2003 S40 - Why No Wiper for Rear Window?

I've had this car for almost two years and really do like it. I have always been puzzled, however, by the lack of windshield wipers for the rear window, considering Volvo's reputation for safety. I would think them to be more useful than the headlight wipers that are on the car (how do you get them to turn on anyhow, and why would you want to do that?)The other day was rainy and when I got into my car at the end of the work day I had to get out and wipe the rear window off before starting out. I'm pretty sure my 1986 240 had rear wipers.

Reply to
rayman10012002
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snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com decided to add:

Headlight wipers come on with the screen jet washers...

Reply to
bigjon

I dont think there's any sedan on the market that has a rear wiper (The mazda 6 hatchback does... but it's a hatchback... even tho it looks almost identical to the sedan... and some coupes do, but they have bad enough rear visibility). Sedans don't have that kick-up of dirt/water that wagons/true hatchbacks do that requires a rear wiper... The rear window never really gets totally blocked.

You don't understand headlight wipers? - Move to Canada during the winter (or anywhere in the snowbelt region of the USA) - you get a layer of salt/sand so thick over your headlights you start to lose at least 1/2 intensity - I WISH my cars had wipers on the headlights... or at least washer nozzels... You tend to have to stop every night on the way home for work at the gas bar, not to fill up, but to clean off your headlights... Of course some people just don't care, it does make a big difference when they are clean tho... If you do live in the snowbelt, you may be one of those people who just doesn't notice that your headlights keep getting less and less effective the more covered they get.

Reply to
Rob Guenther
240 sedans never had rear window wipers, nor did any sedan I've ever seen--Volvo or otherwise.
Reply to
Jakob

They are quite rare. Ford did put them on the Orion a few years ago in Europe and Subaru fit them today on the Impresa.

Reply to
Networkguy

I think I''ve also seen rear wipers on some old Mazda 323 sedans from the

80's(?).... Never seen any rear wipers on a Volvo sedan.

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Reply to
Carl / Sweden

As I was driving my old 86 Jetta across on the freeway for several hours during constant rain at 75mph the front wipers were on full throttle and the rear window never even got wet. It's all aerodynamics.

Reply to
Franz Bestuchev

Yah but the 323 was more of a fastback/hatchback style car... so is the Impreza isn't it?... Both had/have a liftgate.

Reply to
Rob Guenther

So you haven't seen any 340/360s then?

Cheers, Peter.

Reply to
Peter K L Milnes

Only Volvo wagons (and hatchbacks) have rear wipers and they are there to remove the mist kicked up while driving. Headlights don't have wipers per se, they have washers. The are headlight wipers are only activated when you wash your windshield.

Reply to
Stephen Henning

Yes, but at least over here, there used to be a 323 sedan besides the more common hatchback, and some of them had a rear wiper. Looked kond of strange...

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Reply to
Carl / Sweden

Seen a lot of 340/360's, but only rear wipers (not very common though....) on hatchbacks. Never seen a rear viper on a 340/360 sedan, but luckily I haven't seen them all....

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Reply to
Carl / Sweden

A little late to reply to this post but I just had to.

75 mph >>I dont think there's any sedan on the market that has a rear wiper (The
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Reply to
Rob Guenther

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