Stop Putting on Windshield Wipers in Winter Weather
Those who grew up and / or learned to drive in places where there was a lot of ice and snow every winter (and sometimes fall and spring) have probably developed some habits over the years that have helped them adapt to unpleasant situations. conditions. Or maybe you just started doing something because your parents did it and you never questioned it.
Anyway, one example of this is turning on your car’s windshield wipers when any amount of snow is predicted. Perhaps you can do it yourself. Or maybe you had no idea what the thing was. Whichever camp you go to, Kevin Williams , author of Car Bibles , strongly opposes the attention-grabbing winter windshield wipers. That’s why.
Put those wipers down
As Williams explains in an article for The Drive , the reason the wipers need to be positioned so that they stand right in the air in winter is to prevent them from freezing (and therefore getting stuck) on the windshield. This is clear.
However, he says it can do more harm than good. Per Williams :
The windshield arms are designed to push the wipers against the windshield due to the wind from the front of the vehicle. When weapons are stored, they are now subject to wind and forces for which they were not intended. They now risk damaging the gear train, which is often made of the stunningly fragile plastic that holds the wiper blades and arms securely to the windshield. Do your wipers hang out? This could be a possible reason.
The wind, especially during a blizzard, can be incredibly strong. I’ve seen this before; Wind can blow off the rubber wiper blade. The wind then brings down the wiper arm, hitting it against the windshield, breaking or shattering it.
So while installing wipers in winter weather can save you a few minutes to keep them from freezing on your windshield, it’s probably not a good idea in the long run.