Forget about heated headlights - we need heated wiper blades

[chorky]

see the point of ordering factory LEDs if you live where you get a lot of snow. Sure, you can get out and brush them off every few miles, but 1) who wants to do that?, 2) not all roads are safe to pull over on, and 3) not all roads even have a shoulder where you can pull over at all. LEDs for me are too bright when they hit the snow and reflect back

I have factory LED's. And get lots of snow (well not this year so far). But I haven't had issues yet - then again I avoid driving in storms. Not because I dont want to, but because of the idiots on the road, and because I dont want to get my JT plastered with salt and mag chloride brine that they spray all over the roads here now. $65K+ is too much to get destroyed in 5 years from stupid salt spray. I would much rather just run on 4 chains all winter long than have an ounce of that crap on the road.

Anyway. ahem. I have the LED's from the factory, and they work well. If they do ice up I'll just dim the XL80's with an amber lens and use those as they get plenty hot and aren't too blinding to oncoming traffic when dimmed down.

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[JamesWyatt]

Seriously, go add that as a serious suggestion at least for an option for some of us. Texans, Floridians, some Californians, or AZ and NM won't give a rip, but the rest of us would.

Depends on where in TX. When I lived in north TX we got occasional ice/sleet enough times to make it worth it to have some sort of heated windshield and/or heated wiper feature. Here in NM, I can drive east 10 miles up the Sandia Mountains and be anywhere from 7-10K' – or I can drive 40 miles northeast and be at 7-8K' in Santa Fe or drive the same distance northwest and be in the Jemez Mountains, etc. A decent part of northern AZ is also up in the mountains and gets winter precipitation weather. Maybe places like Florida, far south Texas, etc. where you can drive for two days and not see winter ?

I guess it depends on how much the option would cost. I just looked at the option on Rovers today, and it looks like about double what I paid 9 years ago. Ok, so maybe that moves the line north a bit for who would be willing to pay for it ?

 

[BourbonRunner]

As for heated LEDs, they should be standard on the JL/JTs.

Wait-- they are not equipped with heaters? I thought they were. I can't believe they got past safety regs without them.

LEDs for me are too bright when they hit the snow and reflect back at me anyway.

I definitely did not have that issue driving the Bronclet in the snow with the factory LEDs. But I suppose not all are created equally. The LEDs in the rain on the Mojave were great IMO.

 

[Sweetums]

What about heating the washer fluid?

https://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/Winter-Accessories/AlphaTherm-Windshield-Washer-Heater

GM tried this, it shattered windshields the first time. The second time they tried it the system successfully melted the ice and snow by setting the car on fire.

Here's a cheaper alternative to the first kit posted:
https://www.thermalblade.com/heated-kit

EDIT: and another kit:
Blades: https://crystalclearblades.com/products/heated-wiper-blades?variant=21779228622927
Full kit (in Canukian Pesos) https://crystalclearblades.com/products/automatic-heated-wiper-blade-system-1

 

[JamesWyatt]

Wait-- they are not equipped with heaters? I thought they were. I can't believe they got past safety regs without them.

I definitely did not have that issue driving the Bronclet in the snow with the factory LEDs. But I suppose not all are created equally. The LEDs in the rain on the Mojave were great IMO.

Jeep JL/JT LEDs are not heated. It wouldn't be that big of a deal if the headlight receptacles in the grill weren't shaped like buckets, though.

 

[BourbonRunner]

Jeep JL/JT LEDs are not heated. It wouldn't be that big of a deal if the headlight receptacles in the grill weren't shaped like buckets, though.

Wow. That's news to me. I'm really surprised there.

@chorky Advantage: Tacoma. :P

 

[chorky]

Wow. That's news to me. I'm really surprised there.

@chorky Advantage: Tacoma. :P

Wait does the Taco have heated lights? That almost counts for a double advantage IMO

 

[BourbonRunner]

Wait does the Taco have headed lights? That almost counts for a double advantage IMO

To be fair I was just busting your chops.

But I googled it and apparently it seems to be an issue over in that part of the world, too. I can tell you that the Bronclet's lights stayed nice and clear through the past few winter weather events, maybe the OEM Ford has a heater element?

I just can't believe that they haven't built that into the spec on any of these. This is a pretty glaring safety issue.

 

[Sweetums]

We had considered heated headlights for the LJR, but went with regular LEDs simply because that vehicle isn't used in snow.

 

[chorky]

To be fair I was just busting your chops.

But I googled it and apparently it seems to be an issue over in that part of the world, too. I can tell you that the Bronclet's lights stayed nice and clear through the past few winter weather events, maybe the OEM Ford has a heater element?

I just can't believe that they haven't built that into the spec on any of these. This is a pretty glaring safety issue.

Oh I gathered that much - so I had to go respond to the other thread. ? I'm surprised that Tacoma has that concern too. Who knows with Ford - but I have to think that somebody out there, maybe Mercedes, has that option? Somebody has to have thought about it....

But agreed. In the modern era we are in, with all these technological advances, simple things like that - or like how @ShadowsPapa suggested a washer nozzle for the rear camera, really should be standard. Or at least optional. I mean, every single person knows what it is like to scrape ice off a windshield, or wipe off a back-up camera. And I would bet each of those people have been down right angry at some point they had to do it haha. So how it has been missed and not added as a feature after the last 20 years of leaps and bounds in modernization is surprising.

Just my luck it will be an option on the 2025 and I'll be contemplating undoing EVERYTHING on the current just to reinstall on a new JT

 

[kevman65]

Forget heated wipers, what we really need is a heated testicle massager.......

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

Good ol Facebook and its mind reading logarithms.

I was just thinking to myself today, as the wipers froze up on my TJ, that, man oh man would it be nice to have better heat on the windshield to melt ice off of blades. I thought about suggesting it in that thread jeep cares started.

But then I saw this.
https://gatekeeperoffroad.com/colle...eated-wiper-blades-with-installation-brackets

And! They make em for the JT too.
https://gatekeeperoffroad.com/colle...eated-wiper-blades-with-installation-brackets

Pretty awesome, and also crazy expensive, so I will pass. But, it begs the question, why are heated headlights for LED's not a factory standard... And why is there not a strip of heating element on the front glass of Jeep's like there is on the rear glass to melt ice. Some vehicles like Honda, Lexus, and a few others have a heating element strip in the glass where the wipers sit, specifically to melt ice.

https://frostfighter.com/clear-view-front-wiper-defrosters.htm?add-to-cart=1006
1206-4871-L-FWH-HD. $95

 

[chorky]

Forget heated wipers, what we really need is a heated testicle massager.......

Here ya go
https://manofmany.com/lifestyle/grooming/the-testicuzzi-is-a-hot-tub-for-your-balls

https://frostfighter.com/clear-view-front-wiper-defrosters.htm?add-to-cart=1006
1206-4871-L-FWH-HD. $95

Well this just might be my next upgrade. That's pretty darn cool. I wonder how one would wire it though so it operates when the front defroster button on the infotainment system is pressed.

 

[kevman65]

Well this just might be my next upgrade. That's pretty darn cool. I wonder how one would wire it though so it operates when the front defroster button on the infotainment system is pressed.

From the quick read I got, probably wire it through a switched connection and use a manual switch for them.

 

[WoolyKris]

Jeep offers heated windshield on other models when equipped with cold weather package. Our previous Cherokee Trailhawk had that, would be nice for 2025 gladiator refresh.

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