Defrosting Serious Ice?

Hi Jean,

I used to leave my climate control in automatic however I find the automatic setting woefully inadequate for winter driving conditions because it doesn't direct warm air to the windshield early-on. At first I tried pushing the windshield defrost button on the steering wheel and, given a few minutes, that works ok but once the window is cleared and I push the button again so I can warm my feet, the window again fogs. To overcome this, once the window is clear I manually select windshield plus feet and manually select the center fan speed.

Bill

It is a bit of a problem. If it helps, some spray de-icers contain ethylene glycol (which sounds like what you had), but some are only alcohol and don't leave the gunk behind. The active materials will be listed on the label since both are toxic :-( Contrary to popular belief, glycol antifreeze is very biodegradable - it is only us stupid vertebrates that metabolize it to methanol and get metabolic acidosis.

Mike

FWIW ethylene glycol antifreeze is a pet killer. It is sweet and they die from licking it from the garage floor. Less than a teaspoon will kill the average cat.

Yes, sadly. The metabolic acidosis destroys the kidneys and brings a horrible death. It is especially bad in cats, since they have amazingly small kidneys and must have a high protein diet, which is very hard on kidneys. Apparently death from kidney failure is as common among cats as death from cancer is among dogs.

OT but important - grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs, although vets don't know exactly why yet.

Why are shutting the car off? The Prius monitors its own battery charging. Just turn the car on ("READY"), as if you were about to drive away, and leave it in Park; then you can sit there all day with the defroster running if you want, until you run out of gas.

Once one could buy flexible plastic sheets with magnetic strips made to cover just the windshield and prevent ice buildup. I've no idea where to find these now.

Alcohol and propylene glycol. Does pure alcohol work somehow even though it just evaporates?

Another reason I didn't spray the night before last is because the windshield was already wet. Does that matter (with the mix)? And what would this have done in the case of thick ice (as vs frost)? I am still wondering how I will get the ice off my windshield wipers!!!!!

:-( So if a cat walks around on my car after it is sprayed, that would be very bad for it? Is the same true of prolylene glycol?

Thanks for the reminder. The plot, er, solution thickens....

Well, it wasn't using the gas engine at all (at least according to the screen) and went down to two bars!!! .

I've thought about that, but I am not quite sure what would happen if one got a sheet of ice on that. I guess if it just was for the windhshield and back window, it wouldn't be a huge, form-fitting sheet of ice all over the car....

Jean, I'm wondering if you started your car in the wrong mode by not stepping on the brake pedal when you pushed the button. Obviously it was cold outside. If the car is started and if the climate control is on and set to, say 69F, the ICE will turn on-and-off to achieve and maintain that temperature as well as to maintain battery charge. In doing so, if you have pressed the windshield defrost button, it will eventually melt the windshield ice.

I remove the ice from my wipers by pulling them away from the windshield and then letting the spring back in place. A few good jars cracks it and it flakes away. I wonder what the ice melting slime does to one's wax job.

I THINK I always have my foot on the brake pedal when I start, but maybe not.

Obviously it was

I might get to try again today, with a lesser amount of ice. Eventually seems like a relatively long time in this car! Maybe if I close the other heat vents?????

Is it safe to do that?

I wonder what the ice melting slime does to one's wax job.

Well, I did try to confine it to the glass--and now I will try to confine it to the area where the windshield wipers work. I am a bit afraid to see what awaits me this morning.

I do think the Prius will have to go into the garage--but it also transpired that the Passat's battery was dead yesterday, so I can't evict it quite yet. I may just have to sell it, since I am only driving it to keep the battery alive (which obviously didn't work yesterday) and because I want to see what the Prius does on ice and snow.

I can see myself reaching inside the car for my ice scraper and pressing the button while standing outside the car. :-)

I believe that happens automatically when you press the button on the steering wheel.

Works for me but I try to judge how much jarring they can withstand.

I'm glad I kept my Explorer. I used it to pull the Prius out of that snow bank and drove it for a couple of days while I had the alarms. Drove it again for a couple of days when the snow was too deep for the Prius's clearance. It will also pull my pontoon boat trailer. I cleaned it's battery, topped-off with distilled water and gave it a full charge this past fall.

Make sure that your Prius is in READY. The front windshield defroster uses the air conditioning compressor to make sure that only dehumidified air blows at the front windshield (don't want to make more ice there!). Since the AC compressor in the 2004-current Prius is powered by the hybrid battery, it is normal to expect the battery charge indicator on the Energy Monitor to go down into the red bars. Not to worry! As long as you are in READY, the gasoline engine will come on if the hybrid battery charge is low enough, to recharge the battery. No need to turn off the car.

However, for the next time, if the weatherman forcasts snow or ice conditions, when you park your car lift up your windshield wipers. That way, they won't get frozen to your car, and it is usually easy to peel the ice off. Heat will also eventually come from the gasoline engine (since it'll be running anyways to warm itself up). Also invest in a good ice scraper. (All that idling of your gasoline engine to warm up isn't good for any car, so get some exercise scraping!)

Two bars is the point at which the gas engine starts itself to charge the battery.

Exactly. One picks up a corner of the sheet and peels it off, breaking away manageably small sections of ice at a time.

Watch for the "READY" light on the panel near the speedometer. If it is not lighted, then the gas engine won't start and you will indeed run down the battery.

Are you kidding? Of course the car you intend to drive is the one that should be in the garage the night before.

Propylene glycol is considerably less toxic - it is used in Sierra (?) reduced toxicity antifreeze and as a flavoring in cream soda... yum!

It would be a good idea to keep cats from even casual ethylene glycol exposure, since they groom themselves. Small amounts of ethylene glycol do no harm, but in creatures as sensitive as cats I hesitate to take chances.

Mike

Yes - it works in the same way salt does, gradually mixing itself with the water in the ice to raise the freezing point. It takes a few minutes and sometimes some reapplication but it works pretty well.

Mike

Living in Perth, Western Australia we never have ice problems.

What I found curious is no one here mentioned using warm-hot water from a kettle to clear the ice from the window. Does this have large negative effects on cars? Having never had an ice problem I have never had to think of a solution.

Afraid so - it is likely to crack the glass. A friend who lived in Kansas (where it can get very cold indeed) said he kept a pitcher of water in the refrigerator for clearing ice. I'd think the windshield could get so cold it would be a losing battle, but I guess it worked.

Mike