I want to blame Ford

[Bill S.]

But, I probably really can’t. I’ll try, let me know what you think!

In a previous post, I mentioned the Good Idea Fairy steering me north. Well, here we are deep into winter in Vermont. At different points during the season there was snow, sleet, freezing rain. Example A, for the prosecution:

I also noticed how the windshield wipers sit below the hood when not in use. Not an easy vehicle to de-snow/de-ice, between the windshield wiper cave and side mirrors.
Of course, I don’t always leave enough time - or want - to start and idle long enough to warm up and defrost. After one rough icing event, I decided to do the ‘blades off the glass’ thing. “How?” you ask? Well, run the wipers and kill the engine with blades up, then lift them off the windshield. Prosecution Exhibit B:

Like that.
With remote start, it’s easy to scrape ice and brush show away. Just don’t hit actual start, or the wipers reset.
And then they do this, Exhibit 3:

Not super clear, but there is a spot where the wiper arm scraped the paint off the edge of the hood. One shown, but one for each arm. Complainant rests their case.

Ok, you could title the experience ‘Bronco Sport: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Remote Start.

As much as I want to blame Ford for not making it easy for me to get snow and ice out of the wiper recess at the bottom of the windshield, the sordid fact of the matter is I went out of my way to force the Panda to do something it wasn't designed to. And I have the scars (real and emotional) to show for it.

Case dismissed.

Dammit.

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[TNFurb]

LOL. I think you’re right. You can’t blame Ford.

 

[Glamdring70]

I knew what Pic 4 was going to be by the time I got to Pic 3. Sorry that happened. You're not the first one to post the same kind of thing. It's kind of known/obvious that will be the result, but this is also the only vehicle I've ever seen built with such an issue.
Maybe if your dealer is nice they can comp you a paint pen? It's a deep gouge, but the paint is so thin these days, it's not like crazy deep. Primer and a pen. If you want to go nuts, I guess you could drop an edge protector on there too.

 

[Poolmanz Sport Bronco]

Wonder if @Mark S. is related to @Bill S.

I know nothing about snow/ de icing except for 1x out of the year.
However, I have changed out my wipers to more robust blade . I was able to manually move the arms without using the switch.
Does the blade have to be off the windshield?

 

[Oso Fell]

Ouch. I’ll blame ford for you. I’ve experienced “substantial” snowfall with the bs for the first time this week. It snowed twice this week and each time the blades were buried. It’s a chore to remove snow and/or ice because of the combination of the “windshield wiper cave” and the lack of a heating element where the wipers rest. The logical thing ford should’ve done was to put an heating element there for all their vehicles. Especially if the wipers are tucked in so deep. (Ford and logic are not on speaking terms right now) This is my first and most likely my last ford. I’ve never had a vehicle that had me scratching my head in confusion so much. SMH Another solution is covering it up in anticipation. That something I did with my cars built in the 80’s/90’s. Not for a car built in the 21st century.

 

[tjbronco]

On my BS, if it is not running or if I started it remotely, but have not hit the start button yet, I can freely move the wipers by hand up or down the windshield. Almost no resistance at all. Never had another car that did that. I have had others say this is not good for the wiper assy., but being in snow frequently, I do this all the time when cleaning off the wipers. So far (2 years+), no adverse effects. Most older wiper motor assy. used worm screw drives - which would be impossible to move by hand - would love to take one of these apart to see what it is doing.

 

[Rhel]

I use this to clean my windows
Its also good to use remote start before just turn your wipers off evincing before

i think all cars have this issue frosen wiperblades , but today are some companies selling wiper blades with heating systems

 

[Mark S.]

Wonder if @Mark S. is related to @Bill S.

Of course we are. We are clearly brothers from different mothers!

 

[Mark S.]

I have had others say this is not good for the wiper assy., but being in snow frequently, I do this all the time when cleaning off the wipers.

I believe this came from the warning not to leave them up and lifted off the window, for the reason that @Bill S. posted about. Moving them with the engine off harms nothing; they simply reset themselves to the start/stowed position as soon as the motor gets power. It's no different than if you shut the car down with the wipers in mid-swipe; they stop in place on the window, then reset to the start/stowed position when you restart the car. The only concern is to ensure the wipers are down on the window before you start the car or you will suffer Bill's fate.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

On my BS, if it is not running or if I started it remotely, but have not hit the start button yet, I can freely move the wipers by hand up or down the windshield. Almost no resistance at all. Never had another car that did that. I have had others say this is not good for the wiper assy., but being in snow frequently, I do this all the time when cleaning off the wipers. So far (2 years+), no adverse effects. Most older wiper motor assy. used worm screw drives - which would be impossible to move by hand - would love to take one of these apart to see what it is doing.

This is because modern 12v motors are much more powerful and don’t need the gearing the old ones did. And you are correct, run cannot manually run a worm wheel against a worm gear.

 

[Barry S.]

 

[Barry S.]

Wonder if @Mark S. is related to @Bill S.

I know nothing about snow/ de icing except for 1x out of the year.
However, I have changed out my wipers to more robust blade . I was able to manually move the arms without using the switch.
Does the blade have to be off the windshield?

I'm feeling left out. I'm as much of an S as they are.

 

[Jill]

But, I probably really can’t. I’ll try, let me know what you think!

In a previous post, I mentioned the Good Idea Fairy steering me north. Well, here we are deep into winter in Vermont. At different points during the season there was snow, sleet, freezing rain. Example A, for the prosecution:

I also noticed how the windshield wipers sit below the hood when not in use. Not an easy vehicle to de-snow/de-ice, between the windshield wiper cave and side mirrors.
Of course, I don’t always leave enough time - or want - to start and idle long enough to warm up and defrost. After one rough icing event, I decided to do the ‘blades off the glass’ thing. “How?” you ask? Well, run the wipers and kill the engine with blades up, then lift them off the windshield. Prosecution Exhibit B:

Like that.
With remote start, it’s easy to scrape ice and brush show away. Just don’t hit actual start, or the wipers reset.
And then they do this, Exhibit 3:

Not super clear, but there is a spot where the wiper arm scraped the paint off the edge of the hood. One shown, but one for each arm. Complainant rests their case.

Ok, you could title the experience ‘Bronco Sport: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Remote Start.

As much as I want to blame Ford for not making it easy for me to get snow and ice out of the wiper recess at the bottom of the windshield, the sordid fact of the matter is I went out of my way to force the Panda to do something it wasn't designed to. And I have the scars (real and emotional) to show for it.

Case dismissed.

Dammit.

My 21 Badlands has a heated windshield wiper de-icer. I believe it’s activated with the rear window defrost, same as the heated side mirrors. Are you sure your unit doesn’t have this feature?

 

[Jmuns]

My 21 Badlands has a heated windshield wiper de-icer. I believe it’s activated with the rear window defrost, same as the heated side mirrors. Are you sure your unit doesn’t have this feature?

US BL models do not have the feature.

 

[Sirwallace]

Ouch. I’ll blame ford for you. I’ve experienced “substantial” snowfall with the bs for the first time this week. It snowed twice this week and each time the blades were buried. It’s a chore to remove snow and/or ice because of the combination of the “windshield wiper cave” and the lack of a heating element where the wipers rest. The logical thing ford should’ve done was to put an heating element there for all their vehicles. Especially if the wipers are tucked in so deep. (Ford and logic are not on speaking terms right now) This is my first and most likely my last ford. I’ve never had a vehicle that had me scratching my head in confusion so much. SMH Another solution is covering it up in anticipation. That something I did with my cars built in the 80’s/90’s. Not for a car built in the 21st century.

The Canadian version has a wiperblade heater activated by turning on the rear defrost.

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