Windshield wiper question

[roadman]

Now that we've gotten two snowstorms in two days (albeit both minor ones) here in Eastern Massachusetts, I've noticed a winter habit returning that's I've always found curious.

Between a third and half of cars I see at local commuter rail lots are parked with the windshield wipers raised in the "locked" position above the windshield - like what you would do when changing the wiper blades.  I've noticed this for several years now, and presume that people do this because of fear their wipers will freeze to the windshield.  However, two things come to my mind.

First, seems to me these folks are creating an opportunity for an impulsive person to vandalize their car by snapping the blades off.

Second, and more importantly, if a flash freeze were to happen (which is not uncommon with some storms we've gotten over the years), there is a high probability that the wiper arms would freeze in that extended position.  Unlike cases where the blades would freeze to the windshield (and yes, it's happened to me on two or three occasions over the years), setting the defroster wouldn't do any good to release the arms.

So, my question to the group is this - does anyone leave their wiper arms locked "up" when they park a car at a long-term outdoor lot and a winter storm is expected.  And if so, why?

[corco]

It's pointless, and I've noticed the less frequently places get snow, the more frequently people do it.

I've lived in places that get massive quantities of snow and absolutely nobody lifts them up, but like in Boise where there is snow sometimes but not all winter, it seems like everybody raises them up. It seems like folks semi-comfortable but not fully comfortable with winter storms and cars are the ones that do it.

If you know how to use your defroster it takes like 2 minutes to loosen them if they happen to get frozen, and in that time you usually have to scrape your windshield anyway, so not a big deal.

[6a]

My wipers go below the hood when they're off (defrost doesn't do as much there) so there's a setting that puts them in the up position without having to life the blades off the glass. After I turn off the car, a tap of the wiper switch does the trick so the defrost can do its thing.

[Stratuscaster]

My car has blades that rest slightly under the hood, so I cannot put them in the "snow is coming" position.

My minivan has an actual defroster grid at the bottom of the front windshield, so that helps. Good thing, since the blades are 28" long.

[jeffandnicole]

At the DOT yards, I see a number of the crew members do it. Personally, I never understood why, for many of the reasons cited above.

[DaBigE]

About a quarter of the people in the lot at my office still put them up regularly. I think I left them up for one snow storm when I was at work, but not because I was trying to prevent them from freezing to the windshield. At the time, I thought it might make it faster to brush the snow off the windshield. It didn't (actually made it more awkward), and I haven't done it since.

To this day, I've never had them freeze to the windshield, and even if they did, the defroster would take care of that while I was scraping the rest of the windows. The only winter weather wiper problem I've ever had was with ice/snow build-up while I was driving when I used the frame-style blades. Since then, I use the low-profile beam blades year-round.

[AsphaltPlanet]

It's common to leave your wipers up around here too.  As others have noted, the reason to do it is to prevent your wipers from freezing to your windshield.  I typically raise my wipers in a snow storm, as wipers are an important part of getting that final amount of snow off of the windshield.

[Brian556]

Around here, we often get sleet, which is often mixed with freezing rain, which created thick ice at the bottom of the windshield. I've never raised my wipers, but could see it being helpful I this situation.

The thing I do is  I bag my mirrors, since it is practically impossible to de-ice them, especially since I have the little blind-spot mirrors stuck to them.

[vdeane]

If you know how to use your defroster it takes like 2 minutes to loosen them if they happen to get frozen, and in that time you usually have to scrape your windshield anyway, so not a big deal.

Don't you have to raise the blades up to scrape the windshield?  It's kinda hard to scrape the windshield if the blades are sitting on it.

[leroys73]

They are usually "defrozen" as a result of using the defroster by the time I finish scrapping the WS.  Then if needed I'll lift them.

[corco]

If you know how to use your defroster it takes like 2 minutes to loosen them if they happen to get frozen, and in that time you usually have to scrape your windshield anyway, so not a big deal.

Don't you have to raise the blades up to scrape the windshield?  It's kinda hard to scrape the windshield if the blades are sitting on it.

Right, save the part right around your wipers for last while your car defroster is running. By then they'll be thawed enough to pull up.

That goes back to my theory that places that frequently get snow are less likely to do it- in areas where there is constantly snow/ice to scrape off the car, people very quickly learn that it's far easier to start your car up and get the defroster going before you start the scraping process (rendering the wiper blade lift useless), whereas folks who only occasionally get snow may not have to deal with it often enough to learn to start the car up before they start scraping.

Frankly, it's pretty rare for wiper blades to freeze to the point that they can't be pulled up with a little tug even before starting the car-it takes a very specific kind of weather condition for that to happen that just doesn't happen that often.

[AsphaltPlanet]

Around here, we have damp winters, which makes wipers more likely to freeze than they would be a locale which has a drier winter.

[bulldog1979]

At our local car dealership, they leave the wipers up to indicate that a car on the lot is almost out of gas and needs to be refueled before it is moved again for the plow crews or for a customer test drive. Otherwise, it's rare to see people leaving wipers up around here.

[Pete from Boston]

I very rarely do this, but for those of us close to the northeast coast, I get it.  In "wintry mix" storms like are common here, an inch or more of sleet or wet snow that mixes with freezing rain can really encase the wipers in ice, and pulling them out before they're 100% thawed free can really speed the blades' decline.  Plus, in most cases it's faster and easier (and wastes less energy) to scrape the windshield rather than wait for the defrost to heat it up.  YMMV. 

[Duke87]

Don't you have to raise the blades up to scrape the windshield?  It's kinda hard to scrape the windshield if the blades are sitting on it.

Right, save the part right around your wipers for last while your car defroster is running. By then they'll be thawed enough to pull up.

That goes back to my theory that places that frequently get snow are less likely to do it- in areas where there is constantly snow/ice to scrape off the car, people very quickly learn that it's far easier to start your car up and get the defroster going before you start the scraping process (rendering the wiper blade lift useless), whereas folks who only occasionally get snow may not have to deal with it often enough to learn to start the car up before they start scraping.

I fully understand that it is easier to clear the windshield with the car warming up and the defroster going, but I refuse to do this unless absolutely necessary since in my mind I'm just wasting gas by letting my car idle. I don't turn it on until I'm ready to drive away. I'd rather use elbow grease on the windshield since it does not cost me money or impact my fuel economy. Same goes for cooling the car down in the summer - I will open all the doors and wait a couple minutes for the car to air out, but I will not turn it on and start the AC until I am driving away.

I also live in a city where it is illegal to idle a vehicle for more than 1 minute in a school zone or more than 3 minutes elsewhere, so yeah.

In terms of raising the blades I will not do it if my car is parked on the street or in any other public place because of the aforementioned vandalism concerns. I have sometimes done it if my car is parked in someone's driveway or a private lot. It definitely makes life easier if there is ice to scrape off, although if possible it is more effective to go clean your car off while the snowfall is still fresh rather than waiting until the following morning, as this prevents ice from forming on the windshield in the first place.

[Pete from Boston]

A lot of folks here put a trash bag over the whole lot of wipers and windshield before the storm, which seems like a good idea, but I'm rarely this proactive. 

[Scott5114]

If you know how to use your defroster it takes like 2 minutes to loosen them if they happen to get frozen, and in that time you usually have to scrape your windshield anyway, so not a big deal.

Don't you have to raise the blades up to scrape the windshield?  It's kinda hard to scrape the windshield if the blades are sitting on it.

Right, save the part right around your wipers for last while your car defroster is running. By then they'll be thawed enough to pull up.

I think I might know the answer to this already, but is there any way to get the defroster to warm up more quickly? I do take advantage of the defroster but it seems like it does little good since it takes so long to warm up that by that time I've done most of the scraping already.

[JREwing78]

If you know how to use your defroster it takes like 2 minutes to loosen them if they happen to get frozen, and in that time you usually have to scrape your windshield anyway, so not a big deal.

Don't you have to raise the blades up to scrape the windshield?  It's kinda hard to scrape the windshield if the blades are sitting on it.

Right, save the part right around your wipers for last while your car defroster is running. By then they'll be thawed enough to pull up.

I think I might know the answer to this already, but is there any way to get the defroster to warm up more quickly? I do take advantage of the defroster but it seems like it does little good since it takes so long to warm up that by that time I've done most of the scraping already.

An engine block heater. You'd connect it via extension cord connected to a timer. Then at 4am or thereabouts, it would turn on the heater and circulate the coolant. It would bring the engine up to operating temperatures more quickly.

You routinely only see this option on cars in the brutally cold regions of the country (northern Midwest, northern New England, Alaska, etc.).

[leroys73]

JREwing78

Funny you mentioned this.  Many years ago when I knew an ice storm was on its way to my former home in SW Oklahoma I would put an electric heater in the vehicle with extension cord to the house.  First thing I would do after awakening and a potti stop was plug in the heater.  I still may have to scrape some thick ice off but at least the under side was melting thus making the project easier. 

One thing I plan to do when I order my new pickup is to order it with a block heater, cheap option.  You know the salesman here in Dallas will think I am crazy.  But hey, when an ice storm comes I'll be ready.  Also if I am in the north country during the winter it will be nice along with heated seats.

[jeffandnicole]

We had a vehicle one time.  As I'm not one to be doing my own work on the car, I rarely look under the hood.  One day I was under there, and noticed a plug.  After having the car for a few years, I realized we had an engine block heather!  That would be great for the next winter...except the car met a telephone pole before the next winter and squashed that idea...literally. :-)

[mhh]

I always make sure that my wipers are "parked" in their proper position at the bottom of the windshield before I turn the ignition off. I've been told by several mechanics that parking them in mid-cycle is bad for the wiper motor.

[DaBigE]

You routinely only see this option on cars in the brutally cold regions of the country (northern Midwest, northern New England, Alaska, etc.).

In many of those states, block heaters are not an option, they're standard, at least it's that way with Ford.

[Scott5114]

If you know how to use your defroster it takes like 2 minutes to loosen them if they happen to get frozen, and in that time you usually have to scrape your windshield anyway, so not a big deal.

Don't you have to raise the blades up to scrape the windshield?  It's kinda hard to scrape the windshield if the blades are sitting on it.

Right, save the part right around your wipers for last while your car defroster is running. By then they'll be thawed enough to pull up.

I think I might know the answer to this already, but is there any way to get the defroster to warm up more quickly? I do take advantage of the defroster but it seems like it does little good since it takes so long to warm up that by that time I've done most of the scraping already.

An engine block heater. You'd connect it via extension cord connected to a timer. Then at 4am or thereabouts, it would turn on the heater and circulate the coolant. It would bring the engine up to operating temperatures more quickly.

You routinely only see this option on cars in the brutally cold regions of the country (northern Midwest, northern New England, Alaska, etc.).

Unfortunately, I don't have an engine block heater, not that it would do me much good if I did. My car is garaged (and therefore not iced over) overnight, so the only time I would need the heater is when a storm hits while I'm at work, and there is no place to plug it in there.

[corco]

If you know how to use your defroster it takes like 2 minutes to loosen them if they happen to get frozen, and in that time you usually have to scrape your windshield anyway, so not a big deal.

Don't you have to raise the blades up to scrape the windshield?  It's kinda hard to scrape the windshield if the blades are sitting on it.

Right, save the part right around your wipers for last while your car defroster is running. By then they'll be thawed enough to pull up.

I think I might know the answer to this already, but is there any way to get the defroster to warm up more quickly? I do take advantage of the defroster but it seems like it does little good since it takes so long to warm up that by that time I've done most of the scraping already.

An engine block heater. You'd connect it via extension cord connected to a timer. Then at 4am or thereabouts, it would turn on the heater and circulate the coolant. It would bring the engine up to operating temperatures more quickly.

You routinely only see this option on cars in the brutally cold regions of the country (northern Midwest, northern New England, Alaska, etc.).

Unfortunately, I don't have an engine block heater, not that it would do me much good if I did. My car is garaged (and therefore not iced over) overnight, so the only time I would need the heater is when a storm hits while I'm at work, and there is no place to plug it in there.

Honestly, if it's really cold outside (below 0) you usually want to start with cold air on the defrost- it should still help unfreeze the wipers, but it won't cause condensation which can then re-freeze.

[PHLBOS]

I always make sure that my wipers are "parked" in their proper position at the bottom of the windshield before I turn the ignition off. I've been told by several mechanics that parking them in mid-cycle is bad for the wiper motor.

I believe the OP is referring to people tilting their wiper blades so that they're away from the windshield (vehicles equipped with hinged wiper arms); not shutting off the engine while the wipers are On; thereby stopping the blades while in mid-sweep (if that's what you're referring to). 

IIRC, hinged wiper arms (that allow for such) have been offered on cars for years now.  OTOH, if one has an older car (like my '97 Crown Vic); it will have the traditional, fixed wiper arms.