Automatic windscreen wipers and frost

I always pour a bit of *tepid* (not hot) water over the wipers and screen if there's frost on the screen, to free the wipers. I then make sure the wiper switch is set to off before turning the ignition key.

How do you remember to do that?

It's part of the standard "pre-flight checks" like making sure that the gear lever is in neutral (by trying to waggle it from side to side) before starting or stopping the engine (or at least letting up the clutch). I tend also to make sure that the oil and battery lights come on when I turn the ignition on and then go out when the engine is running, and check the amount of fuel I have.

Sounds laborious but it's a reflex action and only takes a couple of seconds.

by having something that you haven't got

a brain

HTH

HAND

tim

I don't do any checks whatsoever. Putting it in neutral, then into gear when I stop is simply part of driving and done subconsciously, I don't have to think about it. But things like wiper, demister, etc, I only react to if there's a problem (like I can't see out of the window). The last tyre I changed was completely bald before I noticed it, and I only looked at it because the ABS kept activating when it wasn't that slippery. I do notice a flat tyre usually, only because I'm walking towards the car and it looks wrong, I don't deliberately check.

I keep my cars indoors.

I always find enough junk/tools/workshop/etc to fill all indoor spaces.

still in the little cardboard box?

tim

Why tepid? I run the hottest water I can from the hot tap and fling it liberally on to the screen. Been doing it for oodles of years with no problems.

Tim

I don't have a requirement to do that, called OCD.

If in a hurry, I direct my shower at the car (the drive is outside the bathroom window). I use the temperature you would use to have a hot shower. I would think changing glass from 0C to 100C at once would cause cracks. Certainly the other way round can break cooking stuff.

My last two cars have had them - rain sensing. But they cancel when you switch off the engine - even if you leave the switch in that position. You have to reset the switch after starting the engine. Anything else would be stupid.

FWIW, neither system worked as well as I'd like. Despite several settings, often wouldn't trigger with a wet screen.

Eh? AUTOMATIC wipers should not need any switches pressed. I'd expect them to just start working when it rained.

So what DID they do?!

You squirt your shower from your bathroom window onto your car! Pikey is as pikey does.

Dave Plowman (News) submitted this idea :

My car has them, they work perfectly and are inhibited if you restart the engine. The switch has to be reset to put them back on to auto.

I meant to say the auto, slow and fast speeds all have to be reset, on restarting the engine - otherwise no movement of the blades until.

I'd swap the auto feature for a simple push to wipe one.

My current car combines the "auto on/off" with a single wipe, which is

The auto lights are weird too ,,.