The mirrors on the missus' 2014 Volvo V40 don't like to open on a frosty day. In fact, they grumble a bit even when it's warm. Can I assume that there will be an option in the various menus for turning the closing action off? I've already spent about ten minutes looking, but have not found anything. Am I wasting time looking for it? I've already tried spraying 3-in-1 oil around the base, to no effect.
Manual states:
"Automatic retraction when locking When the car is locked/unlocked with the remote control key the door mirrors are automatically retracted/extended. The function can be activated/deactivated in the menu system MY CAR under Settings Car settings Side mirror settings Fold mirrors. For a description of the menu system, see MY CAR - menu options (p. 106)."
Presumably all these motorised things (mirrors, wipers, windows) have current limits and re-settable thermal cutouts on their motors so in real winter weather no damage is caused?
While we're at it, I'm surprised that windscreen washers are not heated, and the water reservoir not warmed by the engine - on all cars. Even with global warming the UK still gets below freezing several days each winter. I've tried screenwash that says it works to minus 10 C but on properly cold days the washer nozzles still freeze up.
Thanks very much indeed for finding that. I'll be looking for that menu option later.
I don't know. But you can hear it trying to flip out, before giving up.
I think we're told not to use warmed water on our frozen windows; although a garden watering can full of tepid water followed shortly by a defrosting spray is my favourite way of getting rid of obstinate frost on windows (it works better than anything else I try, other than clearing out the garage and using that). I once tried it with water from the hot tap only, but I didn't like the resulting 'crinkling' noises.
Heated washer jets have have been an option on some cars for a long time. My '99 Focus had them, but they weren't that effective. Even with the correct concentrations of winter screenwash, the liquid would turn slushy on the screen, especially at speed.
Chris
Found it, and it did the trick, thanks!
Graham J expressed precisely :
The nozzle are very exposed, there is no thermal mass to help prevent it and the water there will evaporate - the evaporation will pull the nozzle temperature down even lower than the ambient. Which is why many cars have nozzle heaters to help this.
In the 1960's, faced with the same problems, I wound copper pipe around the exhaust manifold and put that in series with the washer pipes. It sort of helped on the longer journeys.
Improvising this way in the 1960s was probably fair comment. The only change I can see on most modern cars is that the nozzles are sited under the rear lip of the bonnet so there's less direct cold airflow.
So I'm still surprised that all new cars don't have a sensible heating mechanism designed in at the outset.
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