The first morning after passing my driving test and I'm still coming to your videos for advice and guidance and will continue to do so. Thanks Richard. At 32 I'm off to De-Ice my own car for the first time.
I've only just found this one! We had -14°c last week, oh what a job that was! I took my watering can full of hot water to defrost the mirrors, as they self fold when you lock/unlock, the doors were frozen up, so I had to do those as well. Managed to get in and start it, then got my scraper and managed to knock the watering can over. Got away eventually, came back to a sheet of solid ice and when I tried to back in my car started to slide sideways! Roll on Summer.
did you not put the wipers on while you poured the water the ice wont reform if the window is dry enough,ideally want to do all this then get in and drive been doing this for years no scrapper needed
My personal experience at least for canadian weather, is to just spray windshield fluid and run the wipers the night before. In my city, either frost forms or it snows, very rarely do we have frost under snow. Cleaning the windshield the night before frost reduces the amount of dirt particles where frost can form and cling to. Driving home the night before means a warm windshield, fluid will evaporate completely so no ice. A prevention method of sorts.
Might draw the line at "cold" water as i like to warm my hands on the container, but warm out of the tap is fine. As long as the wipers are used to remove any excess water we are good to go in less than a minute. This urban myth about "cracked" windscreens is put about by the de-icer retailers. Though boiling water may prove me wrong.
Great vid to help the uninitiated. Just a couple of extra tips from over 40 years of cold mornings.... Start your engine, pull your sun visors down to help keep any heat on your windscreen and put your blowers on full ( pointing at the screen ) Turn on your air-con to dry out the inside.... Start tipping the warm water ON THE ROOF first. ..This, in theory, stretches the metal before the windscreen. Turn on the wipers. Use excess water to clear the ice from your headlights..... Keep up the great work on the channel.
I was surprised my new car has a button you press and my car de-ices the windscreen and back window as well. What a pleasure, all new cars should have it!
It's much more expensive so a lot of manufacturers don't bother with this apart from their top models. It's a shame, as this would solve all the issues !
Got my first car Saturday and so far I’ve not been met with ice as it’s cold but not icy yet but preparing myself by watching these videos as I don’t know much about cars 😅 now is when I really miss my Grandad being here as he had all the information 😞 but thankfully videos like yours are available which help incredibly, thank you!
My Dads top tip was to check the weather forecast then if possible delay his journey till the ambient temperature had removed the Ice. Doesn't work if you need to be out early or the weather is bad all day but its a decent enough idea. TX for another great clip really enjoyed it.
Greetings from Oslo! I got a lot of help from your channel while practicing and preparing to get my license. I learned loads. Great content. Entertaining and frankly relaxing. I still watch to get your take on issues surrounding driving. Cheers!
thats the method Ive employed for the 35yrs+ , tepid to luke warm water and a spare wiper blade to squidgy the water off the glass, job done in less than a minute 👍🏻 tip: spray wd40 or silicone spray on the door handles to stop them freezing up, i also silicone spray my door seals too
Glad you mentioned the water method. I’ve done that for years. I use an IR thermometer and measure the water at 25 degrees. Never had a problem. No responsibility for anyone else’s though.
Excellent video. Warm water is fine in my experience too but be sure it is warm - not hot. If it's too hot to put your fingers in it's way too hot. Tap heat is usually fine but boiling a kettle is super risky. And re wipers, worth mentioning that you should never operate them if frozen - at best you'll blow a fuse. It can also tear the rubber of the blade. Sometimes doors can stick - hot water works but the preventative cure is to silicone-spray the door rubber seals.
Thank you. Ive been putting warm water on my frozen windows for years now, and my car windows have never cracked. If i tell people this they dont believe me and are convinced that their windows will crack. As long as its not boiling hot from the kettle you should not have a problem. Warm water is the best option, especially if you want to be gone quicker
Hi Conquer Driving, this topical topic is one that has had little attention for the last couple of years, I first tried my method forty years ago when I was able to park on my own property. The simple expedient of throwing a large quantity of hot water over the whole of the front of the vehicle does the trick!, it is important to be sure that the hot water hits all of the windscreen at once so that there is no un distributed thermal stress. This techniques has the added advantage of warming all the glass slightly this reduces the amount of condensation on the inside, often for long enough for the heater to take on the job!. You are the first one I have seen doing the same thing with water from a small necked container, I use the washing up bowl and do more than half of it in the first go over the whole screen. The issue of the wet patch on the drive turning to a patch of ice can be a problem, that first time back in the nineteen eighties led to a large patch of ice built up over the tens days of frost, it them lasted another week after the rest thawed out!. Given the amount of time saved and the perfect visibility over the years I could easily afford a new screen by now if I did get it wrong!. It is very interesting that other people can reach the same conclusions about the same issues without ever any knowledge of each other!. Cheers, Richard.
I cringed a few weeks ago when my dad came with a bucket of steaming water (probably 60-70C) thought some bad things were about to happen but I counted the windows after and they were all there haha. To be fair even lukewarm or cold water would also work, kind of dissovles the snow but probably takes much longer and leaves ice behind.
What i learnt is to use hot water in a plastic bag and use it to wipe over the windscreen and mirrors. It's way less risky than water directly on the windscreen and it melts it off pretty good. It takes only a little longer but less risk.
Great video and well done. You keep referring to thick ice... here in the Poconos of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. we often can have up to 1/4 inch of ice which is a great challenge. Nothing works but lots of elbow grease. Thanks.
I have been using WARM water for years and it works. I use warm water on wind screen starting from all edges of wind screen and then in the middle area. and same on windows like you did start from edges . and it works. thanks.
One way to prevent inside glass fogging is to open all windows before you exit the car for a few minutes after you're done driving - that allows the humid air in the car, from breathing etc, to escape and bring the outside temp/humidity level from outside to inside the car before parking it.
I’ve literally just de-iced my car before seeing this as a recommended video. I screwed up a little on the de-misting as I sprayed the de-icer on as the engine was on and I had the de-misters on and the inside of my windscreen misted up real bad 😬😂. I guess I should have looked for the video first
On the warm water method I fill a 2 litre bottle with tap water and leave it in the house. It gets to room temp after a few hours. Then on mornings with an icy windscreen i have it ready available and don't have to think about the temp of the water being too hot. This has worked great for the majority of cases but struggles below -5c as water re-freezes quickly. It also means when i go out to the car i can lock the house up don't have to go back in with an empty kettle like others i've seen.
The other week, up North (Greater Manchester). I probably tried all these methods. The rain left 3mm of ice on one side of my car. Took the snow off with a scraper, de-icer did nothing. Sprayed water and vinegar. Yep. Nothing. Went inside and warmed some water. Poured it on and magic, scraped it off. Went back inside to wake my kids before leaving and......my windows had froze up again. 🤣. Will take the tip of leaving a sock of rice inside to soak up moisture as the inside had a thin layer of ice (the joys of a second hand car).
Realy good and reliable way too to deice the windows here (-10 to -20C) is an ice scraper called murska. It has plastic and metal part, the metal is soft (much softer than the glass) and it doesn't scratch the window, it is even safer than the plastic ice scraper since it doesn't collect dirt that easily. Cleaning the wiper blades is a bit difficult, but you can scrape it close the the wipers and I was always able to lift the wiper blades a bit to scrape under them. To get rid of the ice from the wiper blades I just hit it few times with the murska and the ice just falls off. Also using winter washer fluid with (rated for -40C) is a good way to remove ice from spots you have missed.
Best way we found is to simply put a semi thick blanket (like 0.5-1cm) over the windscreen, at least if you're in an area where it doesn't get stolen. Lived in countries with -21 being the lowest. The blanket will be frozen, but the windscreen will look like summer. This worked better than a heated windscreen as well I might add
I’ve done this with an old duvet cover, which doesn’t get stolen bc in my area it’s unlikely anyone would steal used bedding. Trap it under the wipers and behind the front doors so it doesn’t blow away. Cheap to replace from a charity shop if they did. Better with a cotton or cotton blend fabric. Not really a problem to shake off any loose snow and hang it up to dry for another time, if I’m parked near home just remove and take it back indoors before unlocking the car.
Pretty sure that a window that is not compromised (eg. damaged, broken...) can withstand a thermal change in that range. Although I'd rather risk scraping the thick ice off with a plastic scraper (brush with scraper combined on a handle rules). Just make sure your scraper is actually clean, not to rub stuff against the glass; same principle as brushing against paint. For thin ice, fire away with de-icer, just make sure to wipe it off - the oily residue can and will trap dirt and contaminants, so your windows may end up being a mess if you rely on the cleaning power of de-icer, and some products - I had the luck - will refreeze less than a minute. Simplest solution is to drop a cover on the windscreen back and front, if it was dry underneath, it will probably still stay removable, without much of a hassle. Drop it in the trunk, when the weather eases, dry it, and out it goes to the trunk again. (provided that legal trouble does not ensue from using one) Don't race a tank for survival, drive a car while sharing the road. Addendum: if the seal around the windscreen is worn, it may be the cause of excess moisture on the inside. Cat litter, rice in an old sock placed on the dash, or around the back windscreen may be able to absorb enough for the A/C to dissipate the rest even on a cold engine (chances vary, may not be a success). Thanks, Richard!
First morning of owning a car it was freezing cold and I hadn't yet bought an ice scraper. Took a while to heat up the car while in idle. Should have thought about warm water. Needless to say I went out and bought a scraper the same day. I have been told about de-icing solutions but honestly I prefer to just use the scraper.
Me too medium hot tap water in a watering can enough to do the screen and all the windows. Put the wipers on straight after doing the screen in case the water having cooled doesn’t freeze on the screen again and go round the windows again if the water on them has re frozen in places. Job done in quick time.
Living in Alberta Canada, we can get down to -40 below, we’ve never heard of anybody, using rubbing alcohol,for one thing it’s expensive compared to a 4 L jug of methyl hydrate Can find it in any Canadian tire hardware store for to 15 to 20 dollars in the paint department At the beginning of the winter season, I usually mix up a spray bottle 50-50 of winter windshield, washer, antifreeze with methyl hydrate A 4 L jug of methyl hydrate will last for many winters if you mix it up this way Spray on the window,start your car, with the defrost heater on high, let it warm up for about five minutes, then scrape any ice you have on the windshield which usually has already started to melt, fairly easily, no matter what the temperature is. But, of course, if I know there’s going to be a freezing, rain, or a large dump of snow, I will just take a pre-cut piece of construction grade poly /plastic and cover the entire windshield, and then Tuck it in on both front doors , which will keep it in place if it’s windy If you cut the plastic to the right size ,you will have at least a foot to 2 feet of plastic that covers the side windows and mirrors as well Works like a charm, and there’s no scraping
If I was living in -40C temperatures I would make sure I buy a house with a garage. We are lucky to,get -5C in England but I garage the car everynight winter or summer.
Havn't purchased any de icer for must be 20 years plus. Always use the warm water method, but I apply it from a small plastic water can. Uses a lot less water and allows you to drive straight off with no annoying mist on the inside that deicer causes. I throw the watering can in the front footwell ready for the next time.
I use an extension lead with a small fan heater in the car from an exterior electric socket on my house which was fitted for my caravan. In less than ten minutes lovely warm car with clear windows and no condensation either . Car door was slightly open .
I've used the warm water as well for many years and never cracked a screen. It's the fastest and the easiest and also does the best job. 😜 But I do turn my engine on firt with the heater on full blast and by the time I'm done with the water, there's enough heat coming in ti stop the screen from refreezing especially in much colder temperatures.
In the UK I think we are lucky to not get snow all that often (at least in Wales where I live) and the warm water thats just luke warm to the touch clears everything perfectly. I stopped using de-icer in 99% of all situation because of the greasy residue it leaves all over. So I just use a scraper to remove the huge amounts of snow, and luke warm water to wash off the rest. I'm usually done start to finish and driving off within 5-10 minutes max
Really helpful the way you explained this. I appreciate you taking the time and effort making vids for learners as well as those of us who are experienced. Thank you and Happy New Year!
I've used warm water for years, never had a problem until I tried it at -18°C in the Alpes. The water froze instantly and I spent 20mins chiselling it off! ;)
I have been using a de-icer spray can for the past two days and it's worked like a dream. I'm just still trying to get to grips with heavy condensation on the inside of the windscreen. It's a real bugbear of mine because of my OCD. I had to use glass cleaner and a microfibre cloth when i got home but i can't be doing that everyday. I know that people say don't have heat in the car, have your fan on cold air and just use your demister. Even put the windows down slightly. Although the windows were frozen solid and regardless of heat or cold in the car, when it's -2 the condensation will form. I just hate freezing weather all together.
Thick condensation inside the car usually means water is getting in, even a small amount can do it. This usually happens to me if I clean the interior with water.
@@ConquerDriving Understandable. I don't clean the interior with water. I vack it and occasionally use wipes for the seats. It's on and off though the build up of condensation comes and goes it's not everyday.
The thermal shock is much worse in really low temperatures. When it is -5C, it is fine, but pouring hot water when it is -25C, it might be a bit risky. There is another factor - what glue is used to fix the glass to the car, if it is more flexible, the pouring hot water method is much safer, but the glue tends to get much harder as it ages.
I always use the warm water method, but before chucking the water, I always start the car with the demister fans on full. It's less likely to freeze over again when I start driving.
I always use an empty 4pint milk bottle . Warm soapy water . Washing up liquid in helps it take longer to refreeze. Gives you more time to squidgy the water off .
There are a variety of small 12 volt electric blowers available specifically for the inside of a car via the auxiliary socket. These will clear both the inside and outside of the windscreen of thin ice. They look like a good idea to me.
Hi Richard, thank you so much for your videos they help a lot, would it be possible to produce a video on what to do in the different situations with responding emergency vehicles such as an ambulance on a narrow road would you be marked down on the test for mounting the curve to allow it to pass safely even though you shouldn’t mount the curve when stopping for an emergency vehicle etc? And similarity, if an emergency vehicle is behind you at a traffic light abs they are edging forwards should you move etc, Thanks 👍
I figured it out the hard way, but worth mentioning how the car should be set for defogging. Some cars have a dedicated defogger button, but others need you to turn the dial to the defog position, heat to max, fan to 3 or 4. I also found it speeds the process if you close the other air vents while the priority is defogging. Also, some cars have an electric heated front windscreen (think Fords, not sure about others) and that makes a massive difference when it comes to getting rid of ice. All cars would also have a heated rear windscreen, which you can probably turn on while getting ice off the other surfaces. For cars without LED lighting, turning on the lights melts ice off them as halogens generate heat, but for LEDs you'd need to de-ice the headlamps as well. PS: in cars with automatic wipers, make sure you disable them before turning the key to on, as the wiper might force itself to move despite the rubber blade being frozen, ripping off the blade. happened to me on my first car on its first frozen day! ironically it was when I was headed to a MOT re-test, and as the wipers had already been tested the tester told me he couldn't fail the MOT but I had better get the wiper blades replaced right away - I didn't even realize the blade had ripped off!
even cold air from the vents helps to soften and melt the ice on the windscreen, so I usually switch the car on and turn the air up first then start scraping the side windows which the ice on the windcreen softens. I also use a different plastic scraper to the usual type, much better for even the thinnest of ice
My favourite method is to use a phone app to turn on the heater , screen defrost , heated seats and steering wheel as I have breakfast. Another advantage of going EV. Before hand , some 50 years, I used cold tap water to slosh over the affected parts. The downside being the large puddles left that could freeze into a skid hazard for others.
Interesting video. The main problems I am having in this cold at the moment is the screen wash won't work. It's not frozen in the tank I think as I am using -20 degree stuff. Any suggestions to get it working quicker? Thanks
The windscreen washer jet nozzles can sometime freeze. It happens when the alcohol evaporates and what's left in the nozzles is almost pure water. Heating them (hot water, garage, etc...) and flushing with new screen wash will unclog them. If this doesn't solve your problem then the washer fluid wight be too diluted and needs more alcohol. The hoses leding from the tank to the nozzles freeze up in minutes and the only way to solve the problem is heat and more alcohol.
Why don't guys put a car cover on top of your car, which I believe a lot of you guys have access to. Putting a car cover will make it easy to remove snow like when it snows just remove the cover and boom you got a nice clean car underneath
In the video I actually show you my MX5. That has a roof cover, but it's more hassle then it's worth for snow as it freezes in place. I only have it as the neighbours cats like to use my fabric roof as a scratch pad.
Some diesels do have an electric heaters. My mk7 golf has a 1kw PET electric heater that comes on if the temperature outside is low. Starts getting hot within a few minutes.
Hello Richard, thank you for your channel, it's a really great help for me. I recently bought a car and refresh all about driving because I haven't drive since 2008. Are you obviously planning to make a video with advice how to choose a mobile holder for your car? What phone holder do you use? Thank you. Cheers from France.
My car is Kia Picante 2008 and it has issues with cloudiness on the side windows in rainy days and nothing would improve it despite turning the fan on and on the snow as today, the front screen gets icy and the wiper wont help. What tips would you give kindly from your experience?
I've used cold tap water for years on all windows. I find it works best, fast and cheap. I go out with a bottle, pour the water and that's it. What's harder is when the handles and doors freeze.
When I was young, my Mum used to put a small electric fan heater (powered from the main) in the car 10 minutes before leaving. It had the benefit of warming the interior of the car up too. I'm not sure if there is a risk of fire because I've never heard of anyone else do it
Warm water is a good method, but not accessible for everybody. For example, when my dad used to have his van, he kept it roughly 8 minutes of walking away from home. But that's merely the reality of a city layout that we live in, for people with their own driveways, it would work. By the way, to stop the blades from freezing my dad used to leave them in service position and I've seen other drivers do it too. But I don't know what effect it has on rubber. Also, you are more prepared at minus one than me at minus 15 with that massive gloves! No hat though! :))
8 min walk to the car! You can put corks under the wiper arms to lift them up. I like hiking so I have plenty of clothes, I usually have a hat and put my hood over the hat but it looked ridiculous on camera so I braved the cold. 9 degrees and sunny here today.
I live about 5 mins walk from where my car is parked. I have to attempt this tomorrow morning, (plus try and get the bloody car doors open 😖) so I plan on taking a couple of flasks of warm water with me for the windows. One could always fill a 5L bottle with just off boiling hot water, and it would be about the right temperature by the time you arrived at the car on an 8min walk...
I throw an old, wet towel across the windscreen if it's going to be frosty. It freezes solid and is easily removed. Try to remove snow whilst it is soft. It is much harder to remove if frozen. Or I turn the engine and heaters on, and use tap water.
great video. i have been living in Norway and i am really sick of deice car windows everyday. anyway i ordeded car cover . what do you think of car covers? not easier than de-ice?
Personally I don't like some because they are a faff and you have to have somewhere to put them, also when it's windy they can damage the car. But there are plenty of people who use them and like them.
A good tip put the warm water in a poly zip bag and just let it slide over the class, no spilt water and if the water is just warm not hot, it will melt the ice quickly. This method gives you localised control of ice removal, just for the cost of a good poly bag
If you put water on the outside of the windscreen, it will expand as it warms up. If the inside is still cold relative to the outside, it will not expand as much, hence the window cracks. Unequal expansion in a brittle material results in cracks forming. If cold water is used there is much less difference between the inside and outside temperatures, so less likely to crack. With warm water, a much bigger temperature difference so more likely to crack. If you pour boiling water into a glass made of thick glass it will crack, but do the same thing with a glass made of thin glass, it will not crack since, with the thin glass, there is very little difference between the inside and outside surface temperatures.
Hi, can u throw some lights on stopping condensation inside impairing visibility. Heard that we can use ac but on cold weather, ac is not a viable option. Would be better if you could share options for both short and long drive
I thought warm water might be problematic but then I thought that they use warm water to wash cars in the winter and have no problems. But the car is already pre heated probably but anyway. Just wipe off excess and use silicone on rubbers etc so it won't freeze. But you have to keep in mind the colder it is the faster water will freeze so you can end up with a car covered in ice. A bit tricky
Haha, have you ever tried scraping ice off the inside? I haven't but I've seen others try. I used the warm water method with the VX220, that melted the ice both sides then I dried the inside with a towel.
@@ConquerDriving had it frozen on the inside on a fiat punto, the ice melted on both sides but some water dripped down onto the dash and all over the place really. Did get most of it off with a towel, but the moisture meant we had to do the drive with the demister on full for the entire time, as it'd just mist up again right after (initially me wiping the windscreen again with a towel before the heater warmed up) That was after the car had been sat for 2 weeks or so, in cold weather I'm surprised it started.
I find the more often you use cars the less moisture problems you get as everything has a chance to dry out. The problem occurs if you have sun on the car, which heats the interior, 40 degree air can hold like 8 times the water of 0 degree air. Then the air cools to freezing over night, all the water falls out of the air and there's the problem. If you noticed the first time I did the Panda there was no ice on the inside. But we had a sunny day and the next morning there was loads of water. Partly caused by all the snow that had fallen off my shoes the previous day come to think of it. I did clean it but that was about a week before the video.
In Sweden, here, the temperature is regularly between minus 10 and minus 20. Any water poured on the car freezes again within 5 minutes - not an option.
One severely cold winter the screen washer water tank froze and i couldn't get any screen wash on the wind screen. The tank eventually thawed and the screen washer worked again.
Thank you sir. I am a beginner. Can you help me understanding how can I get out of a very tight parking space. Like a garage where is many car sitting at the same time and I just have about a car length before me.
Put a small heater blower inside the car between the handbrake and the gear stick pointing upwards . Then go inside your house sit down and have a cup tea by the time you have finished the car is totally clear and you drive off in nice warm car
I use a car cover although the other day this was also frozen on and it took some time to peel it off, this was in Reading, Berkshire by the way. My ex colleague's brother, who is a motor mechanic, told her that anti-freeze damages the rubber on the wipers, so I am now reluctant to use it so much. Are you aware of this or is this in fact incorrect?
Just use a giant duvet, when we sleep why should the car get cold when we are warm. Cars like to sleep in comfort too. Or bring the car indoors and let it sleep on its carbed next to the radiator.
the best part is when youre late to school, have to quickly try and scrape ice off your windshield only for it to visibly slowly refreeze while going 100kmh.. very fun! this video is important to me...
I work in the production of making windscreens whitch is heating the screen to nearly melting point whitch they bend in steel mould frames then immediately quenched by freezing cold air to harden them to the curved shape so it's is safe to put look warm water on your screen i have for the last 30 years remember there's a lot of people out there who make lot's of money with there products claiming to be the only way to melt snow and ice from your screens 👍
A question to people in cold climates who have catalytic converters. Does it help with the exhaust when you start up in a sub-zero weather? People here remove catalytic converters instead of replacing them and in the winter the exhaust from warming up cars smells really bad and penetrates indoors easily. So I wander if it's unavoidable in the winter or because we don't use catalytic converters.
When you start their car, it's best to get driving straight away to heat up the catalytic convertor as quickly as possible. It doesn't take long once you're on the move but a lot longer when idling.
Don't use warm water, it may not break your windows but it can break it if the water temperature is too high. Inside the home I keep 2 litres bottle of water, it is a room temperature around 20 deg. So no issues at all to poor it on the glass.
Here are MY two methods I use. Predominantly 1. /the c l o t h method. Using an old cloth, towel, rags. Place them on the windscreens. When you want to de - ice your windscreens - just remove the garments/ clothes, as they contain all the moisture / frozen. Very quick in doing so. 2. -- this method is more of a fiddle. Warm water, not not... hot water, warm water in plastic bag, minus any holes. Slowly place the bag over the windscreen and it melts the ice. As you are doing so, use a squeegee to remove the water. Stopping the '' re - freeze ''. But for me - the cloth method is easy and soo quick.
Because the catalytic converter which makes the fumes cleaner doesn't work until it's hot. The sooner you get driving, the sooner it heats up and therefore the sooner it works.
I think the American method of de-icing is way more convenient . Just push the remote start button 60 minutes before you want to get in to the car, a nice side effect is that you have a warm car.
15 minutes will be enough for even - 20C, what part of US requires idling for 60 minutes? In Russia many have remote start alarms fitted in, and they are set up to warm up for 10-15 minutes by default. Usually OK for at least to -30C. I even have Webasto setup for 45 minutes, and it takes longer for the heater to warm up the cabin compared to idling. 60 min is just an overkill.
While I don't have any experience in this, my brother is a car enthusiast and he said that letting the engine warm up only while idling (low revs=lower heat generated) prevents the cold motor oil from effectively lubricating the moving parts for a significant amount of time, that's the reason engines fail much sooner than usual. I guess that only applies to really cold climates, -20 and lower.
@@MrRobbi373 I have heard a recommendation as well, that you should let your car idle merely for a minute, maybe five in colder climates to let the oil get more liquidy and then move off and let the motor warm up on the go, being smith with the gas and not giving to much revs until the working temperature is reached. But again, can't claim to be an expert and know perfectly.
@@artemkatelnytskyi Yes, it's not the 1960s any more! The automotive industry - and engines - have come a long way. You and @Robbie373 are quite right - the quickest way to warm up an engine on a very cold day while not undermining it, is simply to gently start driving it - not letting it idle. One thing this world certainly doesn't need any more of, is cars pumping 60 minutes of totally unnecessary shit into the atmosphere... 🙄 Tim - If you want a warm car, get an electric one, mate - they have very efficient electric heaters, which you can programme from the comfort of your home using an app, and you arrive to a fully defrosted, lovely and warm car, without setting off the neighbours' asthma and decimating the general air quality of your locale.
I'm lucky. In my electric Citroen C4X I can set the car to precondition. You can set it on your phone (by app), or by using the settings on your car info screen. I set it for 20 minutes before my journey and during this time it defrosts all the windows and heats up the engine. It doesn't use much of your battery either.
The first morning after passing my driving test and I'm still coming to your videos for advice and guidance and will continue to do so.
Thanks Richard. At 32 I'm off to De-Ice my own car for the first time.
I've only just found this one! We had -14°c last week, oh what a job that was! I took my watering can full of hot water to defrost the mirrors, as they self fold when you lock/unlock, the doors were frozen up, so I had to do those as well. Managed to get in and start it, then got my scraper and managed to knock the watering can over. Got away eventually, came back to a sheet of solid ice and when I tried to back in my car started to slide sideways! Roll on Summer.
did you not put the wipers on while you poured the water the ice wont reform if the window is dry enough,ideally want to do all this then get in and drive been doing this for years no scrapper needed
@@JohnnyMQB Pour hot water on the windscreen? You'll shatter it.
@@daviemac9925 nope never shattered in over 20 years but if your happy scraping 👍,not hot just tepid
My personal experience at least for canadian weather, is to just spray windshield fluid and run the wipers the night before. In my city, either frost forms or it snows, very rarely do we have frost under snow. Cleaning the windshield the night before frost reduces the amount of dirt particles where frost can form and cling to. Driving home the night before means a warm windshield, fluid will evaporate completely so no ice. A prevention method of sorts.
I’ve been using cold tap water to de-ice my car windows for 20+ years now and never had one break, works a treat too 👍🏻
Might draw the line at "cold" water as i like to warm my hands on the container, but warm out of the tap is fine. As long as the wipers are used to remove any excess water we are good to go in less than a minute. This urban myth about "cracked" windscreens is put about by the de-icer retailers. Though boiling water may prove me wrong.
Same here
Me too 🧐
I’m about to do that. Just use tap water and see what happens 😂
@@sisyphussapprentice8976 check the water temp by dipping in the pinky - it should be comfortably warm - seems to work well.
Great vid to help the uninitiated. Just a couple of extra tips from over 40 years of cold mornings.... Start your engine, pull your sun visors down to help keep any heat on your windscreen and put your blowers on full ( pointing at the screen ) Turn on your air-con to dry out the inside.... Start tipping the warm water ON THE ROOF first. ..This, in theory, stretches the metal before the windscreen. Turn on the wipers. Use excess water to clear the ice from your headlights..... Keep up the great work on the channel.
I was surprised my new car has a button you press and my car de-ices the windscreen and back window as well. What a pleasure, all new cars should have it!
It's much more expensive so a lot of manufacturers don't bother with this apart from their top models. It's a shame, as this would solve all the issues !
Sir,
Your efforts made me learn driving very easily.
Thank you so much for making such kind of good quality videos.
Love from India❤️❤️🔥🔥
Got my first car Saturday and so far I’ve not been met with ice as it’s cold but not icy yet but preparing myself by watching these videos as I don’t know much about cars 😅 now is when I really miss my Grandad being here as he had all the information 😞 but thankfully videos like yours are available which help incredibly, thank you!
My Dads top tip was to check the weather forecast then if possible delay his journey till the ambient temperature had removed the Ice. Doesn't work if you need to be out early or the weather is bad all day but its a decent enough idea. TX for another great clip really enjoyed it.
lol this is what I have been doing but I do deliveries so I try to be out early, can't though when I got this ice issue
Greetings from Oslo! I got a lot of help from your channel while practicing and preparing to get my license. I learned loads. Great content. Entertaining and frankly relaxing. I still watch to get your take on issues surrounding driving. Cheers!
Fantastic channel.
With the warm water method, a watering can without any attachments is great as you can accurately pour the water.
Good point!
thats the method Ive employed for the 35yrs+ , tepid to luke warm water and a spare wiper blade to squidgy the water off the glass, job done in less than a minute 👍🏻
tip: spray wd40 or silicone spray on the door handles to stop them freezing up, i also silicone spray my door seals too
Glad you mentioned the water method. I’ve done that for years. I use an IR thermometer and measure the water at 25 degrees. Never had a problem. No responsibility for anyone else’s though.
Excellent video. Warm water is fine in my experience too but be sure it is warm - not hot. If it's too hot to put your fingers in it's way too hot. Tap heat is usually fine but boiling a kettle is super risky. And re wipers, worth mentioning that you should never operate them if frozen - at best you'll blow a fuse. It can also tear the rubber of the blade. Sometimes doors can stick - hot water works but the preventative cure is to silicone-spray the door rubber seals.
Thank you.
Ive been putting warm water on my frozen windows for years now, and my car windows have never cracked.
If i tell people this they dont believe me and are convinced that their windows will crack.
As long as its not boiling hot from the kettle you should not have a problem.
Warm water is the best option, especially if you want to be gone quicker
Hi Conquer Driving, this topical topic is one that has had little attention for the last couple of years, I first tried my method forty years ago when I was able to park on my own property. The simple expedient of throwing a large quantity of hot water over the whole of the front of the vehicle does the trick!, it is important to be sure that the hot water hits all of the windscreen at once so that there is no un distributed thermal stress. This techniques has the added advantage of warming all the glass slightly this reduces the amount of condensation on the inside, often for long enough for the heater to take on the job!.
You are the first one I have seen doing the same thing with water from a small necked container, I use the washing up bowl and do more than half of it in the first go over the whole screen.
The issue of the wet patch on the drive turning to a patch of ice can be a problem, that first time back in the nineteen eighties led to a large patch of ice built up over the tens days of frost, it them lasted another week after the rest thawed out!.
Given the amount of time saved and the perfect visibility over the years I could easily afford a new screen by now if I did get it wrong!.
It is very interesting that other people can reach the same conclusions about the same issues without ever any knowledge of each other!.
Cheers, Richard.
This is one of the reasons I love fords. They have the heating strips in the windscreen which melts it right away
I cringed a few weeks ago when my dad came with a bucket of steaming water (probably 60-70C) thought some bad things were about to happen but I counted the windows after and they were all there haha. To be fair even lukewarm or cold water would also work, kind of dissovles the snow but probably takes much longer and leaves ice behind.
_"Doesn't the hot water you pour frequently to de-ice the windshield damage the paint of the car?*_
What i learnt is to use hot water in a plastic bag and use it to wipe over the windscreen and mirrors. It's way less risky than water directly on the windscreen and it melts it off pretty good. It takes only a little longer but less risk.
Great video and well done. You keep referring to thick ice... here in the Poconos of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. we often can have up to 1/4 inch of ice which is a great challenge. Nothing works but lots of elbow grease. Thanks.
Detroit here. 100% agree. I have 2 inches + of ice completely covering my car right now. It’s 2 degrees F with 25 mph wind. Idk what to do
Just start the car, turn the heat on and be patient... and hope no one steals your car, lol. @@SilverTreasures
I have been using WARM water for years and it works. I use warm water on wind screen starting from all edges of wind screen and then in the middle area. and same on windows like you did start from edges . and it works. thanks.
If you have a small chip in your windscreen you will crack it. I've lost a windscreen in -2 so be careful and check for stone chips.
One way to prevent inside glass fogging is to open all windows before you exit the car for a few minutes after you're done driving - that allows the humid air in the car, from breathing etc, to escape and bring the outside temp/humidity level from outside to inside the car before parking it.
I’ve literally just de-iced my car before seeing this as a recommended video. I screwed up a little on the de-misting as I sprayed the de-icer on as the engine was on and I had the de-misters on and the inside of my windscreen misted up real bad 😬😂. I guess I should have looked for the video first
On the warm water method I fill a 2 litre bottle with tap water and leave it in the house. It gets to room temp after a few hours. Then on mornings with an icy windscreen i have it ready available and don't have to think about the temp of the water being too hot. This has worked great for the majority of cases but struggles below -5c as water re-freezes quickly. It also means when i go out to the car i can lock the house up don't have to go back in with an empty kettle like others i've seen.
The other week, up North (Greater Manchester). I probably tried all these methods. The rain left 3mm of ice on one side of my car. Took the snow off with a scraper, de-icer did nothing. Sprayed water and vinegar. Yep. Nothing. Went inside and warmed some water. Poured it on and magic, scraped it off. Went back inside to wake my kids before leaving and......my windows had froze up again. 🤣. Will take the tip of leaving a sock of rice inside to soak up moisture as the inside had a thin layer of ice (the joys of a second hand car).
Needs cars can do the same. If you use the water method you must drive it immediately or any water will refreeze.
Realy good and reliable way too to deice the windows here (-10 to -20C) is an ice scraper called murska. It has plastic and metal part, the metal is soft (much softer than the glass) and it doesn't scratch the window, it is even safer than the plastic ice scraper since it doesn't collect dirt that easily. Cleaning the wiper blades is a bit difficult, but you can scrape it close the the wipers and I was always able to lift the wiper blades a bit to scrape under them. To get rid of the ice from the wiper blades I just hit it few times with the murska and the ice just falls off. Also using
winter washer fluid with (rated for -40C) is a good way to remove ice from spots you have missed.
I love your videos. I watch all of them. They are really entertaining, interesting, understandable, just perfect. Thank you!
Best way we found is to simply put a semi thick blanket (like 0.5-1cm) over the windscreen, at least if you're in an area where it doesn't get stolen. Lived in countries with -21 being the lowest. The blanket will be frozen, but the windscreen will look like summer. This worked better than a heated windscreen as well I might add
How and where do you store that blanket? Does it still work after the ice on it melts and the next day your blanket is wet?
I’ve done this with an old duvet cover, which doesn’t get stolen bc in my area it’s unlikely anyone would steal used bedding.
Trap it under the wipers and behind the front doors so it doesn’t blow away.
Cheap to replace from a charity shop if they did.
Better with a cotton or cotton blend fabric. Not really a problem to shake off any loose snow and hang it up to dry for another time, if I’m parked near home just remove and take it back indoors before unlocking the car.
Pretty sure that a window that is not compromised (eg. damaged, broken...) can withstand a thermal change in that range. Although I'd rather risk scraping the thick ice off with a plastic scraper (brush with scraper combined on a handle rules). Just make sure your scraper is actually clean, not to rub stuff against the glass; same principle as brushing against paint. For thin ice, fire away with de-icer, just make sure to wipe it off - the oily residue can and will trap dirt and contaminants, so your windows may end up being a mess if you rely on the cleaning power of de-icer, and some products - I had the luck - will refreeze less than a minute.
Simplest solution is to drop a cover on the windscreen back and front, if it was dry underneath, it will probably still stay removable, without much of a hassle. Drop it in the trunk, when the weather eases, dry it, and out it goes to the trunk again. (provided that legal trouble does not ensue from using one)
Don't race a tank for survival, drive a car while sharing the road.
Addendum: if the seal around the windscreen is worn, it may be the cause of excess moisture on the inside. Cat litter, rice in an old sock placed on the dash, or around the back windscreen may be able to absorb enough for the A/C to dissipate the rest even on a cold engine (chances vary, may not be a success).
Thanks, Richard!
First morning of owning a car it was freezing cold and I hadn't yet bought an ice scraper. Took a while to heat up the car while in idle. Should have thought about warm water. Needless to say I went out and bought a scraper the same day.
I have been told about de-icing solutions but honestly I prefer to just use the scraper.
Something I forgot to mention about ice scrapers, they can scratch your windscreen if you're unlucky.
Been using "Warm Water" on my cars, busses and trucks since the 1980's, never had a problem whatsoever.
Me too medium hot tap water in a watering can enough to do the screen and all the windows. Put the wipers on straight after doing the screen in case the water having cooled doesn’t freeze on the screen again and go round the windows again if the water on them has re frozen in places. Job done in quick time.
Living in Alberta Canada, we can get down to -40 below, we’ve never heard of anybody, using rubbing alcohol,for one thing it’s expensive compared to a 4 L jug of methyl hydrate
Can find it in any Canadian tire hardware store for to 15 to 20 dollars in the paint department
At the beginning of the winter season, I usually mix up a spray bottle 50-50 of winter windshield, washer, antifreeze with methyl hydrate
A 4 L jug of methyl hydrate will last for many winters if you mix it up this way
Spray on the window,start your car, with the defrost heater on high, let it warm up for about five minutes, then scrape any ice you have on the windshield which usually has already started to melt, fairly easily, no matter what the temperature is.
But, of course, if I know there’s going to be a freezing, rain, or a large dump of snow, I will just take a pre-cut piece of construction grade poly /plastic and cover the entire windshield, and then Tuck it in on both front doors , which will keep it in place if it’s windy
If you cut the plastic to the right size ,you will have at least a foot to 2 feet of plastic that covers the side windows and mirrors as well
Works like a charm, and there’s no scraping
If I was living in -40C temperatures I would make sure I buy a house with a garage. We are lucky to,get -5C in England but I garage the car everynight winter or summer.
Havn't purchased any de icer for must be 20 years plus. Always use the warm water method, but I apply it from a small plastic water can. Uses a lot less water and allows you to drive straight off with no annoying mist on the inside that deicer causes. I throw the watering can in the front footwell ready for the next time.
Me too! 👍
I use an extension lead with a small fan heater in the car from an exterior electric socket on my house which was fitted for my caravan. In less than ten minutes lovely warm car with clear windows and no condensation either . Car door was slightly open .
I've used the warm water as well for many years and never cracked a screen. It's the fastest and the easiest and also does the best job. 😜 But I do turn my engine on firt with the heater on full blast and by the time I'm done with the water, there's enough heat coming in ti stop the screen from refreezing especially in much colder temperatures.
In the UK I think we are lucky to not get snow all that often (at least in Wales where I live) and the warm water thats just luke warm to the touch clears everything perfectly. I stopped using de-icer in 99% of all situation because of the greasy residue it leaves all over. So I just use a scraper to remove the huge amounts of snow, and luke warm water to wash off the rest. I'm usually done start to finish and driving off within 5-10 minutes max
I had my engine running whilst I was scraping the windows and the car locked itself good job I had a spare key indoors
Really helpful the way you explained this. I appreciate you taking the time and effort making vids for learners as well as those of us who are experienced. Thank you and Happy New Year!
Also to prevent water freezing on the ground you can fill up a zip bag with warm water and go around the car.
Very happy my car came with a heated windscreen!
It only breaks if layer is too thin. For example, the incandescent bulb bursts when you put it in water when it was `ON` for some time.
Thanks for your useful info!
I've used warm water for years, never had a problem until I tried it at -18°C in the Alpes. The water froze instantly and I spent 20mins chiselling it off! ;)
I have been using a de-icer spray can for the past two days and it's worked like a dream. I'm just still trying to get to grips with heavy condensation on the inside of the windscreen. It's a real bugbear of mine because of my OCD. I had to use glass cleaner and a microfibre cloth when i got home but i can't be doing that everyday.
I know that people say don't have heat in the car, have your fan on cold air and just use your demister. Even put the windows down slightly. Although the windows were frozen solid and regardless of heat or cold in the car, when it's -2 the condensation will form. I just hate freezing weather all together.
Thick condensation inside the car usually means water is getting in, even a small amount can do it. This usually happens to me if I clean the interior with water.
@@ConquerDriving Understandable. I don't clean the interior with water. I vack it and occasionally use wipes for the seats. It's on and off though the build up of condensation comes and goes it's not everyday.
The thermal shock is much worse in really low temperatures. When it is -5C, it is fine, but pouring hot water when it is -25C, it might be a bit risky. There is another factor - what glue is used to fix the glass to the car, if it is more flexible, the pouring hot water method is much safer, but the glue tends to get much harder as it ages.
I don't think I'd try water at -25. I think it would refreeze quite quickly.
@@ConquerDriving you just need more water, pour it until the glass itself becomes warm. Did it many times at really low temperatures.
@@ConquerDriving fortunately for you -25C in England is not probable.
I always use the warm water method, but before chucking the water, I always start the car with the demister fans on full. It's less likely to freeze over again when I start driving.
I always use an empty 4pint milk bottle . Warm soapy water . Washing up liquid in helps it take longer to refreeze. Gives you more time to squidgy the water off .
There are a variety of small 12 volt electric blowers available specifically for the inside of a car via the auxiliary socket. These will clear both the inside and outside of the windscreen of thin ice. They look like a good idea to me.
Hi Richard, thank you so much for your videos they help a lot, would it be possible to produce a video on what to do in the different situations with responding emergency vehicles such as an ambulance on a narrow road would you be marked down on the test for mounting the curve to allow it to pass safely even though you shouldn’t mount the curve when stopping for an emergency vehicle etc? And similarity, if an emergency vehicle is behind you at a traffic light abs they are edging forwards should you move etc, Thanks 👍
Thank you, I will add it to my consideration list.
Yu ar the one of the best bro I respect yu
You're the best trust me
I figured it out the hard way, but worth mentioning how the car should be set for defogging. Some cars have a dedicated defogger button, but others need you to turn the dial to the defog position, heat to max, fan to 3 or 4. I also found it speeds the process if you close the other air vents while the priority is defogging. Also, some cars have an electric heated front windscreen (think Fords, not sure about others) and that makes a massive difference when it comes to getting rid of ice. All cars would also have a heated rear windscreen, which you can probably turn on while getting ice off the other surfaces. For cars without LED lighting, turning on the lights melts ice off them as halogens generate heat, but for LEDs you'd need to de-ice the headlamps as well.
PS: in cars with automatic wipers, make sure you disable them before turning the key to on, as the wiper might force itself to move despite the rubber blade being frozen, ripping off the blade. happened to me on my first car on its first frozen day! ironically it was when I was headed to a MOT re-test, and as the wipers had already been tested the tester told me he couldn't fail the MOT but I had better get the wiper blades replaced right away - I didn't even realize the blade had ripped off!
even cold air from the vents helps to soften and melt the ice on the windscreen, so I usually switch the car on and turn the air up first then start scraping the side windows which the ice on the windcreen softens. I also use a different plastic scraper to the usual type, much better for even the thinnest of ice
My favourite method is to use a phone app to turn on the heater , screen defrost , heated seats and steering wheel as I have breakfast.
Another advantage of going EV.
Before hand , some 50 years, I used cold tap water to slosh over the affected parts. The downside being the large puddles left that could freeze into a skid hazard for others.
That's all very true.
My Nephew has just brought a electric car, he has an app to do all that. Lucky thing.
Interesting video. The main problems I am having in this cold at the moment is the screen wash won't work. It's not frozen in the tank I think as I am using -20 degree stuff. Any suggestions to get it working quicker?
Thanks
The windscreen washer jet nozzles can sometime freeze. It happens when the alcohol evaporates and what's left in the nozzles is almost pure water. Heating them (hot water, garage, etc...) and flushing with new screen wash will unclog them.
If this doesn't solve your problem then the washer fluid wight be too diluted and needs more alcohol. The hoses leding from the tank to the nozzles freeze up in minutes and the only way to solve the problem is heat and more alcohol.
There is not a lot you can do, the nozzles can become frozen. Some cars have heated nozzles.
My year 2000 Ford Mondeo had fine wires in the windscreen.
They cleared the windscreen faster than the engine warmed up
Please cover some window de-misting tricks, the windows in my car get a thick layer of mist on the inside quite often, it bugs me a fair bit.
That's a good idea, thank you.
Why don't guys put a car cover on top of your car, which I believe a lot of you guys have access to. Putting a car cover will make it easy to remove snow like when it snows just remove the cover and boom you got a nice clean car underneath
In the video I actually show you my MX5. That has a roof cover, but it's more hassle then it's worth for snow as it freezes in place. I only have it as the neighbours cats like to use my fabric roof as a scratch pad.
Some diesels do have an electric heaters. My mk7 golf has a 1kw PET electric heater that comes on if the temperature outside is low. Starts getting hot within a few minutes.
Hello Richard, thank you for your channel, it's a really great help for me. I recently bought a car and refresh all about driving because I haven't drive since 2008. Are you obviously planning to make a video with advice how to choose a mobile holder for your car? What phone holder do you use? Thank you. Cheers from France.
Thank you. I find Belkin make a very good holder.
@@ConquerDriving Thanks a lot, could you precise please, is it vent mount model?
It's a windscreen suction mount that you twist.
I always use an empty 4 pint milk bottle full of warm water . ad a drop washing up liquid to it . enough to clear the front and side windows .
lol😆😆 Loved the disclaimer
My car is Kia Picante 2008 and it has issues with cloudiness on the side windows in rainy days and nothing would improve it despite turning the fan on and on the snow as today, the front screen gets icy and the wiper wont help. What tips would you give kindly from your experience?
When you say "Part" referring to the homemade de icer, what quantity is that exactly?
I've used cold tap water for years on all windows. I find it works best, fast and cheap. I go out with a bottle, pour the water and that's it. What's harder is when the handles and doors freeze.
When I was young, my Mum used to put a small electric fan heater (powered from the main) in the car 10 minutes before leaving. It had the benefit of warming the interior of the car up too. I'm not sure if there is a risk of fire because I've never heard of anyone else do it
My old corsa takes forever to warm up. My go-to is warm water followed by de-icer to stop it refreezing
Warm water is a good method, but not accessible for everybody. For example, when my dad used to have his van, he kept it roughly 8 minutes of walking away from home. But that's merely the reality of a city layout that we live in, for people with their own driveways, it would work.
By the way, to stop the blades from freezing my dad used to leave them in service position and I've seen other drivers do it too. But I don't know what effect it has on rubber.
Also, you are more prepared at minus one than me at minus 15 with that massive gloves! No hat though! :))
8 min walk to the car! You can put corks under the wiper arms to lift them up. I like hiking so I have plenty of clothes, I usually have a hat and put my hood over the hat but it looked ridiculous on camera so I braved the cold. 9 degrees and sunny here today.
@@ConquerDriving The sacrifice was worth the good shot :)
I used to pour water into a thermos so water doesn't cool down while I'm walking to a car...
@@AlexGonoff This is a good solution!
I live about 5 mins walk from where my car is parked. I have to attempt this tomorrow morning, (plus try and get the bloody car doors open 😖) so I plan on taking a couple of flasks of warm water with me for the windows. One could always fill a 5L bottle with just off boiling hot water, and it would be about the right temperature by the time you arrived at the car on an 8min walk...
I throw an old, wet towel across the windscreen if it's going to be frosty. It freezes solid and is easily removed. Try to remove snow whilst it is soft. It is much harder to remove if frozen. Or I turn the engine and heaters on, and use tap water.
You should make a vid on how you clean your windscreen at home for streak free vision
great video. i have been living in Norway and i am really sick of deice car windows everyday. anyway i ordeded car cover . what do you think of car covers? not easier than de-ice?
Personally I don't like some because they are a faff and you have to have somewhere to put them, also when it's windy they can damage the car. But there are plenty of people who use them and like them.
@@ConquerDriving thank you for your kind answer
A good tip put the warm water in a poly zip bag and just let it slide over the class, no spilt water and if the water is just warm not hot, it will melt the ice quickly. This method gives you localised control of ice removal, just for the cost of a good poly bag
If you put water on the outside of the windscreen, it will expand as it warms up. If the inside is still cold relative to the outside, it will not expand as much, hence the window cracks. Unequal expansion in a brittle material results in cracks forming. If cold water is used there is much less difference between the inside and outside temperatures, so less likely to crack. With warm water, a much bigger temperature difference so more likely to crack.
If you pour boiling water into a glass made of thick glass it will crack, but do the same thing with a glass made of thin glass, it will not crack since, with the thin glass, there is very little difference between the inside and outside surface temperatures.
I like your winter coat haha. How can I get the similar one, please?
That's from Trespass, I still have it, properly water proof, I don't feel the wind and the hood is cosy.
@@ConquerDriving Thank you!
Hi, can u throw some lights on stopping condensation inside impairing visibility. Heard that we can use ac but on cold weather, ac is not a viable option. Would be better if you could share options for both short and long drive
Try to keep anything wet outside the car. Air conditioning is the best option though, since I've had it condensation has been a thing of the past.
Good video
This is great for the off chance that my car is covered in thick ice & I have to get it off the street parking but not much gas in the tank 😅
Do you know shops that sell ice scrapers for cars
Supermarkets usually have them, and motoring stores like Halfords.
That’s a beautiful Fiat Panda. Is that yours?
I thought warm water might be problematic but then I thought that they use warm water to wash cars in the winter and have no problems. But the car is already pre heated probably but anyway. Just wipe off excess and use silicone on rubbers etc so it won't freeze. But you have to keep in mind the colder it is the faster water will freeze so you can end up with a car covered in ice. A bit tricky
9:42 doing it's best impression of a VX220 windscreen, freeze both sides ;)
Haha, have you ever tried scraping ice off the inside? I haven't but I've seen others try. I used the warm water method with the VX220, that melted the ice both sides then I dried the inside with a towel.
@@ConquerDriving had it frozen on the inside on a fiat punto, the ice melted on both sides but some water dripped down onto the dash and all over the place really. Did get most of it off with a towel, but the moisture meant we had to do the drive with the demister on full for the entire time, as it'd just mist up again right after (initially me wiping the windscreen again with a towel before the heater warmed up)
That was after the car had been sat for 2 weeks or so, in cold weather I'm surprised it started.
I find the more often you use cars the less moisture problems you get as everything has a chance to dry out. The problem occurs if you have sun on the car, which heats the interior, 40 degree air can hold like 8 times the water of 0 degree air. Then the air cools to freezing over night, all the water falls out of the air and there's the problem. If you noticed the first time I did the Panda there was no ice on the inside. But we had a sunny day and the next morning there was loads of water. Partly caused by all the snow that had fallen off my shoes the previous day come to think of it. I did clean it but that was about a week before the video.
In Sweden, here, the temperature is regularly between minus 10 and minus 20. Any water poured on the car freezes again within 5 minutes - not an option.
One severely cold winter the screen washer water tank froze and i couldn't get any screen wash on the wind screen. The tank eventually thawed and the screen washer worked again.
I wonder whats the parka brand is?
I coat is Trespass.
Referring to the very end, I take it you hated school!
Haha, I did love science and tech but yes, I was waiting to leave school as it was just so boring. However, I very much appreciate it.
Thank you sir. I am a beginner. Can you help me understanding how can I get out of a very tight parking space. Like a garage where is many car sitting at the same time and I just have about a car length before me.
Thank you, I may do something like this in the future.
Put a small heater blower inside the car between the handbrake and the gear stick pointing upwards . Then go inside your house sit down and have a cup tea by the time you have finished the car is totally clear and you drive off in nice warm car
I use a car cover although the other day this was also frozen on and it took some time to peel it off, this was in Reading, Berkshire by the way.
My ex colleague's brother, who is a motor mechanic, told her that anti-freeze damages the rubber on the wipers, so I am now reluctant to use it so much. Are you aware of this or is this in fact incorrect?
I don't know if it's true, but I have heard the same. I've not noticed damage when I've used it.
Just use a giant duvet, when we sleep why should the car get cold when we are warm.
Cars like to sleep in comfort too.
Or bring the car indoors and let it sleep on its carbed next to the radiator.
Best method is a good windscreen cover, that covers the front side glasses and the side mirrors
I find it easiest to get the chauffeur to clean the car in the garage complex
the best part is when youre late to school, have to quickly try and scrape ice off your windshield only for it to visibly slowly refreeze while going 100kmh.. very fun! this video is important to me...
I work in the production of making windscreens whitch is heating the screen to nearly melting point whitch they bend in steel mould frames then immediately quenched by freezing cold air to harden them to the curved shape so it's is safe to put look warm water on your screen i have for the last 30 years remember there's a lot of people out there who make lot's of money with there products claiming to be the only way to melt snow and ice from your screens 👍
A question to people in cold climates who have catalytic converters. Does it help with the exhaust when you start up in a sub-zero weather? People here remove catalytic converters instead of replacing them and in the winter the exhaust from warming up cars smells really bad and penetrates indoors easily. So I wander if it's unavoidable in the winter or because we don't use catalytic converters.
When you start their car, it's best to get driving straight away to heat up the catalytic convertor as quickly as possible. It doesn't take long once you're on the move but a lot longer when idling.
Don't use warm water, it may not break your windows but it can break it if the water temperature is too high.
Inside the home I keep 2 litres bottle of water, it is a room temperature around 20 deg. So no issues at all to poor it on the glass.
Here are MY two methods I use. Predominantly 1. /the c l o t h method. Using an old cloth, towel, rags. Place them on the windscreens. When you want to de - ice your windscreens - just remove the garments/ clothes, as they contain all the moisture / frozen. Very quick in doing so. 2. -- this method is more of a fiddle. Warm water, not not... hot water, warm water in plastic bag, minus any holes. Slowly place the bag over the windscreen and it melts the ice. As you are doing so, use a squeegee to remove the water. Stopping the '' re - freeze ''. But for me - the cloth method is easy and soo quick.
do you know why the fumes are the worst when it’s cold
Because the catalytic converter which makes the fumes cleaner doesn't work until it's hot. The sooner you get driving, the sooner it heats up and therefore the sooner it works.
I think the American method of de-icing is way more convenient . Just push the remote start button 60 minutes before you want to get in to the car, a nice side effect is that you have a warm car.
You run cars idling for an hour? I'm not gonna say anything about the environment, but that just sounds like a waste of gas money.
15 minutes will be enough for even - 20C, what part of US requires idling for 60 minutes? In Russia many have remote start alarms fitted in, and they are set up to warm up for 10-15 minutes by default. Usually OK for at least to -30C. I even have Webasto setup for 45 minutes, and it takes longer for the heater to warm up the cabin compared to idling. 60 min is just an overkill.
While I don't have any experience in this, my brother is a car enthusiast and he said that letting the engine warm up only while idling (low revs=lower heat generated) prevents the cold motor oil from effectively lubricating the moving parts for a significant amount of time, that's the reason engines fail much sooner than usual. I guess that only applies to really cold climates, -20 and lower.
@@MrRobbi373 I have heard a recommendation as well, that you should let your car idle merely for a minute, maybe five in colder climates to let the oil get more liquidy and then move off and let the motor warm up on the go, being smith with the gas and not giving to much revs until the working temperature is reached. But again, can't claim to be an expert and know perfectly.
@@artemkatelnytskyi Yes, it's not the 1960s any more! The automotive industry - and engines - have come a long way. You and @Robbie373 are quite right - the quickest way to warm up an engine on a very cold day while not undermining it, is simply to gently start driving it - not letting it idle.
One thing this world certainly doesn't need any more of, is cars pumping 60 minutes of totally unnecessary shit into the atmosphere... 🙄
Tim - If you want a warm car, get an electric one, mate - they have very efficient electric heaters, which you can programme from the comfort of your home using an app, and you arrive to a fully defrosted, lovely and warm car, without setting off the neighbours' asthma and decimating the general air quality of your locale.
If I conver my car, would this help?
It can, but then cover can become frozen and you need somewhere to put it, bare in mind it will likely be wet.
I'm lucky. In my electric Citroen C4X I can set the car to precondition. You can set it on your phone (by app), or by using the settings on your car info screen. I set it for 20 minutes before my journey and during this time it defrosts all the windows and heats up the engine. It doesn't use much of your battery either.