Prevent morning freeze on the windshield

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SixZee

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Now that the winter weather is upon many of us, I was wondering if anybody has a trick to prevent windshield from freezing in the mornings. Leaving the car idling to defrost is not an option. It takes a while for the car to warm up and start defrosting the windshield. Forester is particularly notorious for this and my wife's drive is a little over a mile. The car doesn't even reach to the operating temperature.

In the past, I used 50% rubbing alcohol (IPA) and it works wonderfully but I noticed that the paint on the top of the windshield has started bubbling. Not too sure if its because of the IPA. I have used Prestone deicer as well, that also works well but it gets expensive over the period of time. I have -30F windshield washer fluid but it doesn't cut it. So thought if there is anything that I can layer windshield with to prevent morning freeze yet not affect the visibility.

I have tried using windshield cover unsuccessfully.

Thanks for any ideas.
 
I don't think there is anything which would prevent the frost from developing other than covering it with something like a tarp or blanket if you don't have a garage or carport.

If there is moisture in the air and the atmospheric conditions are right, frost will form. You really can't get around it.

Is there are reason you can't use a ice scraper to get the frost off in the morning?
 
A remote start is sure a nice thing to have. Some new vehicles apparently already have this option from the factory, never knew such, such as a friend's 2008 Impala had it, and she never knew, neither did I.

At least 5-10 minutes of running helps warm the vehicle up some, and makes scraping a little bit easier if you have the controls set to defrost.
 
I would just give yourself a little extra time in the morning and use the Sprayway Industrial DE-ICER and Ice Master Jr. Ice Scraper.

Sprayway DE-ICER Bundle
 
A good glass coating or glass sealant makes it a little easier to scrape of the ice. The ice freezes on the glass in another way then. Otherwise it's finding a great cover. I'm not a fan of the de-icer products if I don't know what's in them and in what amount. Some can be very aggressive to your paint and your headlights if you get overspray on the paint. It's just to look at the window cowl when you are seeing a vehical that have used a lot of window fluid and the extra wear it gets. Also I have seen and maintain a car where they have used concentrated window fluid without dilute it. It's rust now where this have standed on the back hatch of the car. With the right dilutions and use only when you are moving and not just before you park the vehical so it sheets off. And you are fine to use it. I just have used glass sealants and an ice scraper for a long time now. If possible I have it on idle to warm it up. That's harsh on the engine when you mostly drives short distances as I mostly do it myself too.

Is it the Subaru Forrester?
Have you looked up if they have a thermostat the one that controls when to open up the cooler water to be going into the heater. If it's an option with a lower temperature when it does this. Then you can get it to faster warm up the heater. Some vehicals has a problem with the thermostat house gets little cracks in it. So it's colder cooler water gets into the heater to soon. You usually notice this when you don't get up to the engine working temperature. Then it can be a mix of a broken and worn thermostat and if it's a plastic thermostat house can be broken. Some have more than one thermostat too and those can be problems with often. Even when the vehical has not so many milage on them.
 
the trick ive heard is have a garage.
i havent mastered that trick yet.
 
Ive got the Pinnacle glass cleaner with rain repel in it and the ice that does form while Im at work is sure much much easier to scrape off.

Id like to hear your reason for not being able to idle the car a little prior to leaving? cause it sounds like you want a miracle with no work, there is always a little give and take with everything. Usually 5-10 min will get it warm enough (If you left the defrost on) to start breaking down that ice build up
 
SixZee said:
It takes a while for the car to warm up
and start defrosting the windshield.
Forester is particularly notorious for this
The car doesn't even reach to the
operating temperature.

and my wife's drive is a little over a mile.

I have used Prestone deicer as well, that also works
well but it gets expensive over the period of time.
Click to expand...
•Mike Phillips has this saying, (I’m hoping my
below rendition, is a faithful report thereof):
”Find something you like, and use it often”.
-that, IMO, is apropos to this situation.


•Accordingly:
-(Although you say: ‘it gets expensive over
the period of time’)...I’d keep on using the
Prestone De-icer.

•After all:
-A lot of things (some not so pleasant)
can happen during that mile drive. And:
-Can a price be put on, the providing for:
the utmost Safety ‘n’ Well-being of ones Wife?



Bob
 
SixZee said:
Leaving the car idling to defrost is not an option.
Click to expand...

Why is this not an option?

That is the sole function of the "defrost" setting. Car manufacturers have solved your problem for you.
 
Fact: Ice doesn’t like heat.

:idea:
Set something like one these free-standing
‘heaters’ at each corner of the car first-thing
bright and early in the morning.

Bingo Bango: Ice soon be gone; oh.

736B069D-D16F-41AA-89E9-260EB567A64B.jpeg



Bob
 
PaulMys said:
Why is this not an option?

That is the sole function of the "defrost" setting. Car manufacturers have solved your problem for you.
Click to expand...

Seems as though we arent going to get an answer to that. lol
 
PaulMys said:
Why is this not an option?

That is the sole function of the "defrost" setting. Car manufacturers have solved your problem for you.
Click to expand...

The idea of letting your car sit and idle has been shown to not be a great idea for a while now and over the last couple of years, there have been numerous articles from lots of sources. Regardless of the source, the major themes are the same in all of them

A few examples:Warming Up Car | Engine Damage Warming Up Car Before Driving

Why You Shouldn't Idle Your Car in the Cold | Completely Firestone

I found pages of articles with only a simple Google search. There is also the issue of letting your car sit and idle in cold weather is actually illegal in 30 states. Idling Your Car in These States Is Illegal - Car Pre-Start Laws

I think if you let the engine run while you scrape off the ice and then drive off it is plenty of time to get fluids safely flowing through the car. Overall I think the "defrost" term is a little outdated. Heating the glass has just as much to do with keeping ice from forming on the glass while driving as it does to soften things up a bit so you can scrape them off in the morning.
 
I'm curious too!!!

Best way (aside from having a garage) to de-icing the windshield is to start the car and let it warm up with the defrosters on....?
 
I don't mean for this to sound argumentative, but do people not use ice scrapers any more? Pretty fast and effective way to clear the glass unless it is that ice you get in freezing fog or rain which is indestructible and looks like your car was dipped in a clear bead liner material.

I grew up to the sound of people scraping ice/frost off their windows in the morning. At work at the end of the day after a snow or ice storm, the sound still carries across the parking lots around here. This time of year stores can't keep stocking scapers fast enough. They must be going somewhere.
 
McKee's 37 Frost Bite and a scraper make the job easy for my wife in the morning. Her car sits outside and gets frosty windows pretty much every morning during this time of the year. Running the car for a while helps but we don't want to leave it unattended and the car doesn't have remote start which would allow it to run while still locked and not prone to being taken by someone.
 
Hopefully OP doesn’t feel too jumped on, but I’m also in the camp of “You’re just stuck scraping”.

I’ll definitely recommend getting some sort of glass protection product on (doesn’t even have to be a coating) as it does help keep the ice from making as strong of a bond.

Scraping to me is just the quickest/safest route to a clean windshield. I can’t think of a time where after scraping the windshield clean I was immediately combating ice-buildup again.

A tip a friend of mine shared is to keep a 6” painter’s taping blade in the car. Looks like something you’d use for spreading drywall mud (or maybe you do - sorry, not my area of expertise!). Nice short handle, and the 6” clears a wide path. Works awesome to very quickly knock off that light duty ice/glaze. And they’re super cheap, so if it gets beat up you just pick up another one for a few bucks. Since it’s thinner, it conforms to the curve of the windshield so you get even scraping.

Heavy stuff I’ll still break out the normal scraper.
 
The Wife and I were fortunate to have
received these modernday ice-scrapers
as presents from my in-laws a couple of
Christmases ago: they’re miraculous!

Hence their name.

275542EA-18F7-47F9-8022-18A7F0DCF746.jpeg


9C55B052-D7E8-4273-BB85-1D8CE93B36D2.jpeg



:dblthumb2:

Bob
 
Desertnate said:
The idea of letting your car sit and idle has been shown to not be a great idea for a while now and over the last couple of years, there have been numerous articles from lots of sources. Regardless of the source, the major themes are the same in all of them

A few examples:Warming Up Car | Engine Damage Warming Up Car Before Driving

Why You Shouldn't Idle Your Car in the Cold | Completely Firestone

I found pages of articles with only a simple Google search. There is also the issue of letting your car sit and idle in cold weather is actually illegal in 30 states. Idling Your Car in These States Is Illegal - Car Pre-Start Laws

I think if you let the engine run while you scrape off the ice and then drive off it is plenty of time to get fluids safely flowing through the car. Overall I think the "defrost" term is a little outdated. Heating the glass has just as much to do with keeping ice from forming on the glass while driving as it does to soften things up a bit so you can scrape them off in the morning.
Click to expand...

I didn't mean to imply to let the car/truck idle for an hour.

Just that after 5-6 minutes, the defroster makes ice/frost removal WAY easier.
 
Ahhh. Sorry. I've encountered many people who think they should start their car and let it run for 15~20 minutes (or more!) until the car is completely clear is the way to go. They also tend to be the people who don't remove any snow from the roof or other panels and then drive down the road leaving a trail like Haley's Comet with all the snow and ice blowing off.
 
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