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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Massachusetts, USA
    Posts
    3

    Default Windshield wiper icing is severe

    I have an 2007 XC70 with the frameless windshield wipers. I recently had the dubious pleasure of driving through a serious snow storm. The car's behavior on unplowed or poorly plowed rural roads was fantastic ... except for one serious issue. The windshield wipers ice up mercilessly.

    The icing was so bad that I could not drive for more than 5 minutes without stopping to clear the wipers manually. In my opinion this makes the car virtually useless in winter weather. What good is all-wheel drive, dynamic stability and traction control, high ground clearance, etc. when you can't see through the windshield? I fear that an interstate trip with this car in winter is doomed to be an exercise in frustration and danger.

    I've not been able to find aftermarket rubber coated winter wiper blades for this car. The Volvo dealer can only offer the original equipment wiper blades.

    Has anyone found a solution for this problem?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Houghton Michigan
    Posts
    45

    Default

    Were you using your spray? I also don't know what you mean by "frameless" wipers.

    The wipers with rubber surround just keep snow and ice from clogging the spring arms that keep pressure even across the shield, they do nothing to keep ice from collecting on the blade itself.

    I've recently switched to the newer single blade wipers- the kind that are just a bowed blade on a spine. They're nice and low profile, I had no idea how bulky old wipers were before. They keep the shield pretty clear, and no metal to rust or get jammed and give an inconsistent wipe. The passenger side is just as good, even without the Volvo OEM curved blade (which I never understood).

    I also use -35 Fahrenheit rated wiper fluid. It will freeze onto the glass while on the highway, but I doubt anything but straight methanol (the de-icing agent) wouldn't. A bit more fluid and the wipers going full speed keep it clear.

    I've never had a problem during a storm, the glass is usually warm enough to melt everything and let the wipers do the work, with a few squirts when things get icy.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Massachusetts, USA
    Posts
    3

    Default Re: Wipers icing

    Nope, not using the spray. I see what you mean about the rubber that encases the old style blades.

    I think what I mean by "frameless" blades is the same as what you described as a "bowed blade on a spine". I'm probably using the wrong terminology.

    I found that the ice quickly built up around the clip that attaches the wiper blade to the arm and it spread from there, sticking to the "spine" and the rubber blade as well. I can see that ice sticking to the rubber is going to be a problem even with "winter blades" but this was ridiculous. I've used the rubber encased blades on my two previous Volvos (and several other cars) for many years and have found them to be excellent. I've never had as much trouble as this with icing on any car I've ever owned, regardless of the kind of blades I've used.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Devon PA
    Posts
    11,409

    Default

    If you have an 05 or newer, you can replace the wiper ARMS with the earlier (04 and older) arms.
    There are many replacement blades that will fit those arms.

    Otherwise buy a Buick with the heated windshield

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Massachusetts, USA
    Posts
    3

    Default Has anybody replaced wiper arms on '07 XC70?

    "If you have an 05 or newer, you can replace the wiper ARMS with the earlier (04 and older) arms.
    There are many replacement blades that will fit those arms."

    That's what I thought too. I took it to the dealer today and asked the to do exactly that. They returned it to me with the original arms and said that the old model arms did not fit. They said that the geometry is wrong and it would require using blades about 6" shorter to prevent the blades from banging into the frame of the windshield.

    Has anybody done this with an '07 XC70?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Devon PA
    Posts
    11,409

    Default

    I'm pretty sure this has been done

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Calgary Alberta
    Posts
    1,344

    Default

    bionta - the Volvo has a fairly STRONG defrost - perhaps one of the most robust and trouble free defrost systems I have ever encountered in a car. The Buick's heated windshields are nice, but they break down more often than a Lada.

    You are using the 'blades' I assume - nice wipers, but no so sure how nice they are for winter. Like some people mentioned, regular blades or even winter wiper blades. Winter blades have a loose rubber sheath that allow easy de-icing just be turning them on.

    We you using the 'defrost' option for your vehicle? I rarely use it.


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Posts
    602

    Default

    When I picked up my 2004 during the summer it had the blade wipers fitted - the after market type (sold, for example, as Reflex here in Canada). They were fine for light rain showers but got extremely noisy and unpleasant in heavy rain. As I use Rain-X, they were OK through the rest of the summer and Fall. When the Winter weather arrived, I was very disappointed that they seemed to ice up very easily and I replaced them with winter wipers which have performed flawlessly since.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Houghton Michigan
    Posts
    45

    Default

    Maybe I just never notice how bad the blade wipers can get- my pre-drive ritual for the winter includes running my fingers over the blades to insure they're clear and clearing any snow or ice from the little pocket between the hood and windshield. I've done this every time there has been anything more than a light dusting for the last 3 years of winter driving and I can't really complain about ice a whole lot.

    I've yet to use the blade wipers in a snowstorm, downpour or highway driving- my XC got taken out by a plow in mid December and I get to pick it up later this week from the shop.

    I also replace wipers often and take measures to try and ensure less wear- I don't run them over ice on the windshield, run them dry or anything like that. Taking a rag or wet paper towel out with you to clean the blades does a good deal to help the blades stay clean, give a good wipe and allows you to inspect them often to check for rubber separation, cracking at the base, etc. I never use wipers to clear mounds of snow off the windshield either, I'll run them in powder to break it up and allow my hand brush to work faster, but I never try to wipe a lot of heavy or wet snow/ice.

    I have had a set of standard wiper blades with the frame that chipped and rusted out within a week and I blew $15 on them- that led me to the "blades", no metal and less parts to jam/break.
    Last edited by Rustpot; 01-07-2008 at 03:13 PM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    58

    Default Icing

    I agree that the wiper blades really ice up whe it is snowing. I don't think the defrosting is that robust. Plus the front windshield is quite thick and does not transfer heat very well to the wipers which causes more icing problems. My Subaru was much better in this regard. Seems to be a weak design.

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