I am sure they are great if you have to use a car early and regularly. I hardly ever use the car before 9.30. I had a heated windscreen on my Jag for over 3 years and probably used it 3 or 4 times. The rest of the time it was just annoying with the wire grid catching the sun light. Would prefer it remains an option.
My car allows me to lock the doors after starting the engine.
The bit of carpet over the windscreen to prevent freezing is a good trick.
What is annoying, and I don't think car manufacturers consulted me before changing it, is that the button for the windscreen washers also works the f***ing wipers, but when the washer fluid freezes and you operate the washers, nothing comes out but the wipers still operate. leaving a smeary mess where once you had a reasonably clean windscreen.
My car allows me to lock the doors after starting the engine.
The bit of carpet over the windscreen to prevent freezing is a good trick.
What is annoying, and I don't think car manufacturers consulted me before changing it, is that the button for the windscreen washers also works the f***ing wipers, but when the washer fluid freezes and you operate the washers, nothing comes out but the wipers still operate. leaving a smeary mess where once you had a reasonably clean windscreen.
Bastards.
On mine, I can spray the screen without activating the wipers, then push the stalk further in for the wipers to sweep. Very handy set-up.
Yes, easiest way to solve the problem. I still need to scrape the side windows, but they don't get nearly as iced up as the windscreen (I'm assuming that's because they're near vertical, or perhaps it's literally the way the wind blows.)
It's because they aren't pointing at the clear sky, which is considerably colder than anything on or near the ground (in this frosting scenario).
I keep mine in a garage (yes really) so it shouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately despite it being only nine months old it sometimes doesn't start at the first button press. It's unusual for it to actually stall out but quite common for it to start at low revs before picking up.
Dealer has not been able to help so far :-/
Wow, I am actually quite shocked.....
As my VW is a 2010 and still had the original battery when I bought it.....I had a new one fitted when we got the first cold snap in November. Just to be on the safe side!
With yours it must be software related? Many years ago, I had a corsa which after being switched off for just a short period (eg getting petrol) would re-start but immediately stall. But on the 2nd attempt ran fine. If I left the car to stand for an hour or more it would start first time and keep going first time.
Although the VW doesn't stall, the engine is very lean (unless u push the Revs over 2000 where it changes character and engine note!). The revs at idle are well under 1000, and after starting the engine drops instantly to this low level - unless it's very, very cold.
Unfortunately I don't have a heated front screen.....but the cars heater gets warm quite quickly.
I prefer to use de-icer with the engine already switched on and warming up.
I have to leave work at night so I don't really want to be waiting around etc. I have some pre-icer spray which i put on the glass when it starts to get dark. Seems to do the job of preventing most of the ice from forming. Sometimes I go back to the car park part way into the night and give it a top up.
The only fault (?) I have with the car is that the doors get sticky although luckily the drivers door is not too bad. I remember last year we had -8c one night and the central locking wouldn't re-lock one of the rear doors. Was fine by the morning when it got some sun on it. I was a bit suprised as being its a German car and knowing they get "proper" winters over there, I wouldn't have expected any glitches at all. But that heater is fast.
No, it's all horribly redolent of a lost age. Lots of little tricks you needed to know to get the car started. Another thing I've just remembered is that the initial portion of travel on the choke of my first car set the idle speed, rather than the richness of the fuel/air mix. So you had to juggle with that to stop the car stalling in stationary traffic while the engine was still warming up.
Ah but you could also use it in slow moving traffic to adjust the speed without having to keep your foot on the pedals
60's Minis dip switch was on the floor same as the start button. Curiously manual start buttons are now only on expensive supercars such as Lambos and Ferraris!
Eh? Every current Honda model has a start button. My sister-in-laws little Fiat has a start button.
Me too. So far it's never failed to start on the second attempt and as I think I said in that other forum thread it's only done it half a dozen times in the nine months I've owned it but still. One doesn't expect it from a new vehicle and not when it's supposedly taking care of the start itself.
Interestingly we now have a second person who's experiencing it so it's beginning to look like a flaw with the model. Maybe if enough people report it Honda will issue a recall or at least a 'fix on next service' notice.
There's another annoyance now as well. They've changed the way the auto wipers work. This has meant they need speed adjustments in different rain types as opposed to the previous model which was pretty much set and forget. But on-topic for this thread they now also trigger when there's condensation on the windscreen. Except that the sensor is not within the swept area. So I've had to disable my auto wipers for now :-/
All in all my experience of this new Jazz is that's it's a good car..but not as good as previous models. Lot' of things have 'rough edges' or just aren't well thought. It feels like 'any other car' now. Searching for my posts on that forum will show more complaints than praise
I should have thought of that! Not all the way down to 2.7 Kelvin (even a clear atmosphere will contribute something), but cold enough!
Yes, the radiative contribution to keeping your windscreen warm from a clear night sky is considerably better than the CMBR, but still rather low. If you want to know how low, try pointing an IR thermometer at it.
Seeing this talk about chokes has reminded me of my first car (a 1983 Fiat 127), which had an automatic choke. It was a major contribution to road safety (yes, that is sarcasm!)
It was great for starting the car. It was fine once the engine had warmed up. The problem was the part in between. Never mind stalling in stationary traffic, or when stopped at junctions, the enngine would cut out in the middle of changing gear. It could be prevented (most of the time) by keeping a little bit of pressure on the accelerator (not much help if I was braking though). If that didn't work, then bringing the clutch back up usually worked as a bump-start. The problem was worse (in terms of the duration of the choke's window of uselessness) in frosty weather: once the temperature dipped below freezing that window neatly encompassed a junction at which I had to make a downhill approach to a Give Way.
Oh, and of course the engine had a propensity to flooding with the choke half-on, which added to the "fun".
Honestly, it's amazing the crap we'd put up with from cars back then - I don't think it was just me. Although someone at the time did tell me that Halford's best-selling product was a kit to convert the automatic choke on the Vauxhall Cavalier back to manual operation.
I believe that Ford has a patent on heated windscreens, so nobody else can fit them. Someone said they had a Jag with a heated screen, must have been from the days when Ford owned Jaguar. Do current Jags have heated screens?
Apart from having to scrape ice from the windscreen my Mercedes E320 is fine, Nearing 17 years with 140k on the clock. The battery is over 5 years old. The car starts instantly regardless of weather. Cant speak highly enough other than its one of those with the body made from cheap Russian steel and now on the way to becoming a rust bucket.
Modern cars shouldn't have a problem starting or clearing the front & rear windows on a frosty morning. If there is an issue then something is wrong.
The only problem I have had is with a convertible where the side windows automatically drop a few centimetres to clear the soft top edges, so the doors could open. If it rained during the night and then freezes, the windows stuck and I couldn't get into the car!
It thermally stresses the glass. You might get away with it indefinitely, or the glass might break on a particularly cold day, or if you've acquired a stone chip.
Your choice, of course. But I wouldn't risk it.
Supermarket 4-pint plastic milk bottle is the weapon of choice these days!...fill it with very warm (but not overly hot) water and it’s enough to completely de-ice all windows including the wing mirrors;…you’re away in seconds no probs.
I’ve done this for 40+ years on countless cars and never, repeat never, had a single problem.
Unlock car.
Make sure wipers are not frozen to screen.
Turn auto-wipers off and start car front demister and heated rear screen and mirrors on.
While running pour warm water over front screen (30 years without problems) scrape side windows.
Get in car wipe front scree and drive off.
For those leaving their car running remember if it is stolen (and they are, as a thief doesn't mind looking through a saucer sized hole as they drive away) your insurance will not cover the car..
Seeing this talk about chokes has reminded me of my first car (a 1983 Fiat 127), which had an automatic choke. It was a major contribution to road safety (yes, that is sarcasm!)
It was great for starting the car. It was fine once the engine had warmed up. The problem was the part in between. Never mind stalling in stationary traffic, or when stopped at junctions, the enngine would cut out in the middle of changing gear. It could be prevented (most of the time) by keeping a little bit of pressure on the accelerator (not much help if I was braking though). If that didn't work, then bringing the clutch back up usually worked as a bump-start. The problem was worse (in terms of the duration of the choke's window of uselessness) in frosty weather: once the temperature dipped below freezing that window neatly encompassed a junction at which I had to make a downhill approach to a Give Way.
Oh, and of course the engine had a propensity to flooding with the choke half-on, which added to the "fun".
Honestly, it's amazing the crap we'd put up with from cars back then - I don't think it was just me. Although someone at the time did tell me that Halford's best-selling product was a kit to convert the automatic choke on the Vauxhall Cavalier back to manual operation.
....no, it wasn’t just you! ...'crap' is an understatement by the way.
....no, it wasn’t just you! ...'crap' is an understatement by the way.
My first car was an 'S' reg Austin Mini. It used to get through a gallon of oil a month. After a long run it would stall unless you kept some revs on (another good use of the manual choke)
What irks me most is that the previous car I owned had no such problems. If this is what moving production back to Japan from Swindon means then bring it back to the UK I say.
Comments
Yes, those little squiggly lines were a pain at times. Especially when the screen had been chipped and needed replacing. That was a bloody pain.
The bit of carpet over the windscreen to prevent freezing is a good trick.
What is annoying, and I don't think car manufacturers consulted me before changing it, is that the button for the windscreen washers also works the f***ing wipers, but when the washer fluid freezes and you operate the washers, nothing comes out but the wipers still operate. leaving a smeary mess where once you had a reasonably clean windscreen.
Bastards.
On mine, I can spray the screen without activating the wipers, then push the stalk further in for the wipers to sweep. Very handy set-up.
I should have thought of that! Not all the way down to 2.7 Kelvin (even a clear atmosphere will contribute something), but cold enough!
Wow, I am actually quite shocked.....
As my VW is a 2010 and still had the original battery when I bought it.....I had a new one fitted when we got the first cold snap in November. Just to be on the safe side!
With yours it must be software related? Many years ago, I had a corsa which after being switched off for just a short period (eg getting petrol) would re-start but immediately stall. But on the 2nd attempt ran fine. If I left the car to stand for an hour or more it would start first time and keep going first time.
Although the VW doesn't stall, the engine is very lean (unless u push the Revs over 2000 where it changes character and engine note!). The revs at idle are well under 1000, and after starting the engine drops instantly to this low level - unless it's very, very cold.
I prefer to use de-icer with the engine already switched on and warming up.
I have to leave work at night so I don't really want to be waiting around etc. I have some pre-icer spray which i put on the glass when it starts to get dark. Seems to do the job of preventing most of the ice from forming. Sometimes I go back to the car park part way into the night and give it a top up.
The only fault (?) I have with the car is that the doors get sticky although luckily the drivers door is not too bad. I remember last year we had -8c one night and the central locking wouldn't re-lock one of the rear doors. Was fine by the morning when it got some sun on it. I was a bit suprised as being its a German car and knowing they get "proper" winters over there, I wouldn't have expected any glitches at all. But that heater is fast.
Not that I'm a huge fan at the moment, mind.
Me too. So far it's never failed to start on the second attempt and as I think I said in that other forum thread it's only done it half a dozen times in the nine months I've owned it but still. One doesn't expect it from a new vehicle and not when it's supposedly taking care of the start itself.
Interestingly we now have a second person who's experiencing it so it's beginning to look like a flaw with the model. Maybe if enough people report it Honda will issue a recall or at least a 'fix on next service' notice.
There's another annoyance now as well. They've changed the way the auto wipers work. This has meant they need speed adjustments in different rain types as opposed to the previous model which was pretty much set and forget. But on-topic for this thread they now also trigger when there's condensation on the windscreen. Except that the sensor is not within the swept area. So I've had to disable my auto wipers for now :-/
All in all my experience of this new Jazz is that's it's a good car..but not as good as previous models. Lot' of things have 'rough edges' or just aren't well thought. It feels like 'any other car' now. Searching for my posts on that forum will show more complaints than praise
It was great for starting the car. It was fine once the engine had warmed up. The problem was the part in between. Never mind stalling in stationary traffic, or when stopped at junctions, the enngine would cut out in the middle of changing gear. It could be prevented (most of the time) by keeping a little bit of pressure on the accelerator (not much help if I was braking though). If that didn't work, then bringing the clutch back up usually worked as a bump-start. The problem was worse (in terms of the duration of the choke's window of uselessness) in frosty weather: once the temperature dipped below freezing that window neatly encompassed a junction at which I had to make a downhill approach to a Give Way.
Oh, and of course the engine had a propensity to flooding with the choke half-on, which added to the "fun".
Honestly, it's amazing the crap we'd put up with from cars back then - I don't think it was just me. Although someone at the time did tell me that Halford's best-selling product was a kit to convert the automatic choke on the Vauxhall Cavalier back to manual operation.
The only problem I have had is with a convertible where the side windows automatically drop a few centimetres to clear the soft top edges, so the doors could open. If it rained during the night and then freezes, the windows stuck and I couldn't get into the car!
Supermarket 4-pint plastic milk bottle is the weapon of choice these days!...fill it with very warm (but not overly hot) water and it’s enough to completely de-ice all windows including the wing mirrors;…you’re away in seconds no probs.
I’ve done this for 40+ years on countless cars and never, repeat never, had a single problem.
Make sure wipers are not frozen to screen.
Turn auto-wipers off and start car front demister and heated rear screen and mirrors on.
While running pour warm water over front screen (30 years without problems) scrape side windows.
Get in car wipe front scree and drive off.
For those leaving their car running remember if it is stolen (and they are, as a thief doesn't mind looking through a saucer sized hole as they drive away) your insurance will not cover the car..
....no, it wasn’t just you! ...'crap' is an understatement by the way.
I suppose a jug or a kettle would have done the job.
Funnily enough, my Brother-in-Law works for a company making them and installing and setting up the Production Lines.
You wouldn't believe the problems they have with underfill and overfill (people complain)
And when you test your Line at 10,000 cartons per hour and it is fine.
Speed it up to 100,000 per hour and jams and toppling occur.
What irks me most is that the previous car I owned had no such problems. If this is what moving production back to Japan from Swindon means then bring it back to the UK I say.
So no morning cold starts for me :kitty:
After a while, it wouldn't do much more than 50mph and some blue smoke, and I had to buy a gallon of oil every time I filled up with petrol..
It needed a new engine, so I got one from Heathrow Engine Exchange, and a Haynes manual and a socket set from Halfords.
Turned out, the Piston rings were knackered.
4 were intact
4 were cracked / broken
4 were completely missing
Amazing that the car worked at all
Very astute RoL;...however I did say "these days ".
...and I was careful to say 'filled with very warm water' not 'very warm milk'.
Maybe it's worth a Google though...