What happened to headlight wipers on 2005?

[Psychwarlord]

I see only the R has the headlight wipers for 2005. Is this cost-cutting or don't the wipers work as well as the new pressure washers?

[littlewaywelt]

I see only the R has the headlight wipers for 2005. Is this cost-cutting or don't the wipers work as well as the new pressure washers?
I think pressure washers are used by most manufacturers now. They do work very well, but I'm not so sure how they'll do in a snow storm in preventing & removing slush build up. If they gave me the choice I would have opted for wipers.

[eraas]

I see only the R has the headlight wipers for 2005...

Wonder why they retained them specifically on the R?

[John@CdnRockies]

Don't know about the R, but read an article indicating that wipers were abandoned to protect pedestrians - less chance of cuts with a flattened front. I'm glad our '04 has the wipers as it's handy in our winter climate.

John

[mrb]

Flattend front seems to make cuts from wipers seem meaningless! If front has been flattened---I can only imagine the pedestrian. I, too, am happy to have the wipers and I will protect the pedestrian more by cautious driving.

[Catherine]

Just from a clumsy pedestrian perspective... True Story:

I have a 3 inch scar on my right leg because somehow while walking between two parked cars in a busy shopping mall parking lot...

Really was a deep gash. Clumsy on my part and of course no ones fault but my own...

Just thought I'd share that sometimes a pedestrian gets hurt without the driver even being anywhere near the vehicle...

Catherine

[barrysharp]

I suspect styling is the primary reason as it creates a cleaner looking front end IMO.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Rs get the pressure washer treatment nxt year. It's costly for the Auto maker to have too many variations across their model lines.

Headlight wipers may indeed be more effective in removing snow/slush/grime etc but for me they look ugly and spoil the front end looks. They also require some maintenance wrt wiper replacement and can scratch up any Mylar or other type protective headlight device. They are also a pain to deal witrh when washing the front of the car as my sponge/rag will always catch on some part of the wiper mechanism.

I would like to hear any feedback on the -ives for the pressure washing design except for what has already been posted wrt removing snow/slush/grime etc. For example, will the squirt holes plug/clog up too easily? Are the pressure washers more expensive for Volvo(i.e., us) than the wipers ?

[gibbons]

I actually kinda like the looks of the wipers, I think it gives the XC a burley look to go along with the cladding theme. What I didn't like was how liquid would puddle in the little pool below the wipers, and as it evaporated, left bathtub rings. I drilled little drain holes in the bottom under the shaft where you can't see, and it fixed that nonsense.

[Filibuster]

It is sad that they changed because wipers are much better of course.
The new design is of course much cheaper.
Since they dont use wipers anymore they can swap the glass for plastic since wipers would scratch plastic.

[John@CdnRockies]

Not sure about the relative levels of efficiency ... however ... how many of us would trade front windshield wipers for enhanced wash squirters? Might not be quite the same, but I would guess that wipers do a better job of cleaning both windscreens as well as the front headlights. Just my 2 cents worth ...

John

[AWD*V70XC]

It is sad that they changed because wipers are much better of course.
The new design is of course much cheaper.
Since they don't use wipers anymore they can swap the glass for plastic since wipers would scratch plastic.
From all the replies to this question, Filibuster is the closest to the answer.

The answer in response to the wipers' going missing is because - Volvo were replacing too many broken glass lenses and as we must have sustainable resources in this green age, Volvo decided to avoid replacing glass after glass with plastic, in a similar design to the plastic headlight covers on previous models. Since they have started to use 'plastic' the wipers would scratch the plastic so Volvo devised a high pressure washer to clean the headlights.

So it was not a case of doing away with the wipers but replacing the glass with plastic which in turn did away with the wipers.

[littlewaywelt]

From all the replies to this question, Filibuster is the closest to the answer.

The answer in response to the wipers' going missing is because - Volvo were replacing too many broken glass lenses and as we must have sustainable resources in this green age, Volvo decided to avoid replacing glass after glass with plastic, in a similar design to the plastic headlight covers on previous models. Since they have started to use 'plastic' the wipers would scratch the plastic so Volvo devised a high pressure washer to clean the headlights.

So it was not a case of doing away with the wipers but replacing the glass with plastic which in turn did away with the wipers.

Both glass and plastic are recyclable. I suspect this had more to do with making the lenses clear for an aesthetical value/goal than in any marginal if any environmental gains from plastic over glass. I suspect it also had to do with the fact that that plastic is cheaper than glass. I don't think the plastic lenses will be any more durable, in fact I'd bet less, than the glass counterparts.

[birddog]

I actually kinda like the looks of the wipers, I think it gives the XC a burley look to go along with the cladding theme. What I didn't like was how liquid would puddle in the little pool below the wipers, and as it evaporated, left bathtub rings. I drilled little drain holes in the bottom under the shaft where you can't see, and it fixed that nonsense.

:D I did the exact same thing! My girlfriend thought I was as bad as my father with his outlined tools on the pegboard in the wood shop (a place for everything and everything in its place)......she accused me of being obsessive compulsive....... :o

[Palisandr]

You can still get the headlamp wipers. But the climate package is optional for 2005 (on 2004 XC it was included in the base configuration). For an additional $625 you get:

· Rain Sensor
· Headlamp Washers
· Heated Front Seats

[littlewaywelt]

You can still get the headlamp wipers. But the climate package is optional for 2005 (on 2004 XC it was included in the base configuration). For an additional $625 you get:

· Rain Sensor
· Headlamp Washers
· Heated Front Seats

The wipers are not part of the washers and there is no way to get the wipers.
I have the climate package and the headlamp washers refers to the high pressure fluid jets.

[F0RWARD]

The wipers are not part of the washers and there is no way to get the wipers.
I have the climate package and the headlamp washers refers to the high pressure fluid jets.


That is true, there is no way to get wipers for 05’

[Palisandr]

The wipers are not part of the washers and there is no way to get the wipers.
I have the climate package and the headlamp washers refers to the high pressure fluid jets.

Sorry for the confusion. You are right - there is no way to get the wipers for the 2005.

[ifnt420]

I would guess that wipers do a better job of cleaning both windscreens as well as the front headlights. Just my 2 cents worth ...

John

The Wipers gets my vote too. :D

http://www.xc70.com/pics/albums/userpics/resize0114_0001.jpg

http://www.xc70.com/pics/albums/userpics/resize0114_0004.jpg

[ulfhe]

Since they dont use wipers anymore they can swap the glass for plastic since wipers would scratch plastic.

The dealer I ordered my XC70 from claimed this to be the reason. The new plastic headlights can't take the wear. I wonder how much cleaner fluid it uses. With my 850 I fill fluid very seldom.

[gibbons]

I love ifnt420's pictures....."clean, one owner, used only on Sunday afternoon by grandma....":D

[CrazyTiger]

Oh My God!! :eek: Ifnt420…did someone Vandalized your car (seems like something is being sprayed all over your car) or maybe you took your car for a mud bath!!?? :D

But still...I love those 2 pics!! Nice!! ;)

[Raynald]

Oh My God!! :eek: Ifnt420…did someone Vandalized your car (seems like something is being sprayed all over your car) or maybe you took your car for a mud bath!!?? :D
Must be Ifnt420 new anti-theft system. ;) No car thief would want to be seen in a car looking like this! :D:D:D

[CrazyTiger]

The dealer I ordered my XC70 from claimed this to be the reason. The new plastic headlights can't take the wear. I wonder how much cleaner fluid it uses. With my 850 I fill fluid very seldom.

Took delivery of my 05 XC70 in November 04. Just a few days ago, the indicator display told me to fill up the washer fluid! So..it lasted about 2 months for me! I use the washer fluid pretty often...maybe at least once a week...

But since the display told me to top up the washer fluid, the pressure spray infront of the headlight deos not work anymore. This is to save the washer fluid for the windscreen until it is being top up, then the pressure spray will work again.

[ifnt420]

I use the washer fluid pretty often...maybe at least once a week...


The windshield washer fluid reservoir holds about 4L of fluids.
I go through them about once every 2 months like CrazyTiger too. :D

Yeah, unfortunately my XC and I go through a lot of construction sites... hence the mud camouflage. Well at least it shows that the headlight wipers are working well. :o

[littlewaywelt]

Well after a weekend of driving in snow and heavy salt & grime (our Barents Blue is now white) I can report on the pressure washers for the headlamps.

For road grime and heavy salt they work very well and keep the lenses very clean. They keep a larger portion clean than did the wipers.

For snow they stink. They don't blow hot enough or enough moisture to melt snow off the lenses as it accumulates on the lenses. If you use it very often (they can't fire more than once every five minutes to prevent wasting fluid) you can prevent snow build up.

Overall, they work well enough, but I would prefer the wipers.