Hmm, frost about....

[lawnmowerman]

In the last week I have had a frozen screen on my wife's Fabia twice (oh how I love the heated front screen & seats on my Yeti).

 

The thing is, first thing I do is start the engine and set de-mist on as well as the heated rear screen & mirrors. I then open the fuel flap to get the ice scraper (clever Skoda).

 

BUT, with the engine running I can't lift the wiper blades otherwise they touch the bonnet (not so clever Skoda).

 

How do you deal with this situation?

 

Bill 

[Ootohere]

Best remove the scrapper from the fuel flap because they can freeze closed.

For inside Jack Frost, common since 1999 in Fabia,

the doors / seals trap H20 sometimes and need pre-winter treatment and be sure they do not fill with water and then freeze closed, treat the door seals.

Night before de-icer on the seals helps stop them freezing.

 

£1 Moisture packs from ASDA in the car and boot is 'Simply clever' Or reusable ones.

you can stop the wiper mid screen, not tried it on a Mk3 though.

 

Greenhouse heater set at 2*oC or so and a Outdoor Cable, but that is just for when parked and not long enough for driving away with....

Window open a couple of mm, so Wind deflectors are useful.

 

Night before de-icer is great, Halfords or other places.

Edited 6 October, 2018 by Offski

[lawnmowerman]

1 hour ago, Offski said:

 

you can stop the wiper mid screen, not tried it on a Mk3 though.

 

Some good points there but, don't want to damage the wiper blades by scraping them across the ice.

Bill 

 

Quote

 

 

Edited 6 October, 2018 by lawnmowerman

[rum4mo]

Demand that the wipers stop at their service position when leaving the car in colder weather, I've never done that, but now you have mentioned needing to lift the wiper blades, that could work for you.

 

I tend to park my cars in a garage so I can never remember what the service position parking procedure is as I only use it when changing wiper blades.

 

When dealing with any of my cars when they needed to be left outside, I've found that clearing the frost off, and applying some de-icer spray usually means that some ends up on/under the blades and frees them and after that I can chisel the ridge of ice away by lifting the blades off the screen slightly without damaging the edge of the bonnet.

[lawnmowerman]

4 hours ago, rum4mo said:

Demand that the wipers stop at their service position when leaving the car in colder weather, I've never done that, but now you have mentioned needing to lift the wiper blades, that could work for you.

 

I tend to park my cars in a garage so I can never remember what the service position parking procedure is as I only use it when changing wiper blades.

 

When dealing with any of my cars when they needed to be left outside, I've found that clearing the frost off, and applying some de-icer spray usually means that some ends up on/under the blades and frees them and after that I can chisel the ridge of ice away by lifting the blades off the screen slightly without damaging the edge of the bonnet.

 

Thanks rum4mo

 

Good plan (means you cannot have the engine running until you clear the screen with a scraper thus delaying warmup though ). Hate screen sprays, solvents or anything of that ilk - just me, don't like it on paintwork or wiper rubbers.

 

Bill  

[Ootohere]

I was a car sprayer and have a 15 year old car that sits outside all the time and gets most use in winter. I am proud of the paint.

De-icer used or Night Before De-icer, i have never ever used a scraper,  and never will, i never use warm water, it freezes hard, & freezes on the ground where you park if used day after day or for weeks if there is no thaw, and freezes in locks / inside doors, 

and i use 'winter wiper blades' / Rally Blades which do not tear and lasts for years.

Door Seals do not leak or any damage to paint work. 

Not sure what damage the products are supposed to do more than, windscreen wash,  fall out / acid rain etc, road grime, salted roads etc.

Edited 7 October, 2018 by Offski

[rum4mo]

1 hour ago, lawnmowerman said:

 

Thanks rum4mo

 

Good plan (means you cannot have the engine running until you clear the screen with a scraper thus delaying warmup though ). Hate screen sprays, solvents or anything of that ilk - just me, don't like it on paintwork or wiper rubbers.

 

Bill  

 

I think that you have to “remove” “service position”, ie they wipers will not move away from that position when you start the engine, but you can check that before trying it with frozen wipers!

 

For a quick getaway or when you get that horrible frozen rough ice on the car, I can’t see how you can live without these sprays, though I have to say that I’ve never used the night before sprays, got one in both cars and in the garage, but not had to use them yet they are all 10 years old and counting!

 

I bought a case of hand pumping de-icer sprayers years ago, they seem to be lasting for ever!

[SurreyJohn]

I use a windscreen cover, like a metalised blanket

 

They are about £10 and either have flaps that tuck in the doors or elastic that hooks over mirrors.

 

The better ones seem to repel moisture, which is handy as I just tuck it behind my wheelie bin to dry out, then put it on when frost expected.

 

 

[Ootohere]

Location location location when there are temps of 0*oC or lower day and night for a week or more with a bit of sun and thawing if not in the shade going on or hoar frosts it can take more than a Windscreen cover.

[wiganken1]

To put wipers in service position switch engine off and, within 10 seconds, press down once (flick wipe?) on the wiper stalk.