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choicesmade
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Anon

[Help] windshield wipers raised before snow storm?

This may sound like a really dumb and obvious question, but I cannot figure out if my windshield wipers can manually go up. I wanted to keep them up the night before a snow storm so it’s easier to clean and doesn’t freeze, but it seems the wipers won’t manually go up. Is there any “special way” to do this or can I just not do it in my cars? It’s on both a 2002 Honda Civic and 2003 Toyota Corolla. Thanks a lot in advance for any input. It’s really appreciated.

Asiabound
Ex-Pat
Premium Member
join:2002-12-21
Mabinay

Asiabound

Premium Member

Do you mean up while still resting on the windshield, or out - away from the windshield like when you're cleaning it?

Nick
Purveyor of common sense
MVM
join:2000-10-29
Smithtown, NY

Nick to choicesmade

MVM

to choicesmade
I think he's referring to some cars in which the hood prevents the wipers from being locked into an "away from windshield" position.

I think that's just how they were designed...I know my T-bird didn't let me do that, but my Infiniti lets me lock the front ones up, but not the back.

choicesmade
@optonline.net

choicesmade to Asiabound

Anon

to Asiabound
Yes, I was referring to resting the windshield wipers away so it would be easier to clean the snow off. I guess some cars don't let you move and/or rest the wipers in certain positions?

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

Hall to choicesmade

MVM

to choicesmade
Turn on your wipers. When they're in the "up" position/location, quickly turn the car off. Is that what you mean ?

burner50
Proud Union THUG
Premium Member
join:2002-06-05
Iowa

burner50

Premium Member

said by Hall:

Turn on your wipers. When they're in the "up" position/location, quickly turn the car off. Is that what you mean ?
doesnt work on some new cars...

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

1 edit

Hall

MVM

Yeah, I've seen some where they return to their normal "home" position when turned off. On my '06 Accord I can do it though.

I don't think doing this is a good idea though. When the car is started, the wipers are in "on" mode. If they're frozen/stuck in place, they're going to try and move. Not sure if they can damage the motor or gear or if there's a "safety" built-in. Even if you turn them off, they'll still try and return to their off position.

Cho Baka
MVM
join:2000-11-23
there

Cho Baka to choicesmade

MVM

to choicesmade
On some vehicles it is possible to move the park position of the wipers into a non-concealed position for winter use.
Check the owners manual in any event.

VegasMan
Living the Vegas life.
Premium Member
join:2002-11-17
Las Vegas, NV
·CenturyLink

VegasMan to burner50

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to burner50
said by burner50:
said by Hall:

Turn on your wipers. When they're in the "up" position/location, quickly turn the car off. Is that what you mean ?
doesnt work on some new cars...
It does if you open the drivers door. Pontiac and a few others make you put the wipers on low then shut the car off and then open the door to get the wiper to stay out enough so you can lift them.

F walker
Hey Intern, Get Me A Campari
Premium Member
join:2003-04-10
Anchorage, AK

F walker

Premium Member

I just pull them up and way from the windshield, pointing up towards the sky, keeps them out of the way for scraping and keeps them form freezing to the windshield.

MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
Premium Member
join:2005-03-14
Katy, TX

MysticGogeta to choicesmade

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Pull them off and put them back on after cleaning the windshield.

GeekGirl1
Premium Member
join:2007-01-28
Morrisville, PA

GeekGirl1

Premium Member

Unless you have a Nissan Murano. The car has a nice swept look from the engine hood to the front windshield that hides the wipers. Idiot designers didn't leave enough clearance to allow you to lift the wipers. PITA. Especially when you have to clean the blades off.

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds

Premium Member

Usually raising the hood allows blade access.

MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
Premium Member
join:2005-03-14
Katy, TX

MysticGogeta to GeekGirl1

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to GeekGirl1
Glad I didn't buy a Nissan.
kubus
join:2000-12-22
Irwin, PA

kubus to choicesmade

Member

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those bags that daily papers are delivered in are exactly the right size to cover the wipers

neonhomer
Dearborn 5-2750
Premium Member
join:2004-01-27
Edgewater, FL

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Some vehicles will not allow you to lock the blade away from the glass. You can either put a spacer between the arm and glass to hold it, or some models (like my old Caravan) actually have a little sliding lock that you can pull out to hold the blade away. It is actually for removing the entire arm from the shaft, but as long as you just pull the arm back, slide the lock out, and leave it, it shouldn't hurt...

Down here in Daytona Beach, you find some of the kids will lock the wipers back, and then drive down the beach with the wipers running like this.... dumbasses.... these are usually the same ones who will set off their alarms while driving to get attention.

Telly Boot
Premium Member
join:2002-05-15
Vancouver, BC

Telly Boot to choicesmade

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Wrong season: The time to raise your wipers off the screen is in summer when they may be fried on to the glass. In winter, start the car, and by the time you have gone around and cleared the other windows your wipers will be freed: that's the first part of the windscreen to heat up and thaw out.

Snakeoil
Ignore Button. The coward's feature.
Premium Member
join:2000-08-05
united state

Snakeoil to choicesmade

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I wish my truck has what my minivan has.
Wiper defrosters.

Where the wiper rests there is an electric window defroster tape there.
I wonder why they didn't carry that over to newer vehicles. The van is a 99 and was brought in the south...
hmmm also that van has a rear window defroster, where my truck doesn't, and both are southern vehicles.

jbryan
join:2004-11-30
White, PA

jbryan to choicesmade

Member

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It has been my experience that almost all foreign cars will pull out and stay. In fact, I have not seen a foreign car that would not have that feature. Only some American cars will have that feature. If your not sure you are doing it corretly, stop at a dealer and ask them to show you.
fixrman
From a broken heart to a hole in the sky
Premium Member
join:2003-02-10
Hatboro, PA
·Verizon FiOS

fixrman to choicesmade

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Both of your cars should have wipers that will latch away from the glass. I have seen some posts that spoke of leaving the wiper switch on and turning the ignition off. Under no circumstances do that! Leaving the wipers switche on is poor practice in any weather. Actually, leaving anything on after the ignition is switched off is poor practice.

Over the course of several years when I worked at dealerships, ice storms would bring a ration of vehicles whose wipers "would not go all the way down" and/or "go off the windshield for some reason". In every case the wiper crank arm was bent, which elicited the response from the owner that the manufacturer should have a better design than that.

The same goes for folks who are in a hurry to leave on a winter storm morning, who forget or decide not to clear ice from the side windows. Using the power window motor or hand crank to force the issue will either bend the regulator arm(s), crack the guide rollers or overheat the motor. Then of course, ____________ (insert auto manufacturer here) should design the system better than that.

Ken Peterson
Premium Member
join:2000-12-08

Ken Peterson to choicesmade

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I've seen a lot of people leaving their wipers locked out to prevent the blades from sticking to the windshield in the past years - I am afraid that it may prematurely stretch the tension spring and over time, you'll have a less effective wiper due to the decreased spring tension when the blade is back on the glass...

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

Hall to choicesmade

MVM

to choicesmade
said by choicesmade :

Yes, I was referring to resting the windshield wipers away so it would be easier to clean the snow off. I guess some cars don't let you move and/or rest the wipers in certain positions?
Follow this advice (it's the same thing I do when I get caught outside as we normally park in the garage):
said by Telly Boot:

In winter, start the car, and by the time you have gone around and cleared the other windows your wipers will be freed: that's the first part of the windscreen to heat up and thaw out.

Lurch77
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
Green Bay, WI

Lurch77 to choicesmade

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Quickly skimming, I didn't see anyone mention that some wiper arms are just not made to be lifted up and help away from the window. The ones that came on our last car could only be lifted a few inches up. There was no hood clearance issue, just that the arms were not designed for it. A quick stop at the local parts store and I bought some replacement wiper arms that allowed full lift and lock from the window.

deltat2000
Timor Omnis Abesto
Premium Member
join:2000-04-13
127.0.0.1

1 edit

deltat2000 to choicesmade

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This is why Audi came up with heated windsheilds...

And heated leather seats, steering wheels, mirrors, and side windows!



Another cool feature was the sideview mirros that tip dowm when in reverse, so you can see where the curb is!

Isn't German engineering wonderful!

There are also treatments like RainX that do wonders for windsheilds..
truckie36
join:2004-11-23
Hudson Falls, NY

truckie36 to choicesmade

Member

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These will take care of all of your problems.

»www.everblades.com/HEATFLEXX.htm

MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
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join:2005-03-14
Katy, TX

MysticGogeta

Premium Member

Pretty smart but 100 bucks they better last longer then a year
UofMiamiGrad
Premium Member
join:2001-02-03
Syosset, NY

UofMiamiGrad to choicesmade

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How about just reading the damn owners manual, it will be clear as day in there. On my Lexus you can yank them up about 3 inches higher from normal rest position, the owners manual shows how to do it. If it's not in the manual then the car doesn't allow for the wipers to be put into a higher resting position on the windshield.

Lurch77
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
Green Bay, WI

1 edit

Lurch77 to deltat2000

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I swear you are on Audi's payroll. Is there anything you don't love about Audi?

MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
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join:2005-03-14
Katy, TX

MysticGogeta

Premium Member

I would say the price but..

deltat2000
Timor Omnis Abesto
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join:2000-04-13
127.0.0.1

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said by Lurch77:

I swear you are on Audi's payroll. Is there anything you don't love about Audi?
Just that they are so damn expensive...lol