- First Name
- Terry
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2024
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 9
- Reaction score
- 10
- Location
- Rolla, Missouri
- Vehicle(s)
- 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid XL
- Engine
- 2.5L Hybrid
- Thread starter
- #1
Here is your opportunity to learn from my rookie Maverick owner mistake.
For those of us who live where freezing rain and sleet are a winter possibility, smart motorists prop their wipers off the windshield in the upright, locked position before a freezing rain or snow event. This prevents the wipers' rubber from peeling off if they are frozen to the window glass when the wipers are activated once the precipitation ends and the thermometer bottoms out.
Yesterday, I propped the wiper blades up as I left the truck parked at work outside during some sleet. Ten hours later, I remote-started the truck, not realizing that the wipers might go back-and-forth. Fortunately, the motor ran without the wipers being activated. An important note is that the wipers will clear the back of the truck's hood when the wipers are in the upright position, but will definitely scrape the hood's paint if the wipers are left up and the wiper arm cycles back to its closed position. This is precisely what happened when I went in and turned the key to the start position to start the seat heater and drive the truck. All of a sudden, all I could hear was the wiper arms retracting and grinding against the hood lip. Scratch!
Of course, I couldn't see this calamity because I had wrapped a plastic windshield cover over the windshield to peel off the ice that had accumulated on the windshield. Once I got home, I got a good close-up look at those first two paint scratches.
So the moral is, if you prop your wipers up to prevent ice accumulation on them, make sure you retract the wipers before you turn the ignition key. Otherwise, the wipers will smack the hood.
Yes, this morning I got out the truck's Ford touch-up paint and dabbed these two scars on my truck. Lesson learned.
For those of us who live where freezing rain and sleet are a winter possibility, smart motorists prop their wipers off the windshield in the upright, locked position before a freezing rain or snow event. This prevents the wipers' rubber from peeling off if they are frozen to the window glass when the wipers are activated once the precipitation ends and the thermometer bottoms out.
Yesterday, I propped the wiper blades up as I left the truck parked at work outside during some sleet. Ten hours later, I remote-started the truck, not realizing that the wipers might go back-and-forth. Fortunately, the motor ran without the wipers being activated. An important note is that the wipers will clear the back of the truck's hood when the wipers are in the upright position, but will definitely scrape the hood's paint if the wipers are left up and the wiper arm cycles back to its closed position. This is precisely what happened when I went in and turned the key to the start position to start the seat heater and drive the truck. All of a sudden, all I could hear was the wiper arms retracting and grinding against the hood lip. Scratch!
Of course, I couldn't see this calamity because I had wrapped a plastic windshield cover over the windshield to peel off the ice that had accumulated on the windshield. Once I got home, I got a good close-up look at those first two paint scratches.
So the moral is, if you prop your wipers up to prevent ice accumulation on them, make sure you retract the wipers before you turn the ignition key. Otherwise, the wipers will smack the hood.
Yes, this morning I got out the truck's Ford touch-up paint and dabbed these two scars on my truck. Lesson learned.
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