated version? where would the wires connect to the windshield? im guessing if i wanted this back id have to replace the windshield yes?

Yes it is for the windshield. I had to look really close on my 99 outback to see the element in the bottom 3 inches. It was almost unseeable, but it was there. If it isn't, then yes, you would have to replace the windshield. I had one done in a 99 outback and it was $280 then yesterday I had one done in a 2000 outback at the same shop and it was $230.

It would help to know what car you have....

 

 

But on almost all cars with the cold weather package, they got heated seats, mirrors, and windshield. As mentioned, it is not the whole windshield that is heated, just a strip under where the wipers park.

 

It is absolutely possible that the windshield was replaced with one without the heating element. I had a 99 Outback SUS that fit that description.

 

 

On newer cars (my mom's 2012 Impreza Premium for sure), the heated windshield is present, but does not have a separate switch, it is activated with the rear window defrost system.

it is a 1998 outback. i think someone replaced the windshield in the past with the wrong one because the heating strips are definitely not there.