All Weather Package Question??

I have the AWP in our 2010 Legacy Premium. Does the Front Wiper de-Icer actually heat up the wiper blades? I can't feel it when I turn on the electric rear defroster? Is it engaged when the heated seats are turned on?

Someone please correct me if I have gleaned the wrong information. Almatti, I think that the rear defroster, heated mirrors, and the heated wiper function go on at the same time, from the rear defrost button. As I understand it, the wipers are not really heated. What is heated is the area of the windshield underneath the wipers.

I await being corrected.
Cheers.
Byll

correcto

That's pretty much it Byll. No correction necessary, maybe just clarification. On my 2012 Limited there are two (2) defroster buttons. 1 front, 1 rear. The rear works only the rear defroster. I believe the Cold Weather Package adds the button for the front defroster which turns on the wing mirror defrosters as well as the windsheild/wiper defroster. And yes, it is located at the bottom of the windshield underneath the wipers.

I have a 2012 also, the rear defroster definitely turns on the mirrors not the front

^^Thanks, I don't use it often and couldn't remember for sure cuz I park the car in my garage overnight.

Yup. As I understand it, the windshield defroster button controls vents in the air conditioning system, that shunt dehumidified air to the windshield, to aid in defrosting. The rear window defogger button controls things that are electrical: the imbedded rear window defogger, heating the windshield area underneath the wipers, and the outside mirror defoggers.
Best.
Byll

Ha! Well I guess I hadn't been paying attention. Thanks Guys, that sounds right. I guess I needed the correction. I really don't use mine much since even our winters are very dry here and I don't fog up much.

Byll, I know that the one switch - the electric defroster button - turns on the rear electric defroster, the electric heated mirrors, but is there electric de-icer in the Wiper blades or the windshield?? The front Def button on all cars blows dehumidified air as needed (it will turn the a/c if needed). That Defogs and when the air gets hotter - will help defrost the front windshield. I will have to check next time to see f the front windshield actually gets heated to de-ice the blades...

Originally Posted by Almatti

Byll, I know that the one switch - the electric defroster button - turns on the rear electric defroster, the electric heated mirrors, but is there electric de-icer in the Wiper blades or the windshield?? The front Def button on all cars blows dehumidified air as needed (it will turn the a/c if needed). That Defogs and when the air gets hotter - will help defrost the front windshield. I will have to check next time to see f the front windshield actually gets heated to de-ice the blades...

Yes the lower section of the windshield has wires just like the rear. Since it's electric I'd assume it comes one with the rear defrost and mirror heat not the air door position.

Having just replaced my windshield and decided to test things out, there are heating elements embedded in the glass (the edge of the glass has leads that plugs into connectors on either side of the bottom). These elements are turned on with the rear defroster button (tested with having the climate control off but rear defroster on). It will simply heat the area of the glass where the wipers reside when not busy swinging across your windshield.

I think the primary purpose is so that your wipers aren't stuck frozen to the glass (trying to pry them out with an ice scraper will likely result in damage to the wipers). Any warmth they retain (which probably isn't much, rubber-like materials are insulators) and then apply to ice elsewhere on your windshield is totally a bonus.