# Frustrating rock hard windscreens



## sargent (Aug 25, 2009)

Im sure many of you are experiencing this, an extra 10 mins before moving off the drive as your windscreens are rock solid. 

Literally this morning, it took 10 minutes, until I could see enough without having a serious calamity! 

My question, is there anything we can apply to the windscreen to ease the pain of scrapin the ice off in the morning? 

Almost a Rain-X type of affair.... Obviously these are extreme weathers, but anything that helps is surely a good thing


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## dooka (Aug 1, 2006)

Get a blanket and write RainX on it ..
I don't know to be honest..


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## Needs a clean (May 24, 2008)

Hot water bottle on the dash will help out. I put one on the Mrs dash about 10 mins prior to her heading out and it cleared the windscreen no problem.


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

Ford heated front screen FTW!

Seriously though, for those of you with a less sophisticated car, I'd consider running a small heater to the car while you're having your breakfast or the hot water bottle idea sounds pretty good.


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## NickP (Nov 20, 2005)

When my car comes out of the heated garage it's fine 

Otherwise I'd suggest newspaper/cardboard/blanket on the screen overnight.....


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## justina3 (Jan 11, 2008)

I was behind a woman this morning who couldnt see nothing out of ther windscreen due to ice so she decides to put the washers on which of course made things ten times worse so she then stopped the car and started tapping the ice of with her high heel shoe sadly i was in to much of a rush to wait and see the outcome of that brainwave


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## Needs a clean (May 24, 2008)

dixon75 said:


> Ford heated front screen FTW!
> 
> Seriously though, for those of you with a less sophisticated car, I'd consider running a small heater to the car while you're having your breakfast or the hot water bottle idea sounds pretty good.


The Ford Quickclear screen is amazing!! I still wish i had my Mondeo for that reason!


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## ant_s (Jan 29, 2009)

+1 on the Ford heated windscreen lol, not asthough mine gets frosty though as it's in the garage over night :devil:


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## NickP (Nov 20, 2005)

Needs a clean said:


> The Ford Quickclear screen is amazing!! I still wish i had my Mondeo for that reason!


Yes, it's the only part of my wife's C Max I'm jealous of!


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## The Sheriff (Jul 15, 2008)

Hi mate

Had the same problem yesterday, the ice was rock hard and I was nearly getting a chissel out of the garage!

Last night when I got home, I sprayed a fine mist of Halfords Night Before de-icer...
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_220969_langId_-1_categoryId_229902

There's still ice on windscreen in morning, but MUCH easier to scrape off. A bottle seems to last quite a long time.

:thumb:


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## sargent (Aug 25, 2009)

Thanks guys
Will try a few suggestions


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## Johnboy82 (Nov 12, 2010)

I donn't pre treat with anything but made a cheeky wee discovery in halfords the other day. Concentrated de-icer in a spray bottle - not the aerosol. less than £2 and it does the job. clears the ice so i just need to worry about demisting the inside.


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## johnnyc (Nov 18, 2008)

i use warm water from kettle. then get the wipers on so it does not freeze.

those fords quick clear screens are very good. i've seen them on our work mondeos. 

Does any other cars have them surely cant just be ford?


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## Needs a clean (May 24, 2008)

Our Audi just blows the air full chat onto the windscreen when i hit the botton. Same with the Vectras!


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## Sharpy (Mar 25, 2007)

my screen is treat with G1 and I just blast the vents at the screen and use a squeege type of scraper as I hate the hard plastic ones, and usually with a little pressure on the rubber blade the ice comes off straight away


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Cold water straight from the tap, anything above tepid is subject to the mpemba effect where it freezes quicker than cold water. It's all I ever use, start the car, put all heaters on full and direct onto windscreen, heated front and rear screens on then into the house for a bottle of water for the front screen. I'm away in less than 5 minutes and with heated leather my ass is warm to. :thumb:


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## chisai (Jan 1, 2009)

I've got a rain-x type stuff on my windscreen from Anchem. It still freezes but is a lot easier to get off than the rest of the windows.


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## KevinTheOx (Jun 1, 2010)

I treated my windscreen and rear window with *nanolex* which has caused problems in this weather beacause the water beads and then freezes, so my car looks like a hedgehog
but on the bright side.. if I pore slightly warm water on it (some might say dangerous), all the water runs off and the surface is dry, so it doesn't refreeze


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

Heated front screen! 

But... the INSIDE of the my windows after -14 last night were solid with ice! Not good!

It's terrible out there just now!


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

johnnyc said:


> i use warm water from kettle. then get the wipers on so it does not freeze.
> 
> those fords quick clear screens are very good. i've seen them on our work mondeos.
> 
> Does any other cars have them surely cant just be ford?


Only cars wearing the Ford badge or cars made under the ownership of the Ford Premier Automotive Group.

which includes Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin. (bear in mind that Ford still own a stake in JLR. albeit much smaller these days.)

I've heard wispers that after 10 years the patent has exipred so the technology should start appearing on other cars soon.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

dixon75 said:


> I've heard wispers that after 10 years the patent has exipred so the technology should start appearing on other cars soon.


They have been fitting heated front screens since 1989 in Fords.


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## alipman (May 10, 2007)

My Heated screen needed about 10 minutes of action before I could get going today.
The ice was really bad. Getting a screen cover for the £1 shop. gotta be worth a try.


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

dixon75 said:


> Only cars wearing the Ford badge or cars made under the ownership of the Ford Premier Automotive Group.
> 
> which includes Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin. (bear in mind that Ford still own a stake in JLR. albeit much smaller these days.)
> 
> I've heard wispers that after 10 years the patent has exipred so the technology should start appearing on other cars soon.


I was still absolutley astounded to find this out last year that no "other" cars have the heated front windscreens. I was thinking lexus ect... fancy manufacturers.

Turns out it's Ford only. I think a mini and Subaru had some style of heated screen not long ago.


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## ant_s (Jan 29, 2009)

^^ snap, my gf has a KA and it has quick-clear and she always used to rub it in but i thought yeah so loads have got it, then when my mom and dad got a IS220 i was shocked that didn't and then found only Fords have them.


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## Maggi200 (Aug 21, 2009)

THe civic had a heated windscreen iirc


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## Maggi200 (Aug 21, 2009)

Having just looked maybe i made that up, it had heated wing mirrors for sure but can't find anything on the windscree, I can't remember if it did or not now! Certainly didn't use it when it was needed, it was rubbish in the snow and ice


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## amiller (Jan 1, 2009)

jaguars do.

must be all general motors? (maybe vauxhal then?)


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## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

as "need a clean" said, Hot water bottle on the dash... I only read about this yesterday....

You could also try "pre-icer" that you spray on at night. My mother used it a lot last year, and she loved it


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## ant_s (Jan 29, 2009)

Also i've read a few times on here that G1 coated screens are easier to de-frost.


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## amiller (Jan 1, 2009)

Apparently Aston and TVR do and that BMW Mini's now have them!


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

amiller said:


> jaguars do.
> 
> must be all general motors? (maybe vauxhal then?)


Jaguar/Aston are part of Ford, Miller.


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## MattDuffy88 (Apr 6, 2009)

I just cover mine up as it doesn't fit in the garage


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## Littler (Nov 8, 2010)

Get a windscreen cover that you just trap in the door edges, works wonders if you don't have a heated windscreen. You take it off in the morning and no ice on the screen, it's on the cover!

Adam


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## Pezza4u (Jun 7, 2007)

G1 coated screen and a 2L bottle of cold water sorted it out in 30 seconds  My heated from screen doesn't work otherwise I'd use that, the rear one is fine though.


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

amiller said:


> jaguars do.
> 
> must be all general motors? (maybe vauxhal then?)


WASH YOUR MOUTH OUT!!! please...


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## herbiedacious (Sep 27, 2010)

My air cooled Beeltle has got a heated front screen, only £120 fitted. Worth every penny. Wish it had bl**dy heaters


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## VW Golf-Fan (Aug 3, 2010)

Same here, was the worst I've ever seen frost on a windscreen this morning, it was that bad it wouldn't even budge with the scraper hard at work & it even had it on the _inside_ of the windscreen too!  

Took me 35mins to get the whole car scraped free of frost, but then again it was -10.5 conditions.


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

Corsa D-Driver said:


> Same here, was the worst I've ever seen frost on a windscreen this morning, it was that bad it wouldn't even budge with the scraper hard at work & it even had it on the _inside_ of the windscreen too!
> 
> Took me 35mins to get the whole car scraped free of frost, but then again it was -10.5 conditions.


What kind of car mate?

Mines was the worst it's ever been, roughly - 14 overnight!

It's okay covering the windscreen but the insides I can't do anything other than sit there with the heaters on!


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

^^ Could always find and sort the leak? I'm assuming you're letting in moisture somewhere to have condensation on the inside?


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## VW Golf-Fan (Aug 3, 2010)

gally said:


> What kind of car mate?


Vauxhall Corsa mate.


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

bigmc said:


> ^^ Could always find and sort the leak? I'm assuming you're letting in moisture somewhere to have condensation on the inside?


:thumb:

Rumbled! I actually know where the leak is... it's a Ford.

I jest, I do know where the real leak is but it'll take time to fix. Need to get round to it!

Oh I hear Corsa's are particularly bad for the inside freezing up, my work colleague has had 2 and he said they are both the same!


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## VW Golf-Fan (Aug 3, 2010)

gally said:


> Oh I hear Corsa's are particularly bad for the inside freezing up, my work colleague has had 2 and he said they are both the same!


Never knew that mate, I've had 2 Corsa's 2 & in all that time I never knew they were renound for frezing up on the inside like that.


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

To be fair I keep forgetting last year and this year are the coldest winters i've ever seen. 

I'm not talking snow just pure temperature. I mean it's not even been out minus' where I am all week!


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## GavinD (Nov 18, 2010)

never heard of a screen freezing on the inside!! that must be a nightmare!


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## declanswan (Feb 27, 2008)

ant_s said:


> +1 on the Ford heated windscreen lol, not asthough mine gets frosty though as it's in the garage over night :devil:


Until you need to pay for a replacement !!!! Mega bucks !!!


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

declanswan said:


> Until you need to pay for a replacement !!!! Mega bucks !!!


Still only £50 on the insurance.


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## Rundie (Oct 2, 2007)

bigmc said:


> They have been fitting heated front screens since 1989 in Fords.


That's correct as I had one in my 1990 RS Turbo escort back then when I bought it :thumb: Only good thing about it tbh :lol:


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## Phil23 (Nov 29, 2008)

Another vote for G1, moved my BMW today for the first time in a week, was -9 when I first turned it on front screen cleared in minutes. Haven't applied it to the side windows yet so had a bit more of an issue there. 
G1 doesn't stop the glass freezing, but soooooo much easier to clear. :thumb:


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## E38_ross (May 10, 2010)

I took G1 for granted a bit regards clearing ice until i got a courtesy car which isn't treated with it. usually, i pour lukewarm water over the screen, it melts and just runs off the screen straight away. tried doing the same with this car and it did bugger all :lol:

G1 is simply fantastic in these horrendous conditions it really is. i'm NEVER going back to an untreated screen.


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## johnnyguitar (Mar 24, 2010)

bigmc said:


> It's all I ever use, start the car, put all heaters on full and direct onto windscreen, heated front and rear screens on then into the house for a bottle of water for the front screen.


Do you still need the bottle of water for the front screen? My heated front screen clears the ice with no dramas.



gally said:


> Jaguar/Aston are part of Ford, Miller.


Despite this /\



dixon75 said:


> Only cars wearing the Ford badge or cars made under the ownership of the Ford Premier Automotive Group.
> 
> which includes Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin. (bear in mind that Ford still own a stake in JLR. albeit much smaller these days.)
> 
> I've heard wispers that after 10 years the patent has exipred so the technology should start appearing on other cars soon.


And this /\ I believe Ford wouldn't fit the heated front screens into any of their other brands (eg Jag, Land Rover, Aston, etc) while they owned the patent and it's only since it's expired that you see them in other marques. VW have started offering it as an option on some cars (about 140 quid on the Passat) and more will probably follow.



bigmc said:


> Still only £50 on the insurance.


Depends on your insurance - 70 quid on mine, but yeah.


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## cotter (Aug 31, 2008)

I applied G1 a couple of months ago, and it certainly does make it a lot easier to clear the ice. 

Heated screen FTW :thumb:

Heated screen on the galaxy only works in small strips if it's in the right mood, it's a nightmare when it steams up. Mondeo one works in seconds


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

johnnyguitar said:


> Do you still need the bottle of water for the front screen?


Yeah a little ice is fine but it's been -9 most mornings when I've been getting up for work.


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## CJR (Nov 4, 2010)

Mines in a garage most nights... but i use rain-x find that helps keep the frost quite thin on the windscreen, my mom puts a cover on hers, seems to be the easiest solution!!


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## Strothow (Oct 29, 2009)

declanswan said:


> Until you need to pay for a replacement !!!! Mega bucks !!!


£890 on a mondeo!! :doublesho


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Strothow said:


> £890 on a mondeo!! :doublesho


Only if you're mug enough not to use the insurance.


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## johnnyguitar (Mar 24, 2010)

bigmc said:


> Yeah a little ice is fine but it's been -9 most mornings when I've been getting up for work.


Must have been the same down here this morning, mine cleared it no bother (although any moisture and the wipers have been refreezing straight away!)


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## sargent (Aug 25, 2009)

GavinD said:


> never heard of a screen freezing on the inside!! that must be a nightmare!


both my previous cars, MG ZS and ZR froze on the inside.

nightmare!


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## declanswan (Feb 27, 2008)

Strothow said:


> £890 on a mondeo!! :doublesho


:doublesho:doublesho


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

Well been using the old sheet for a few days now, and even though I have a heated screen the sheet is superb. Even covered the side windows slightly. 

It's the best solution out the lot imo.

And no ice inside the windows this morning thank God!


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

johnnyguitar said:


> And this / I believe Ford wouldn't fit the heated front screens into any of their other brands (eg Jag, Land Rover, Aston, etc) while they owned the patent and it's only since it's expired that you see them in other marques. VW have started offering it as an option on some cars (about 140 quid on the Passat) and more will probably follow.


It was only Mazda which didnt get the heated front screens. JLRs have had them for a number of years.

having read the post about Ford ini 1989 having them perhaps i'm a little off the mark as i wasnt aware of this


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## GavinD (Nov 18, 2010)

i thought i was unique having a heated front windscreen in my new Fiesta!! Clearly not as new a tech as i thought!


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## bunyarra (Aug 26, 2006)

johnnyguitar said:


> And this / I believe Ford wouldn't fit the heated front screens into any of their other brands (eg Jag, Land Rover, Aston, etc) while they owned the patent and it's only since it's expired that you see them in other marques.


Jag have had it in theirs for some time. The XF had it available from the day it was launched.


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

Prevention is the way, as folk say the ice tends to come off better when the glass is wearing a sealant.
Cold water not hot to clear screen fast and keep clear but water will freeze on the drive.
The trigger sprays are best as they dont have a propelant that then freezes to the screen.
Get a proper screen cover for the windscreen and put on every night well as soon as the car is parked for the rest of the day as it freezes early and if your screen is frozen when you go to cover it get it cleared again before putting sheet on.
The frozen interior screen is a real pain however and i hate that on the wifes polo.

Now if we all could have a heated quick clear screen what a dream.

However my rover 75 has a fuel burning heater and the thermo call mod so that can be called to activate it that heats the coolant to pre warm the engine save on wear and can heat the cars interior also and clear the screen... however thats parked up for the winter so that wont get used... oh irony.


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## 66Rob (Sep 25, 2007)

Rundie said:


> That's correct as I had one in my 1990 RS Turbo escort back then when I bought it :thumb: Only good thing about it tbh :lol:


ditto, i had one on my Grey RS Turbo (F '89). one side went wrong and had to have it replaced, i paid £50, but the screen was about £350 even then:thumb:

A relative works for Ford Uk in Warley and has told me in the past that Ford (and associated companies like Aston) will never let another company have the rights to them!


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## CJR (Nov 4, 2010)

the lastest Range Rover's have a button on the key fob that activates the heaters and heated screens, so press it 10 mins before getting into car and its all defrosted!


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## EliteCarCare (Aug 25, 2006)

I've had XtraVue Glass Sealant on my screen for approx 15 months now and it still clears easily even with a layer of frost. :thumb:

Alex


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## maxtherotti (Mar 2, 2009)

my 1990 range rover,92 range rover,94 discovery,98 discovery and year 2000 all had heated front screens in them 
most of the above long before ford got anywhere near them 
my bosses rangie has a heated steering wheel too and i could really do with that on the wood and leather one in mine:doublesho


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## TheGooner84 (Jun 29, 2010)

bung on the hot tap and fill a 2ltr bottle. by the time the bottles full the waters only getting lukewarm anyway. 

start engine
splash on the side windows and lights half of whats left on the windscreen
wipers on
wipers off - other wise the rain sensor will wet you in a min
pour the rest on.
get in car wipe a few times and drive off

when im night shift ive a survial bag that goes over the windscreen but because i live on the high street its a no no when im at home

dont like de icer as it seems to cause freezing issues on the inside as well


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## angelw (Nov 25, 2009)

Try Autobrite Repell on your screen,the frost doesn`t stick to the glass!


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## andyedge (Aug 25, 2009)

+1 on the heated windscreen


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

maxtherotti said:


> my 1990 range rover,92 range rover,94 discovery,98 discovery and year 2000 all had heated front screens in them
> most of the above long before ford got anywhere near them
> my bosses rangie has a heated steering wheel too and i could really do with that on the wood and leather one in mine:doublesho


Ford had it in 89'

And they are also part of Ford.


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## burnt-toast (Oct 31, 2010)

the heated front screens are briliant, just wish all cars had them.
good to see a bit of a thaw now hopefully keep clear for a wee while


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

bigmc said:


> They have been fitting heated front screens since 1989 in Fords.





Rundie said:


> That's correct as I had one in my 1990 RS Turbo escort back then when I bought it :thumb: Only good thing about it tbh :lol:





dixon75 said:


> It was only Mazda which didnt get the heated front screens. JLRs have had them for a number of years.
> 
> having read the post about Ford ini 1989 having them perhaps i'm a little off the mark as i wasnt aware of this





66Rob said:


> ditto, i had one on my Grey RS Turbo (F '89). one side went wrong and had to have it replaced, i paid £50, but the screen was about £350 even then:thumb:
> 
> A relative works for Ford Uk in Warley and has told me in the past that Ford (and associated companies like Aston) will never let another company have the rights to them!





gally said:


> Ford had it in 89'
> 
> And they are also part of Ford.


dunno where everyone is getting 1989 from, my "D" reg (1987) Orion (rounder version, not the mk1 squarer one) 1.6i Ghia had it then

hated that car, but the windscreen was the best part of it


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