The Great Wiper Debate: Up or Down?
Now that the snow and ice has arrived, it's not uncommon see parked cars with their wiper blades propped up. Smart preparation or does it do damage?
Now that the snow and ice has arrived pretty much everywhere, it’s not uncommon see parked cars with their windshield wipers propped up off the windshield in anticipation of precipitation (hey, that sounds good!), namely ice. In fact, it’s becoming a trend. Is it a smart way to prepare, or does it do damage?
Here are the two schools of thought:
Propping Wipers Up:
- Prevents damage to the wiper motor, should you turn on the ignition and have accidentally left the wipers on (and they’re frozen to the windshield).
- Prevents damaging the rubber, when you have to chisel them away from the windshield.
- Makes clearing away snow and ice from the windshield easier.
Leaving Wipers Down:
- Prevents damaging the springs inside the blade arm.
- Discourages vandalism.
- A non-issue because the defroster releases frozen blades.
So Which Is Correct?
Several wiper manufacturers recommend lifting the wiper blades up before things get icy, to protect the rubber blade, and the American Automobile Association (AAA) claims that leaving wipers up does not weaken the springs. If you choose to leave them down, it’s important to give your car enough time to warm up; the defroster will release frozen blades from the windshield.
You Weighed In
We posed this question on Facebook back on January 15, 2018 and asked fans to weigh in on the subject. Here’s how you voted:
Voting results:
Up: 425 votes
Down: 197 votes
Don’t Have Snow: 191 votes
What do you think? Tell us in the comments below!
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I’ve lived in Colorado, Massachusetts and Maine and it really depends on a couple of variables. If it’s icy, leave them up. If it’s a nice dry powder snow then leave them down. One has to take into account the type of precipitation that is going to happen. Icy – definitely up and snow you have to gauge if the precipitation is going to cause the wiper blades to freeze to the windshield. If so, then put them up. And if the winds are blowing strong like the winds of Thor then leave ‘em down. Just remember to thaw the frozen wipers and glass and remove any excess snow or ice to avoid damaging the wiper motor. Think and you will be alright!
Thanks for sharing your thoughtful insights on this hot topic, Peter! Best wishes from all of us at FA.
I never put them up I see no reason too. When I clean the car from snow I always start the car put the defroster on and clean leave the windshield for last. By then the windshield is melting and the blades do not stick and I have never ruined my blades. I pick them up clean them and remove the snow and ice.
I park in the garage.
Snow doesn’t fall only when you park in the garage.
I have a debate at work, (Tamworth Australia) no snow, no ice small amount of rain.. But the sun and the heat cook’s EVERYTHING!! my view is to lift the blades UP. Leaving them down under spring pressure and heat ruins the blades very quickly. My workmate wants them down as she says the UP position bends the blades….. (true or not??)
I call it the alien wiper time, lol, maybe in the 70s when you were driving a LTD that took 6 hours to warm up, cars these days have killer heater systems that make short work of any ice and snow, just plan ahead and warm your car up.
There are other cars that have their wipers buried like a Malibu and it’s just better to leave them down also,my answer? I don’t bother with them, I plan ahead
As a 20+ year veteran of long haul trucking, I’ve learned a few tricks or 7 on winterizing a vehicle hacks. Blades up?… YES!!! It also works well with a beach towel draped across the entire windshield, for ice OR snow!!! Very minimal effort on prevention AND cleaning!!! Not to mention, less time in the cold! Clear your door(for entry and starting.. don’t forget the defrost… oh wait not needed.. CRANK THE HEAT!), turn on rear window defroster(if not covered as well), go back inside and finish your coffee! Enjoy your day, aaaaand…. You’re welcome!!! ??
I’ve never left thecwipers up and have never had anymore issues than those who do. If it snows, they can be in the way to remove snow and with ice you still need to thaw the ice off the windshield to run thecwipers without damaging the blades. I live in North Eastern Washington and we can get 6 to 12 inches of snow overnight or during the day. I’ve had to thaw and scrape ice regularly, but when it’s 10 degrees out I hit the remote start to warm the vehicles.
So the wiper manufacturers recommend putting them up. Hmm? Could they have an alternative motive? Nah, I have been doing it for years in Northern Illinois and no issues with the springs. Have ruined a few blades leaving them down.
Mine are up right now. I got up one morning and everything was frozen. I use a windshield washer that has an deicing agent in it, so I hit the washer without thinking. The blades were froze solid and tried to engage. oops.
I leave mine up because relying on the defroster to melt the ice around them doesn’t always work. It frustrating trying to get the wipers loose, and sometimes the rubber gets damaged.