I had to shift snow from the car today for the first time. All was fairly similar to my previous car, apart from I couldn't lift the wipers up, nor adequately clear snow from the trough the wipers sit in. I know I could lift the bonnet but that would entice snow into the engine compartment and it also started snowing again as I cleared the snow, so not a good idea. Any advice for clearing the trough and/or stopping the wiper blades freezing to the screen (apart from parking them upright and wedging them off, which would take more foresight than likely from me).

Turn the ignition on, turn it off without removing the keys and shove wiper stalk down as though your going to do a one off wipe.

The wipers should come up into the parking position, which aids changing the flat blade wipers.

nice big bottle of warm water poured on should sort them out,

Turn the ignition on, turn it off without removing the keys and shove wiper stalk down as though your going to do a one off wipe.

The wipers should come up into the parking position, which aids changing the flat blade wipers.

Nice tip, maybe worth leaving them in this position when it is likely to be cold overnight?

Nice tip, maybe worth leaving them in this position when it is likely to be cold overnight?

Nice idea, until some tea-leaving bar-steward decides to help themselves to your aerowipers! lol

Turn the ignition on, turn it off without removing the keys and shove wiper stalk down as though your going to do a one off wipe.

The wipers should come up into the parking position, which aids changing the flat blade wipers.

I was trying to remember how to do that. I ended up just switching the ignition off with the wipers in motion. I used to put plastic bottle tops under the wiper arms of my previous car. It works on the Octavia if you position them under the lower side of the clip. and on the rear with the bottle top lip under the edge of the arm. I noticed the front wiper clip can get an ice build up underneath, so the upright position might be better.

I got to play a bit in the snow today and the tyres performed very well with a slight covering of snow over ice. On the deeper stuff the ABS kicked in so I know what the limits are. The only downside, a posse of local youths thought it was fun to pelt the car with snowballs at close quarters. I couldn't see any dents in the panels but it sounded and felt like there'd be some when I got home.

Just leave the snow there, it will soon melt.

nice big bottle of warm water poured on should sort them out, [/url]

Are you crazy? Warm water at -10 deg ??? Pop goes the screen....

nice big bottle of warm water poured on should sort them out, [/url]

Are you crazy? Warm water at -10 deg ??? Pop goes the screen....

No!!!

Ive been using warm water on cars to de-ice them for 30 years.

Never had a problem.

Just dont use very hot water.

Edited 20 December, 200916 yr by ChrisRs

You can always open the bonnet and scoop the snow out out if you so wish, did this yesterday and it worked a treat.

I wouldn't recommend triggering the wipers if they are covered in snow, especially if the snow has been subject to a nights worth of freezing temperatures.

Warm water is fine on a screen provided you don't have any stone chips or cracks in it. My demister turned a small chip into a crack right across the screen, I must remember to listen to the brummie in the Autoglass advert

I use slightly tepid water too. Works a treat. Barely wants to be warm at all. You have to wipe immediately else it will re-freeze though.

Nice tip, maybe worth leaving them in this position when it is likely to be cold overnight?

I wouldn't, if you forget and the wipers are frozen to the screen and you turn on the ignition, the wipers will automatically try and return to their rest position. You have the potential of damaging the wiper mechanism and the motor. :wonder:

I wouldn't, if you forget and the wipers are frozen to the screen and you turn on the ignition, the wipers will automatically try and return to their rest position. You have the potential of damaging the wiper mechanism and the motor.

Not if you have put them in parking position after turning off the ignition. They will only return to rest position if you tap the lever after turning on the ignition.

Still wouldnt leave them in that position, as the wiperblades are easily taken off and are expensive. And if stolen, they can also bend the wiper arms.

Are you crazy? Warm water at -10 deg ??? Pop goes the screen....

Even boiling water shouldn't do that to a tempered laminated windscreen, you've got more chance of melting the laminate assuming you haven't got any cracks in your windscreen.

Still it doesn't need to be that warm, just enough so it doesn't freeze back up straight away