The forecast for your area includes ice and snow, perhaps both. With some foresight, you can protect your vehicle from ice buildup if you leave it outside.
A few squirts of WD40 or some other silicone-based oil should be applied to each door’s latch mechanism and lock cylinder to prevent freezing. You can also treat the rubber seals with that spray or use a rubber conditioner. Through accomplishing these actions, you greatly decrease the likelihood of ice freezing you out from entering your vehicle.
Protecting Wiper Blades
But what about the wiper blades? How should these be handled? Well, with most cars, that is as easy as lifting each blade arm and leaving them erect, which prevents them from fastening to your frozen windshield. You might also slip a plastic sleeve or bag over each blade (with a rubber band) to keep them free of frozen liquid.
That said, if you have certain Mazda models, such as the CX-30 and CX-70/-90, the blades stay hidden under the hood line. You cannot make them stand up even if you time turning the vehicle off while the blades are actively moving and at the top of the sweep. Mazda designed the blades to automatically return beneath the hood line where they will stay.
Active Service Mode
The good news is that there is a workaround that should be considered. Mazda calls it the Active Service Mode and it operates as follows:
Turn on the car or run it in accessory mode. Then turn it off.
Within a half minute of turning the vehicle off, move the wiper stalk lever to the mist position. Do this twice.
At this point the wipers will move up to a vertical position, enabling you to lift the wiper arms away from the windshield.
While this may seem needlessly complicated, we understand Mazda’s rationale. The automaker is otherwise trying to protect blades that are subject to moisture, sun, and debris when not in use.
Wiper Service Mode Troubleshooting
What if the Active Service Mode does not work for you? That is a possibility if the wiper linkage is damaged or if the wiper motor is sluggish due to extreme cold. In that case, you might resort to something that has worked for us (we own a Mazda CX-30 and routinely test Mazda products).
That solution is to wrap the blades in paper bags. The blades DO lift slightly, enabling you to wrap them. You might find plastic is a better choice, especially if the storm includes a lot of rain ahead of the ice and snow.
There is always a chance that the bags will freeze to the blades, but that is better than freezing to the windshield. Once you are in your vehicle, turn it on, activate the heater, and turn the defrosters to the highest setting.
Even with heavy ice, your quickly warming vehicle should melt the frigid covering within five to 10 minutes. At that point, you can slip outside, remove the bags, and be on your way.
Invest in a Car Cover
Finally, there is one solution that will help you avoid all the drama. And that is to invest in a fitted car cover that offers the best protection for any vehicle parked outside.
