Nissan QashQai Forums

So the first real cold and a new problem with the qashqai, the wiper blades freeze solid and don't work, they can't clear spray off the road, the blades stay frozen, why you say? because someone designed the blades to sit below the heaters in the screen so they never defrost
My old Almera had the blades above the heater so they softened and worked on spray even when washer nozzles were frozen.
I wonder who thought that up, so now I have to leave the house with a 2 liter bottle of warm water, but wait, the motorway I use is changing to a stupid motorway so I can't even pull over in the hard shoulder to clear the screen.
The car may be unusable in the really bad weather, anyone else have problems?.
Mark

Hi Mark

This morning we had some light frost as well but with all the rain we had the last days the car was quite like an ice cub on wheels...
The wiper blades were indeed frozen to the windshield and of course I switched them off before starting the engine. I noticed indeed that the stayed froozen for the first couple of minutes but afterwards the worked fine. Normally, rubber doesn't freeze that solid I think.

Kr
Niek

I find that the wipers do stick , but even this morning once the heated screen had done its job , they worked ok
Took a few miles for them to become supple again , but not a real issue

Do you use an alcohol based screen wash of the correct mix - this helps too

I'd expect the blades to be composites/synthetic...plastics? What likely stiffens them is the moisture on them thats frozen. A run across the w/screen a couple of times should clear any moisture "stiffness" off. If not get some new ones perhaps?

Oh...and the quality of the w/screen wash

Hi, thanks for the replies, wiper blades are about 6:weeks old and screenwash is Preston's.
Screenwash jets are frozen solid , wiper blades are Bosch so not sure what to do now.

Hi All,
Sod, it, I just bought a few cans of Prestones de icer.
Try not to use chemicals but if that what it takes.

I don't use ready mix screenwash..so I can strengthen it at anytime