Windshield Wiper De-Icer

[Revvdmedia]

Thats actually a pretty slick idea and one that theoretically could be fairly easily implemented. Unfortunately it would have to be a software update from Kia and I truly doubt it would ever happen. But it is simple, requires no new hardware, and seems like it could go a long way in alleviating one of the main issues with the wiper set up.

To the poster above (@StingNE), clicking back on this thread and re-reading my posts above has me a bit nervous lol. Over the summer was enjoying the car so much and without snow/ice had kinda forgotten how much trouble I was having last winter. We are just starting to get into the snow season here again so really hoping somehow I have better luck this year. Coming off a great summer I can't say it would prevent me from buying the car again, but like I said re-reading my posts above I now recall being very frustrated and dissapointed in the whole situation.

One sure fire way to light a fire under Kia for this fix, if this implementation is possible, is persistent evidence that this poses a legitimate safety concern. In some ways, it does, although it can be variable in its severity in my experience.

I do recall one of my old cars, although I don't remember which, had a similar feature. When the wipers were fully off, the wiper arms rested in a park area and I recall the wiper blades not touching the windshield when parked in this area. When you turn them on, they do not return to this bottom-most park area, but instead the wipers sit slightly higher, away from the bottom park area, with the blades touching the windshield. The wipe area was anywhere the blade touched the windshield, but the full park was just slightly below that. Maybe it was the Grand Prix? Or one of the Daytona's? Many years ago...

 

[bobnorway]

Something wrong with KIA's logic, the "park" position is only available when the car is switched off.
Thus waiting for the defroster to heat up and melt ice will never happen!

 

[Gtecko]

The night before I know we are going to get a lot of snow/ice, I put my wipers in the service mode.
Next morning I launch my UVO app with defroster on and by the time I come out, the front windshield has melted whatever was on there and my wipers are warm

 

[StingNE]

I saw some discussions wondering whether the US Stingers have a built-in wiper deicer grid in the windshield under their parked position so I reached out to Kia Motors America and, after a very long wait, they responded with the following:

"At this time the vehicle dose (sic) not come with an electric windshield de-icer option. That is something we can look into but as of right now we do not have that option."

It is rather baffling to me how a car of this caliber could be lacking such a basic feature found on much lower end cars. We get a lot of snow and freezing rain where I live so this omission might honestly be a deal-breaker.

 

[nhcowboy28]

I saw some discussions wondering whether the US Stingers have a built-in wiper deicer grid in the windshield under their parked position so I reached out to Kia Motors America and, after a very long wait, they responded with the following:

"At this time the vehicle dose (sic) not come with an electric windshield de-icer option. That is something we can look into but as of right now we do not have that option."

It is rather baffling to me how a car of this caliber could be lacking such a basic feature found on much lower end cars. We get a lot of snow and freezing rain where I live so this omission might honestly be a deal-breaker.

How exactly did you reach out to them? I have a technical question I’d like answered as well.

 

[StingNE]

How exactly did you reach out to them? I have a technical question I’d like answered as well.

Scroll down all the way to the bottom of Kia's main homepage and click on Contact US under Corporate. It'll then take you to a new page where you can send them a message and open a case.

 

[nhcowboy28]

Scroll down all the way to the bottom of Kia's main homepage and click on Contact US under Corporate. It'll then take you to a new page where you can send them a message and open a case.

I was hoping for an alternative. I tried that once a got no response.

thanks. I’ll try again

 

[PMB]

Heated wiper grid and heated windshield fluid nozzles should be standard equipment for cars sold in climates that expect snow.

I'm currently running through the last (I hope) of 1/2 gal of windshield washer fluid I put in August, it was labeled as all season (IIRC), and it's freezing up in the nozzle. I have some -49C stuff waiting to go in...

At least all four seat are heated, and 3 zone climate. Everyone can be toasty warm while we struggle to see where we're going.

 

[Revvdmedia]

I was hoping for an alternative. I tried that once a got no response.

thanks. I’ll try again

They may get back to you after a long time. I sent an email to Hyundai regarding the oil selection (which meets owner's manual specifications) after the dealer said it didn't, we waited 3 months and finally received a response from them.

Of course, outside of the topic of the delayed response from Hyundai contact email, the dealer tried to tell us that was incorrect too. I swear some dealers for Korean vehicles are just trying to look like idiots on purpose.

 

[StingNE]

Heated wiper grid and heated windshield fluid nozzles should be standard equipment for cars sold in climates that expect snow.

I'm currently running through the last (I hope) of 1/2 gal of windshield washer fluid I put in August, it was labeled as all season (IIRC), and it's freezing up in the nozzle. I have some -49C stuff waiting to go in...

At least all four seat are heated, and 3 zone climate. Everyone can be toasty warm while we struggle to see where we're going.

+1 At least you're looking at it as a glass half full, PMB. I'm with you though - every car sold in the snow belt should have that stuff as standard equipment. Why it isn't on the Stinger is downright baffling for a car of this caliber.