[PSA] Wipers are Complicated!!!

[frontlinegeek]

OK, so here this goes....

There was a thread PSA warning people about the wipers on the 2022 Civics and the edge of the hood. I am here to bring everyone up to speed (Those that aren't) as to the totality of this "feature".

On the 2022 Civic, there is actually a maintenance mode. The info is on page 615 in the Canadian manual but is generally quite simple. Turn the car power (but not engine) on, then off, then press the wiper stalk up to mist for 2 seconds. The wipers will go into a full up position and stay there until you do the same procedure to put them back in normal mode.

Yes, you can manually move the wiper arms yourself. However, you will be in for a real treat and a brown pants moment if, like I did last night, you have the wipers in what you thought was a safe position while washing the car and then turning the car on to move it into the garage to finish with dry and detail. Those wiper arms reset completely when you power on if you don't have the wipers in maintenance mode!!! I definitely dropped an F bomb. I was EXTREMELY fortunate and only suffered slight "white" witness marking along the edge at the two points of contact. I was able to clean them up and all is well. But you may not be so fortunate.

I have also sent an email to the head of sales at my dealership to pass on that they should add a delivery step of informing the customers of this, clearly, new and more complicated way of dealing with wipers. In particular, because no one is reading a 701 page manual, let alone remembering everything from it.

Cheers and safe wiper usage!!! LOL!!!

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[frontlinegeek]

I should note that I tested turning on the car fully (Engine started) and the wipers will indeed stay in maintenance mode until you take them out so it is a very safe mode, if not a seemingly stupid thing to design/need to design into a car.

 

[Siva]

 

[Vegashybrid]

This popped up on the 10th Accord. Especially for hybrids, let's the dealership do oil changes and I believe reset codes and stuff. Seems like they have expanded it. With the Accord though once you power cycle the vehicle it takes it out of maintenance mode supposedly. I need to actually try this and erase some codes from my stereo install when I unplugged battery.

 

[hondacm450e]

Nice PSA thanks!

 

[TigerEyeJazz]

Yep all automakers are doing this now. My X2 has it. Reason as to why is so that nobody steals the control arm.

 

[frontlinegeek]

Yep all automakers are doing this now. My X2 has it. Reason as to why is so that nobody steals the control arm.

Wow, that is getting nuts if it is to stop the theft of wiper arms...

 

[OhWellJJ]

PITA after washing to have to clean the streaks after getting out of maintenance mode.

Thanks for the PSA!

Joined for this wipers thread lol

 

[frontlinegeek]

PITA after washing to have to clean the streaks after getting out of maintenance mode.

What is actually funnier is that the manual says to not operate the wipers when the glass is dry and yet, here they are with a damned maintenance mode that does just that! lol

 

[loslalane]

Wow, that is getting nuts if it is to stop the theft of wiper arms...

Even lowering hp to 200 to deter thieves. ?

 

[jimmybean123]

In my experience with a 10th gen hatch, it has similar problems / instructions for the wipers. Not sure why they designed it that way, but the bigger one comes out really close to the hood. I usually put my finger between because I am worried it would hit and scratch the hood. The manual for 10th also recommends getting the wipers up in the maintenance mode (like this), then turning them on after washing. (I don't do it like that because it leaves streakes; instead I am very careful pulling them up and back down normally.)

 

[alic]

10th gen has the same function. You hold the wiper control stick up when turning off the car, then the wipers will activate, stop and stay in a vertical position on the windshield, i.e. it does a full swipe to the left but stops and doesn't go back. Your driver side wiper will stay to the edge of the windshield, and your passenger side stay in the middle of the windshield). I always do this when changing the blade (as suggested by the manual) since it makes the passenger side easier to access. And of course, you need to remember to lower the wiper arms to the windshield before turning on the car, otherwise you chip the pain on the edge of the hood.

I think they design it this way so the wipers can stay low and out of the view of the driver when not being used. Even new Toyota cars do the same.

 

[frontlinegeek]

10th gen has the same function.

I should see if our 2020 CRV has the same mode or not... Something to check when my wife gets home today.

 

[BarracksSi]

10th gen has the same function. You hold the wiper control stick up when turning off the car, then the wipers will activate, stop and stay in a vertical position on the windshield, i.e. it does a full swipe to the left but stops and doesn't go back.

I had no idea. I've never even thought to look for this because it's easy enough to lift the wipers up from their resting position.

If I get a '22 hatch, this is just another thing to remember when I stop to get gas and clean my windshield, I guess.

 

[alic]

I had no idea. I've never even thought to look for this because it's easy enough to lift the wipers up from their resting position.

If I get a '22 hatch, this is just another thing to remember when I stop to get gas and clean my windshield, I guess.

Yeah this Civic is weird in a way that you could lift wipers without putting them in maintenance mode. I came from a VW and it's been a thing in German cars for more than a decade.

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