Stupid windshield wiper question

[striz923]

With the onslaught of ice falling from the sky today I saw a few people in the parking lot with their windshield wipers sticking out to keep them off the windshield. I thought, huh i will try that, but when I lift on them a little they arm of the wiper hits the hood. I also remember when I was trying to was the windshield one day in the summer that they would not raise up also meaning I couldn't wash below the wiper. Design flaw or sacrifice of looking cool by hiding the wipers?

[palincal]

I was thinking the same. I guess it is the shape of the hood. It does make the car look better from inside and out. When I got my car, the driver side wiper was hitting the A pillar and both wipers were visible from inside when not in use. I adjusted them so that the wipers go lower when at rest and not visible to the driver. That's when I though they do look cool tucked inside.

[Andrew224]

To change them, have the windshield wipers going and turn the car off when they are in the up position. But as far as leaving them sticking out while it's snowing / freezing rain, they don't stay like that.

Andrew

[JoeyJ]

I do the same thing. I turn the engine off while they are in mid position.I then turn them upside down on the hinge so the blade is facing skyward.Looks dumb but it works.As an aside, I have never had a car with such inneffective wipers.

[tytamto]

Is there a service position that is used for replacing blades? Audi's have that function. Any ideas?

[Double E]

My old '88 Acura Legend had a Winter mode for the wipers as well that moved the final rest positon above the hood each time they were turned off. I'm guessing that that there's no such feature with this M? Sort of archaic to me if not....

[JoeyJ]

I guess snow is not a big issue in Japan.Has this feature been added on later Ms?

[digiboy]

not in the '08.

As for the effectiveness - how old are your blades? I replaced the blades on my wife's subaru with the ones that maintain complete contact across the entire blade - awesome results.

[M4T5]

You guys are right. This is just one of those simple things that Infiniti/ Nissan/ Japan totally looked over and missed. They do not deal with snow like you guys, so it is one of those things that they probably didn't think about. Even heated wiper fluid would have been better than nothing.

There are four other things that the Japanese engineers looked past that really perturbs me that has to do with safety. *The lack of day time driving lights! Why??

**The lack of auto door locks!!!!! How could this be?????? That's just ignorant on their part!

***The lack of an interior chime that tells you that your parking brake is still on! I've done this twice already, but realized it in less that 100ft of driving. It doesn't grab the best to really indicate that it is on. Give us a loud interior warning CHIME AND FLASHING BRAKE light in a better location (lol..not funny really, but come on...you can hardly see the damn light in the little triangle section between the speedo and tach!!I now NEVER use the parking brake!!!

****The lack of another interior warning chime telling you, "HEY DUMBASS, YOUR FRICKEN BLINKER HAS BEEN ON IN THE LAST PAST 3 MILES"! I don't do this in the city, but it has happened to me three times when signaling to get onto the highway and forgetting about it until I later go to signal towards the other direction! Hey, what can I say, It happens!

Did they at least address these features/ PROBLEMS on the 08 & up models????These really need to be placed on these cars for the amount of money they sell for.We have to give our domestic engineers props for thinking of these safety items! Agreed??

J

[DashingMax]

LOL!! :-)Nice post. I guess the Japanese assume that a typical M35/M45 driver stays alert enough to note any warning lights before taking off and also periodically check the instrument cluster for anything that might be blinking.

I put some RainX on the windshield and it makes a world of difference.

[Double E]

+1 to that! If Acura did it in the 80's you'd think.....

RainX used to be my hero too and then I started investing in decent blades. Big difference.

Parking brake warning, yes! Auto Lock feature I can live without but I do sort of feel cheated that the jeep has it, but not the 2x more $ performace sedan.

[FndMspot]

echo nice post M4T5, the one the kills me is that up till 09 models, they lacked a seventh gear for freeway driving. Most cars for the past five years run below 3K rpm at 70 mph.

[szh]

*The lack of day time driving lights! Why??

They have them in Canadian models. Legal requirement in that country. Not a legal requirement here, so they don't do it, I suppose.

**The lack of auto door locks!!!!! How could this be?????? That's just ignorant on their part!

Well, this is one that I prefer this way, so I have to disagree! As far as I am concerned, I prefer to make sure of these kinds of things myself and not have some car think it for me (when I don't want it for example), so auto door-locks is one of those nanny things I prefer NOT to have!

***The lack of an interior chime that tells you that your parking brake is still on! I've done this twice already, but realized it in less that 100ft of driving. It doesn't grab the best to really indicate that it is on. Give us a loud interior warning CHIME AND FLASHING BRAKE light in a better location (lol..not funny really, but come on...you can hardly see the damn light in the little triangle section between the speedo and tach!!I now NEVER use the parking brake!!!

Hmmm ... don't you get the big red rectangle in the LCD screen when the parking brake is even partially on (with the appropriate words too) and you get underway at any reasonable speed? My 2003 has that ... I can post pictures to show what I mean!

****The lack of another interior warning chime telling you, "HEY DUMBASS, YOUR FRICKEN BLINKER HAS BEEN ON IN THE LAST PAST 3 MILES"! I don't do this in the city, but it has happened to me three times when signaling to get onto the highway and forgetting about it until I later go to signal towards the other direction!

Well, I don't do this to myself, so I guess I don't find it to be a problem - I use the momentary position to give me three or four blinks and then I just let go (and, yes, I am methodical about turn signals ). Do other cars have this feature? I guess I don't recall it.

On this point, I can agree that it might be useful to have for people who do this to themselves, I suppose. Since it would not affect me per se (unlike the auto door lock item), I don't mind if it was there!

Z

[szh]

echo nice post M4T5, the one the kills me is that up till 09 models, they lacked a seventh gear for freeway driving. Most cars for the past five years run below 3K rpm at 70 mph.

Yes, I suppose, but ... if you ever have to replace the transmission, you will appreciate the lower cost and complexity of fewer speeds. The cost of those 7 gear auto transmissions is frightening - ask a Lexus dealer for a price quote and see what I mean.

In particular, with fewer gears, since most people just "put it in D and go", there is far less gear hunting when just driving around town and less wear and tear on the transmission.

If people would methodically use other "max gear is 3 or 4" settings for low-speed driving, then having more gears might make sense for highway conditions. Also, for example, when I am not on the highway or am going up gentle inclines for long distances, I always set the car to "M" (with the fourth gear set as max) rather than "D". Better than lugging the engine, etc.

Z

[M4T5]

They have them in Canadian models. Legal requirement in that country. Not a legal requirement here, so they don't do it, I suppose.

Well, this is one that I prefer this way, so I have to disagree! As far as I am concerned, I prefer to make sure of these kinds of things myself and not have some car think it for me (when I don't want it for example), so auto door-locks is one of those nanny things I prefer NOT to have!

Hmmm ... don't you get the big red rectangle in the LCD screen when the parking brake is even partially on (with the appropriate words too) and you get underway at any reasonable speed? My 2003 has that ... I can post pictures to show what I mean!

Well, I don't do this to myself, so I guess I don't find it to be a problem - I use the momentary position to give me three or four blinks and then I just let go (and, yes, I am methodical about turn signals ). Do other cars have this feature? I guess I don't recall it.

On this point, I can agree that it might be useful to have for people who do this to themselves, I suppose. Since it would not affect me per se (unlike the auto door lock item), I don't mind if it was there!

Z

-Doesn't matter if DRL's are legal here or not. It is a safety feature that should be on all cars produced now.

-Auto door locks need to be standard. They can easily make this feature enabled or disabled. We do have an options screen. (GM uses this feature. It can be disabled)

-No warning triangle that I have seen in the display screen. Just a little (I mean small and hidden) brake light between the tach & speedo. It's in a small recessed section in the cluster. You can hardly see it. (GM, Ford, Dodge uses a loud chime to warn you of this) Its' a feature that is needed. I can see the parking brake being worn away pretty quickly by many owners due to the lack of this.

-Blinker warning. (GM once again has this. If the blinker light stays on for more than a few min. while in motion a loud chime will go off to tell you to pay attention).

I really cannot believe you would debate owners having these features. The option screen could be used to disable these items for the people who would rather not drive safer or have a smarter car.

It's about driving safer cars these days. These are all safety features...

J

[M4T5]

Yes, I suppose, but ... if you ever have to replace the transmission, you will appreciate the lower cost and complexity of fewer speeds. The cost of those 7 gear auto transmissions is frightening - ask a Lexus dealer for a price quote and see what I mean.

In particular, with fewer gears, since most people just "put it in D and go", there is far less gear hunting when just driving around town and less wear and tear on the transmission.

If people would methodically use other "max gear is 3 or 4" settings for low-speed driving, then having more gears might make sense for highway conditions. Also, for example, when I am not on the highway or am going up gentle inclines for long distances, I always set the car to "M" (with the fourth gear set as max) rather than "D". Better than lugging the engine, etc.

Z

Sorry, but these cars need more gears to choose from. Maybe not for city driving, but definitely for any speeds above 65mph. 3K rpms at cruising speeds (70mph) for a V8 is not any good for long trips and fuel economy.The cost of the 7-speed transmission is irrevelant. We purchased a higher end car, so having expensive quality components is a must. That is what warranties are for. They cover the transmission up to 100K mi under extended warranty. I wouldn't keep this car past 100K mi in the first place.They just have too many electrical components that will cause problems later down the road. Electrical issues tend to cause a lot of headaches and cost quite a bit to diagnose (sometimes), and cost a lot to have replaced.

I agree that the 7-speed transmission should have been in these cars since 06.

J

[szh]

-Doesn't matter if DRL's are legal here or not. It is a safety feature that should be on all cars produced now.

I did not say that they shouldn't ... I said that they do not in the US, probably because it is not required by law.

Now, whether DRL's improve the situation with regard to safety is not something I know much about. Do you have some references to studies that show whether/how/if they help (I ask out of a desire to learn, not being sarcastic or skeptical)?

-Auto door locks need to be standard. They can easily make this feature enabled or disabled. We do have an options screen. (GM uses this feature. It can be disabled)

This is a personal choice as far as I am concerned.

BTW, I have been driving cars for over 34 years now, and always try to do the right thing as far as safety is concerned.

For example, I am a firm believer in safety belts and would never drive without one - period! So, the nanny aspect of an air bag in my car is meaningless ... to me! FWIW, having been in a collision, where I was perfectly safe from the seat belt tightening as needed, but almost choking to death on the air-bag powder (constarch) when it went off, I would almost argue against air-bags.

But, since it does not intrude on me, I don't really care about front air bags in the car or not!

My long-winded point is: if the auto door-locks can be disabled - permanently - then I don't care about them being present in a car or not. But, if they cannot be disabled, then I am against them being there. I want the choice, because (a) I do not believe that doors being unlocked or locked is a safety issue, and (b) I want the choice to make my own decision in this regard.

-No warning triangle that I have seen in the display screen. Just a little (I mean small and hidden) brake light between the tach & speedo. It's in a small recessed section in the cluster. You can hardly see it. (GM, Ford, Dodge uses a loud chime to warn you of this) Its' a feature that is needed. I can see the parking brake being worn away pretty quickly by many owners due to the lack of this.

I'll take a picture of what happens in my car to show what is in the 2003 and 2004 models ... sad if they did not do it in the newer model.

-Blinker warning. (GM once again has this. If the blinker light stays on for more than a few min. while in motion a loud chime will go off to tell you to pay attention).

If you read what I said, it is not an issue for me since I don't drive with the blinker on like this. It's presence or not in a car is meaningless ... to me! FWIW, I do not consider this a safety issue per se.

I really cannot believe you would debate owners having these features.

Sure I can! I can debate anything. Does not mean that I am right, nor does it mean that you are right! I am entitled to my opinions, just like you are to yours!

In regard to safety, I am a firm believer in providing the safety features that do make a difference. But, if the safety is not entirely proven, or is an attempt to remove my personal choice (albeit without proof of providing the safety that matters), then I am not in favor for wasting time on it.

For me, the Golden rule applies. If what I do, does not endanger others (or remove their right to do the same), then I will what my mind/heart dictates!

Conceptually, the real question is at a higher level: Should car manufacturers be designing features to accommodate everybody, no matter how small an issue or low a probability or occurrence that a particular feature is used? Or should they be making the right trade-offs to ensure that the car is lower-cost, manufacturable, reliable (for the feature)?

Plus, where do you draw the line? As an extreme example: the laws in this country (in just about every state) say that "speeds over X mph are illegal". So, why make cars go faster than that? Why do our cars go well over 100 mph? Why do we need to go fast over 1/4 mile run in our cars?

For every safety issue, or feature that a car can have, the car manufacturers go through, and make, these kinds of trade-off decisions all the time. Whether they come down on one side or the other of a given issue depends on a lot more things than just safety.

Choices, choices!

Z

[szh]

I wouldn't keep this car past 100K mi in the first place.

That is the crux of the differences between your viewpoint and mine perhaps!

I want to keep my cars for a lot longer than than ... if I can! I buy my cars new (my one experience with a used car was a bad outcome on the transmission!) ... no car payments and keep them for as long as I can.

So, yes, I baby my cars. When at 60k to 100k miles to 125k miles, they perform like new (although they may not look new ... door dings and all!) and that is what is important to me!

If you get a chance, check out my thread on overkill items ...

Z

[M4T5]

So opinionated!!!

I want my M and you can have your M!

J

[szh]

So opinionated!!!

I want my M and you can have your M!

J

EXACTLY my point!!! Thanks for understanding.

And, yes, I am opinionated. After marriage, that is all I have.

Z

[M4T5]

szhosain,

Maybe your misunderstanding me. I'm not saying I neglect my cars at all. No no no.... they get the best service and fluids that can be had. I will still follow the 30K mi intervals of services, but I will be doing most of them. I tend to like my work better than the techs that do it. My car will mechanically drive just as long as yours would, but I just don't trust the electrical system on cars that get up there in age. This would be my only reasoning for getting rid of it at or before 100K mi.

J

[M4T5]

EXACTLY my point!!! Thanks for understanding.

And, yes, I am opinionated. After marriage, that is all I have.

Z

I totally understand the after marriage part!!! Aren't women just a wonderful piece of work!!

J

[szh]

I just don't trust the electrical system on cars that get up there in age. This would be my only reasoning for getting rid of it at or before 100K mi.

Now that is an excellent point. The electronics on these cars have gotten quite expensive for sure - particular for repairs outside of warranty!

I got the extended warranty for that reason, but it does end at 100k miles in a couple of years.

I guess I should reconsider my goals for this car over the next few years ... hmmm ...

Z