Defrosting car

[xyz321]

Hi just wanted to ask re defrosting car. My octavia doesn't have heated front screen. In my old car I would simply go out and start it in driveway. Then come inside house and after 5 mins all done.In this octavia I am not sure re leaving engine running whilst not being in car.

Couple of times last week I had to stop car on side of road with engine running to check something in boot. driver Door opens and ignition on warning starts beeping. When I get back inside car ignition is off.

So not sure if I can leave engine running to defrost whilst not in car. My biggest worry is somehow activating some alarm or immobiliser if car thinks it's being stolen or something...

Any other tips on how to easily defrost car window other than using the scrapper? .

Sorry for long post.

Ta.

[pist0nbr0ke]

Has your car got KESSY (keyless entry)?

[brettikivi]

With KESSY, the car won't lock the boot if you leave the key in - so what you used to do won't work.

 

Apart from that, it's quite possibly illegal... if you're that close to the house and could have access to power, then DEFA or Hotfrog might work. Webasto / Aux heater would, too, and they're not *that* expensive. Or one of those Aluminium padded windscreen covers.... or defrost spray.

 

I try to avoid it, but sometimes you just have to use a decent scraper. And please only go one way, otherwise you'll scratch. 

 

 - Bret

[Gabbo]

Hi just wanted to ask re defrosting car. My octavia doesn't have heated front screen. In my old car I would simply go out and start it in driveway. Then come inside house and after 5 mins all done.In this octavia I am not sure re leaving engine running whilst not being in car.

Couple of times last week I had to stop car on side of road with engine running to check something in boot. driver Door opens and ignition on warning starts beeping. When I get back inside car ignition is off.

 

If you are happy with leaving you car running on the driveway there's no reason why you cant do it in the Octavia.

If you have Kessy & take the key with you there will just be a message on the display saying "key not Inside vehicle".

The alarm & immobiliser are disable if the engine is running.

 

When you stopped the car when it is hot I'm assuming that the engine stopped due to StopStart before you got out.

When you take off your seat-belt or open the door, the Auto Restart is disabled as a safety feature (so the engine cannot start without a driver present) & you are requested to manually start the engine.

[SC03OTT]

Get yourself a 5L bottle and fill it with water from the cold tap. Start the car, pour water over windows and go.

Not a great idea leaving your car running outside. If it's stolen, your insurance won't be interested. Not preaching, it's entirely your decision and risk but it can and does happen.

[xyz321]

thanks guys for your replies. I appreciate the risk re leaving car running.

 

the car is standard 2014 SE spec and doesn't have keyless entry.

will try to see if it works with auto start/stop turned off.

 

any advise on am I likely to somehow risk activating some immobiliser etc (I know its a long shot but just want to be sure!)

[iriches]

Another vote for water.  I top up what's left in the kettle after my morning cuppa with cold water, pour that over the windows then go.

Edited 3 November, 2016 by iriches

[Wet Kipper]

 if you're that close to the house and could have access to power, 

 

hmmh - I've just realised we have an external socket, right next to where I park, and my wife bought a new hairdryer recently......

[glosrich]

Leaving the car running is dangerous, risky and wastes fuel.

 

Just get a bottle or jug, fill it with some luke warm tap water, and pour over the windows, operate the wipers and drive off.

[brettikivi]

Leaving the car running is dangerous, risky and wastes fuel.

 

Just get a bottle or jug, fill it with some luke warm tap water, and pour over the windows, operate the wipers and drive off.

^ try this at -30 It's a very British way of defrosting. 

 

hmmh - I've just realised we have an external socket, right next to where I park, and my wife bought a new hairdryer recently......

 

DEFA's in-car heaters are essentially fan heaters with a fixing point and a low thermal cutout, so they'll generally heat to 30 above ambient to 15C or so. They're a little more expensive than that two-speed thing in argos, but not much more.

 

 - Bret

[Gabbo]

thanks guys for your replies. I appreciate the risk re leaving car running.

 

the car is standard 2014 SE spec and doesn't have keyless entry.

will try to see if it works with auto start/stop turned off.

 

any advise on am I likely to somehow risk activating some immobiliser etc (I know its a long shot but just want to be sure!)

 

If you have a physical key in the car while it is running there is even less problem.

The imobiliser is not active when the engine is running (The imobiliser can only prevent the engine from starting not shut it down).

The alarm is also disabled when the ignition is on, it is only active the ignition is off & you lock the car.

 

There should be no need to turn off Stop/Start.

It is automatically disabled if the seat-belt is not connected or the drivers door is opened.

AutoStop is also disabled when the engine is cold & also if the air conditioning is requesting the car is heated/cooled.

[octavianestate]

Second key? Can key 1 be ignition car running etc stop start off.

Key 2 lock doors manually?

Engine still running and getting warm, doors locked?

(get up earlier? ;-)

[xyz321]

Thanks for ur help guys. Never thought re two keys...

[BoxerBoy]

Car running outside but unattended!!!!!!

Don't even think about it.

Wipe it. Wash it. Scrape it. Then drive!

Oh lucky me - hot screens :-)

[stuart vrs]

Place a hot water bottle on the dash 10 mins it helps melt the ice before you leave and then use the water bottle to wipe over the screen.

[norsko]

I'm from Norway  

Do you really know what winter, snow and ice is?

Its a little fun to read about your "problems" :-)

 

1 meter of snow (yes that is 39") and a couple of months with a stable temperature below -20 degree Celsius, THAT is winter!

But still we Norwegians start our cars, drive to work and every other place we need to go (or just want to).

In fact the airport is running as usual also.

 

I must admit that everybody I know do start their cars and let them run, and just go inside and wait for the windows to defrost.

We dont think of that as a problem really

[Petunet]

I think in Nordic countries it is pretty much standard to have these (or similar) at your house / in your car:

 

Our old cars have Defa engine / cockpit heater and battery charger.

New ones have Webasto and battery charger.

[duro]

Living in Northern Italy countryside, it's not uncommon to have -10C° to -15C° in winter before dawn. OK, nothing compared to Scandinavia but colder than London, I presume.

In most days, a few seconds work with a 1€ hand scraper is enough to get rid of the frost.

When there's "thick" ice (our area is quite humid and that becomes real ice when well below zero) a few minutes of car running with full blowing heater are enough to reach the "scraping time".

I avoid to pour water on the screen because when it's very cold, water immediately freezes and you're at square one (if not worse). Absolutely NEVER pour hot water! The huge temperature shock could break the glass.

My wife being too lazy or nervous about quick leaving to work, I bought her (on Ebay, from UK) a plastic windscreen cover held by several magnets, so she puts it on/takes it off without fiddling with hooks and she can just throw it against a nearby metallic garage door where the magnets stick to and it also has the chance of dripping the ice on the ground before she comes back to re-use it.

Edited 5 November, 2016 by duro

[DGW]

I keep a hairdryer in the garage for use as a window deicer. It is quicker, cheaper and less messy than using deicing fluid and there is no danger of windows getting scratched as can happen when using a scraper.

[duro]

I keep a hairdryer in the garage for use as a window deicer. It is quicker, cheaper and less messy than using deicing fluid and there is no danger of windows getting scratched as can happen when using a scraper.

How can you scratch a glass with a plastic "blade"?

Also, if there's just "freeze" and not solid ice, a scraper is a few seconds job.

A hairdryer is a good thing if there's real, solid ice AND you have a convenient plug nearby, unless you use one pluggable to the cigar lighter, which is quite dangerous for the battery's health. Plus, you have to get out the thing and then re-wind the cord and store it away. All things OK if thick ice makes it worthwile.

Edited 5 November, 2016 by duro

[Auric Goldfinger]

hmmh - I've just realised we have an external socket, right next to where I park, and my wife bought a new hairdryer recently......

 

............I'm with you on this one Mr Kipper, I'll ask Mrs G if she'll get up to defrost the car whilst I have a cuppa, need tea when I'm stating at 5 AM.

[Wet Kipper]

I think if I suggested that, I'd be on the other end of a very different "hairdryer treatment"

[SC03OTT]

How can you scratch a glass with a plastic "blade"?

Also, if there's just "freeze" and not solid ice, a scraper is a few seconds job.

A hairdryer is a good thing if there's real, solid ice AND you have a convenient plug nearby, unless you use one pluggable to the cigar lighter, which is quite dangerous for the battery's health. Plus, you have to get out the thing and then re-wind the cord and store it away. All things OK if thick ice makes it worthwile.

If there is dirt on the window being scraped it's easy to scratch it. I'll try and get a pic of my passenger side window. It's terrible. Haven't used the scraper since noticing it.

[DGW]

I too have a scratched side window from using a plastic scraper, probably from grit in bird droppings hidden by ice. Perhaps I am fortunate in having an external mains source near the front of my garage so that using a hairdryer is straightforward. Also using that method I can use a rubber wiper to clear moisture off the windscreen, and can also easily free wiper blades which are stuck to the windscreen by ice. How does one do that with a plastic scraper?

P.S. When away from home I have to break out a plastic scraper. :(

[duro]

Ha! A hair dryer? I'm just thinking about my impatient and lazy wife and son taking it out, unfolding the cord, using it thoroughly on 'screen, then re-folding it and putting it away properly.

 

Son just waits for the engine being a little warm, regardless of the 'screen situation. He often shoots away with a perfectly white 'screen (he says it's irrelevant 'cos he is still asleep anyway).

 

Wife doesn't wait a second. She would simply ignore the wipers or just tear them away. Somebody (me) will deal with them afterward.