Change wiper blades

[capt601]

After having washed our Model S 3 times already, I've been trying to figure out how I will replace the wiper blades when they need to be changed. The arms hit the back of the frunk and only lift up a half inch or so. Doesn't change when you open the frunk. Haven't found a way to stop the wipers in the half position, and don't think that would work either.

This also brings up the fact that it is very hard to clean and dry the area around the wipers in the stowed position.
Anyone figure out a workaround?

 

[mknox]

This also brings up the fact that it is very hard to clean and dry the area around the wipers in the stowed position.

Never mind digging the Canadian snow and ice that packs in there this time of year :smile:

 

[capt601]

Never mind digging the Canadian snow and ice that packs in there this time of year :smile:

That's why I live in SoCal and no longer my home state of Michigan.

 

[mknox]

That's why I live in SoCal and no longer my home state of Michigan.

Yep. I'm originally from Florida. My brother moved to LA years ago, and every year around this time, I feel like joining him!

 

[Robert.Boston]

My Tesla service manager told me that there is no way to stop the wipers half-way up. You get more workspace around the wipers by opening the hood, but that's not a great work-around for snow clearance.

I'm wondering if spending $13 on a 12v hair dryer might be worthwhile? Doubles as an backup defroster. Apparently they work very poorly, though.

 

[mknox]

My Tesla service manager told me that there is no way to stop the wipers half-way up. You get more workspace around the wipers by opening the hood, but that's not a great work-around for snow clearance.

I'm wondering if spending $13 on a 12v hair dryer might be worthwhile? Doubles as an backup defroster. Apparently they work very poorly, though.

You'd have to clean the "hood" off first, or all that snow would just slide down making matters worse :smile:

I tried a 12v hairdryer years ago. Didn't work. I think the outside air is so cold that while it warms the air, it's still relatively cool coming out the business end. Maybe you could duct tape one inside the car to keep the side window from fogging up

 

[rick325]

My Tesla service manager told me that there is no way to stop the wipers half-way up.

Well, that is a bummer. Hopefully this is easily fixed in a firmware update. I am wondering how the Service Centers plan on changing the wiper blades. There isn't any magic if there is simply no clearance!

 

[mknox]

Well, that is a bummer. Hopefully this is easily fixed in a firmware update. I am wondering how the Service Centers plan on changing the wiper blades. There isn't any magic if there is simply no clearance!

I was looking closely at the wipers, clearances etc. with both the frunk open and closed and do worry a bit about snow/ice build-up and the difficulties in being able to clean it out without lifting the wipers up. What I did notice is that it looks like the blades pull straight off the end of the arms, so you wouldn't really have to lift them that high to do it. I didn't actually try to remove a wiper in the store because I was already getting some odd looks as I played around with them (most store visitors go straight for the big touch screen, I guess).

 

[strider]

What I did notice is that it looks like the blades pull straight off the end of the arms, so you wouldn't really have to lift them that high to do it. I didn't actually try to remove a wiper in the store because I was already getting some odd looks as I played around with them (most store visitors go straight for the big touch screen, I guess).

Yes, in fact in the manual it says to just slide them off the end of the arm. No mention of opening the hood or anything.

 

[brianman]

My Tesla service manager told me that there is no way to stop the wipers half-way up. You get more workspace around the wipers by opening the hood, but that's not a great work-around for snow clearance.

I'm wondering if spending $13 on a 12v hair dryer might be worthwhile? Doubles as an backup defroster. Apparently they work very poorly, though.

A few more hits with a different category search...
Amazon.com: hair dryer 12v: Beauty

The Andis 33805 seemed to have some happy customer reviews.

 

[Robert.Boston]

A few more hits with a different category search...
Amazon.com: hair dryer 12v: Beauty

The Andis 33805 seemed to have some happy customer reviews.

Unfortunately, that's not a 12v product (despite coming up on that search). To get its 1600 watts at 12v, it'd be pulling 133 amps. Oops! But that does show why the 12v dryers are literally an order of magnitude less good than wall-plug products.

 

[Zapped]

After having washed our Model S 3 times already, I've been trying to figure out how I will replace the wiper blades when they need to be changed. The arms hit the back of the frunk and only lift up a half inch or so. Doesn't change when you open the frunk. Haven't found a way to stop the wipers in the half position, and don't think that would work either.

This also brings up the fact that it is very hard to clean and dry the area around the wipers in the stowed position.
Anyone figure out a workaround?

+1
I have the same question. Can not clean the windshield area under and around the wiper and arm.
I was a bit surprised I could not move the arms out the way and haven't seen more forum comments about this.
In cold and freezing weather I often see people lift the blades away from their windshields, so they are not frozen down when they return to their vehicle.

 

[mknox]

I have the same question. Can not clean the windshield area under and around the wiper and arm.
I was a bit surprised I could not move the arms out the way and haven't seen more forum comments about this.
In cold and freezing weather I often see people lift the blades away from their windshields, so they are not frozen down when they return to their vehicle.

There actually has been a bit of discussion about this, but the bottom line is we're not going to be able to do anything about it (design of the car). Just this morning in my parking lot at work, about half the cars are parked with their wipers flipped up (freezing rain this am).

Reminds me of cars from the '70s when they came out with "hideaway wipers". They actually had a special "park" cycle that would pull them down under the cowl when turned off.

 

[ElSupreme]

There actually has been a bit of discussion about this, but the bottom line is we're not going to be able to do anything about it (design of the car). Just this morning in my parking lot at work, about half the cars are parked with their wipers flipped up (freezing rain this am).

Reminds me of cars from the '70s when they came out with "hideaway wipers". They actually had a special "park" cycle that would pull them down under the cowl when turned off.

My VW GTI had wipers that 'hid' under the hood like the Tesla's. But as you said they had a 'service' mode where you would turn the car off, and then activate the manual wipe within 15 seconds and they would stay full up. From there you could unfold them from the windshield if you wanted, but they stayed vertical so you wouldn't build up a snow/ice line along the blade too easily.

I can easily see Tesla adding this sort of function into the car. Either the same way my VW worked, or a push button on the dash. I wonder how they plan on having their service techs change wiper blades?

 

[mknox]

I wonder how they plan on having their service techs change wiper blades?

I spent some time looking at the wiper mechanism in the Toronto store. It looks like the blades pull straight off of the arms, so you don't really have to lift them too much to accomplish this. One thing I obviously couldn't test was whether you can flip them up off the glass if there was some way to stop them mid-cycle (which does not appear to be possible at this time).

EDIT: Thinking about this, flipping them up mid-cycle (even if possible to stop them mid-cycle) might not be a good idea anyway. If they came back on while flipped up, they may damage the frunk lip and/or wiper mechanism.

 

[unclfuzzy]

Funny, since the last software update my wipers don't go all the way down at the stop position. They go down the last inch or two and then up on every wipe. I thought that was a temporary nod to the complaints on this, but maybe it's just a malfunction on my car (since I don't see anyone else reporting this behavior). It started about the same time as the change that they don't swipe once as soon as I open the door. Though they still do as soon as I sit down, which is a little help but not much, since the door is still open.

 

[Zapped]

There's another wiper function that I found different from other vehicles.
After pressing the windshield washer, the blades only wipe once, then a second or two later on more time.
I fine myself not waiting for the second wipe and turning on the wipers manually.
Other cars I've driven wipe 3 times. Would be nice if one could set this perhaps.

 

[Robert.Boston]

If you open the frunk, there's more than enough room to change the wiper blades. I was also able to clear snow this way, but you have to exercise care in not ending up with a frunkful of snow.

 

[araxara]

When I wanted to apply Aquapel to the windshield and wanted to apply it under the wipers, I removed the wipers and taped the arm with blue painter's tape to the hood. This gave me enough clearance. The arm springs are pretty strong so you need allot of tape, but first tape the hood edge so that the metal will not scratch the paint.

 

[jkirkebo]

After having washed our Model S 3 times already, I've been trying to figure out how I will replace the wiper blades when they need to be changed.

Why would you want to change them ? This is included in the yearly service fee, if I understand correctly ? No extra cost for wiper blades, wiper fluid, cabin filters, brake pads/discs etc. ?