Iced up windows on 129!!!

[nickg]

Blimey it was cold this morning.
So cold that I decided against biking it into work and thought I'd treat myself to driving in.
Car (sl 129) was so iced up that the electric windows were frozen solid.

This is bad news in an sl because the windows are supposed to drop half an inch when you open the doors, otherwise they foul the bodywork when the doors are closed.

So what is the best way to quickly de-ice the windows without causing any damage?
Anyone have any tips ?

 

[Flash]

I'm probably going to get gunned for this but seriously a little bit of warm wate rmixed with litttl be bit of cold water will do the job - I use it on the Sprinter and has not caused any problems and in my opinion is far more effective then de-icer spray as does the job quicker - just make sure that fan is blowing though for windows/windscreen.

Flash

 

[nickg]

Sure, but I'm worried about water getting down within the door.
Maybe the answer is to have a clean spray bottle handy and fill that up with warm water, to then spray on to the windows.

I had to wait about 5 minutes on the drive this morning before I could close the door and get going.
Poor design fault, but haven't MB continued with it up to and including some current cars?
Another example of MB "over engineering" something and creating a problem where there needn't be one...........?

 

[Shude]

My windows were also frozen shut this morning and it wasn't until I'd been driving for about an hour that they defrosted enough to open. The fan also kicked in for the first time in weeks when I went over the cable for some temporary traffic lights!

 

[marc777]

No doubt to everyone's horror I use a jug of warm water (not boiling - just warm)

Works a treat. No scraping, and its easy.

Done it for 20 years with no problems.

Marc

 

[Thmsshaun]

They only problem with warm water comes when you chuck it over the front screen and drive off straight away. Thus the water turning instantly too ice.

I too find it to be the most effective method and have never like de-icer.

 

[pluggers]

You can buy pre icer now.Its a spray that you put on at night that stops the ice forming,Then in the morning you just wipe it off.

 

[Shude]

You can buy pre icer now.Its a spray that you put on at night that stops the ice forming,Then in the morning you just wipe it off.

We've had a bottle of that in the garage for a couple of years, it's not perfect but it's not bad. IIRC it prevents freezing but because it's kinda oily it leaves a greasy film all over the screen and makes the smeartronic wipers worse than usual

 

[glojo]

No doubt to everyone's horror I use a jug of warm water (not boiling - just warm)

Works a treat. No scraping, and its easy.

Done it for 20 years with no problems.

Marc

It certainly sounds a better method than the de-icers, and as someone has already pointed out, providing the water does not freeze when you drive away, it is okee dokee.

It is making me shiver just reading these posts brrrrrrr

Take care out there,
John

 

[Shude]

I saw a neighbour empty a kettle-full of boiling water onto his windscreen. There's a brave man!

 

[pammy]

I saw a neighbour empty a kettle-full of boiling water onto his windscreen. There's a brave man!

Last year I saw a woman pouring boiling water onto the rear - plastic screen on her MGF could almsot hear the cracks forming

 

[Brian WH]

I use Cold water as it freezes slower that Hot. There is a bit of Science for you.

I start engine, If you can get in? If not spray de-icer on lock. Put rear screen on and blower on max to screen. By the time I have poured on the cold water all round the engine is warming up and keeping it clear. Works a Treat.

 

[guydewdney]

what about the prat i saw once washing his car on a bend - on a slope, in the middle of winter, so that all the water flooded the road, and froze...

 

[glojo]

I use Cold water as it freezes slower that Hot. There is a bit of Science for you.

and blower on max to screen. By the time I have poured on the cold water all round the engine is warming up and keeping it clear. Works a Treat.

Hi Brian,
Talking of science, is it better to have the blower on 'max', or just slightly slower to try and get the engine to warm up quicker?

Just a thought because for an overheating engine, putting the blower on max with the hottest setting helps to take the heat away from the engine.

I am certainly not suggesting one idea or the other, I am curious to hear the different experiences.

Thanks
John

 

[Brian WH]

Hi Brian,
Talking of science, is it better to have the blower on 'max', or just slightly slower to try and get the engine to warm up quicker?

Just a thought because for an overheating engine, putting the blower on max with the hottest setting helps to take the heat away from the engine.

I am certainly not suggesting one idea or the other, I am curious to hear the different experiences.

Thanks
John

I agree with what you say about blower on max, as it does remove heat from engine, but tends not to be the same problem as on older cars with straight water heaters and no air con/ heater systems. Even cold air on the windscreen will stop it freezing up again.