Gladiator and Defrost

[Missionsparta]

I have a post somewhere in the forum about my experiences with it - and decided it's really not any worse than anything else I've owned, and better than many.
I do what you suggest - I set heat way up, turn off AUTO mode and change to windshield defrost mode, turn the fan up - and it works.
Like many other cars and trucks, the trick is turning the heat temp up and the fan high.
Further - a trick I learned years ago on other vehicles, lower the visors. It traps that warmer air against the windshield. Years ago my wife asked me why I kept lowering the visors each time I hit defrost. I told her next time she needed defrost in her vehicle, lower the visors. She reported back -I see, the windshield seems to clear a bit faster.
Maybe it just feels that way but it sure feels like it works.

This is the worst mine ever got in the middle of one of Iowa's frequent ice storms. It was moments after turning up the heat and fan speed. And before I put those plastic plugs in. If this was as bad as it got - it's at least as good as many other vehicles I've owned.

You can literally see on yours that ice has built up where the wipers still clear. That will cause the wipers to ice up and on any long trip will stop clearing the windows and require you to pull over and clear everytni g manually.

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[ShadowsPapa]

You can literally see on yours that ice has built up where the wipers still clear. That will cause the wipers to ice up and on any long trip will stop clearing the windows and require you to pull over and clear everytni g manually.

Sorry, it did not. I was on a drive. Note I'm out in the middle of nowhere.
I've driven this in a horrible blizzard and at least 3 ice storms. Last winter was a year for ice in Iowa (well, many years are).
Note that I SAID in the other post - this is shortly after hitting the temp up to high and turning the fan on high, otherwise I had it on "auto" as long as I could.

I've driven cars since age 14 - I'm 63, and am a mechanic, so I sort of know what to expect on these things.
Mine has not built up ice on the wipers to the point I had to do anything.
This is no worse than other vehicles I've had.
I've driven MANY MANY cars and trucks that were so bad that yes, I DID have to stop and clear wipers and scrape the glass.
I've had it many times - on other vehicles. Will it happen on this truck? Possible - it's no worse or better than other vehicles, NO VEHICLE is immune.
The best is probably my wife's Grand Cherokee..... but I don't have any complaints on this truck and I've had it for a year and yes, drove it exclusively last winter. I think it's the only thing we drove all last winter.

I have to ask - is this your first truck?

 

[Missionsparta]

Sorry, it did not. I was on a drive. Note I'm out in the middle of nowhere.
I've driven this in a horrible blizzard and at least 3 ice storms. Last winter was a year for ice in Iowa (well, many years are).
Note that I SAID in the other post - this is shortly after hitting the temp up to high and turning the fan on high, otherwise I had it on "auto" as long as I could.

I've driven cars since age 14 - I'm 63, and am a mechanic, so I sort of know what to expect on these things.
Mine has not built up ice on the wipers to the point I had to do anything.
This is no worse than other vehicles I've had.
I've driven MANY MANY cars and trucks that were so bad that yes, I DID have to stop and clear wipers and scrape the glass.
I've had it many times - on other vehicles. Will it happen on this truck? Possible - it's no worse or better than other vehicles, NO VEHICLE is immune.
The best is probably my wife's Grand Cherokee..... but I don't have any complaints on this truck and I've had it for a year and yes, drove it exclusively last winter. I think it's the only thing we drove all last winter.

I have to ask - is this your first truck?

If that's not ice there, then you might want to clean your windows every now and then because it literally is boring your vision to all hell right there.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If that's not ice there, then you might want to clean your windows every now and then because it literally is boring your vision to all hell right there.

It's a bit of icing and no, only a problem if looking for airplanes or low flying satellites.
If you mean the .5" - 1" if ice on the left side - there are cars with A-pillars fatter and bigger that obscure vision more than the line of ice where the wipers don't hit.
And that up high - unless I'm coon hunting, not a problem.

I keep saying - this is shortly after I turned it to defrost and cranked things up - that's the WORST it was, and it got better after that. By the time I got home it was pretty well cleared except the upper corners. It never caused any visibility issues or safety issues.

If what you see in that pic is what's bothering you -you haven't driven anything older than about 15 years or many other types of vehicles.

These are not the worst defrosters I've had in all of the cars and trucks I've owned and driven. As a mechanic I had to test drive all sorts of stuff in all weather.

 

[Micky]

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[Missionsparta]

It's a bit of icing and no, only a problem if looking for airplanes or low flying satellites.
If you mean the .5" - 1" if ice on the left side - there are cars with A-pillars fatter and bigger that obscure vision more than the line of ice where the wipers don't hit.
And that up high - unless I'm coon hunting, not a problem.

I keep saying - this is shortly after I turned it to defrost and cranked things up - that's the WORST it was, and it got better after that. By the time I got home it was pretty well cleared except the upper corners. It never caused any visibility issues or safety issues.

If what you see in that pic is what's bothering you -you haven't driven anything older than about 15 years or many other types of vehicles.

These are not the worst defrosters I've had in all of the cars and trucks I've owned and driven. As a mechanic I had to test drive all sorts of stuff in all weather.

You are missing the point. If the area your wiper clears is icing over, it WILL ice over your wipers

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You are missing the point. If the area your wiper clears is icing over, it WILL ice over your wipers

YOU are missing the point - NO, it DID NOT! You don't think I know how the freakin rest of my trip went in that ice storm?
It did not and no I have not ever had to get ice off these wiper blades. IT just hasn't happened. You think I don't know my own vehicles?
I get your point - but it's WRONG. Especially in this case - it did not and I had miles yet to go!

 

[mazeppa]

Good luck to you guys this winter.

 

[Sparty]

Good luck to you guys this winter.

Quite honestly - I'm looking forward to this!

 

[Gladman]

No doubt that some certain conditions cause problems with defrosting. There are few vehicles that can handle every condition/temperature/humidity ranges really well. Where I have lived for many years is a zone that gets is all - from 100 deg summer to -40 c in winter and everything in between. What I found to be helpful and speed up the windshield defrost, as well as the front cabin side windows, is to crack the driver and passenger windows about 1/2”- 1”. This promotes an exhaust situation with the air flow and moves air where it is needed. Works for some vehicles anyway, however I don’t have experience with the JT yet.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Apparently physics doesn't exist in the realm of your vehicle. They should do an episode about it on Through the Wormhole.

That's odd because it's physics that causes the windshield to ice and the wipers not under CERTAIN conditions.

The wind causes the water to evaporate cooling the windshield in a way similar to a carburetor icing up on a 38 degree day (multiple reasons there, expanding air as well as evaporation of gas). I've had a throttle freeze solid with ice droplets on the carb and the air temp was about 38.
As water (or gasoline) evaporates it steals heat from the surface it's on. Drive faster and the windshield freezes more - two reasons - the glass losing heat of the defroster to the ambient air outside, and you evaporate some of that water faster.
The wipers when down are in a high pressure area and they aren't exposed to the same air movement as the glass above. They don't have that same cooling effect (and are against warmer glass)
The glass area down lower - and the wipers at rest, get the warmth of the defrost and aren't cooled the same as the upper portions. (plus the fact the air from the defroster is cooler by the time it get to the upper glass - and that's why I run visors down in that sort of weather - trap and slow the air inside and force it outward.
Of course all of this will vary with relative humidity, air temp, the temp of the falling precip, speed of the falling precip, size of the drops, wind direction and speed and other factors.
I also don't run the wipers much, as little as possible, and that keeps them in that higher pressure area and against the warmer glass.

Curious - why do you keep insisting I'm lying or that I HAVE TO HAVE HORRIBLE problems with this truck because you hate it? Why would I lie? I don't even own FCA stock (not that I'm aware of, anyway........ I'd have to ask my financial manager guy)

No use me arguing further with you on it as you are convinced I don't know physics and don't know cars (I'll actually laugh at that part) or for some reason would lie about it.

OK, I admit it, I'm a mole for FCA sent here to minimize any problem anyone complains about (oh, some members will get a hoot out of that one)
That's my cover, actually, I work for FoMoCo and have to tell you - you are correct, Jeeps suck, do yourself a favor and buy a Bronco. You'll not regret it. They are perfect in every way.

OR - go to a dealer, get a case started, CALL Jeep customer service, raise a stink.
People here have offered suggestions, even free fixes. I'd bet if you ask nice someone would send you a few of those plastic square plugs - you get a whole pack and only need 4 or so.
I keep a half dozen in the console in case for some reason they blow out of the defroster.

 

[Missionsparta]

There went the civility of the thread

There is a legitimate problem with the defrosters on this thing and he comes in here telling me to just put "plugs" in the vent of my $50k vehicle as a fix, then follows it up with a picture of "proof" there is no issue that clearly shows ice building up in the wiper path. Lmao. I love people.

 

[Gvsukids]

This has been a problem in all JL, not new to the JT. Get upset at FCA for not fixing this yet and maybe they'll make a TSB as they did with the steering box that so many people "fixed" with the steering stabilizer.
Seems to me though, Jeep people like to fix things with innovative solutions when something doesn't fit their fancy.

 

[Mjolnir]

I'm with @ShadowsPapa on this. It does take a bit longer than other cars to get the full windshield. However it does actually get the working windshield eventually. I do think there is an engineering issue with how it blows.

I'm in Jersey so I do not get terrible ice storms like many of you, but I do not see this doing any worse than my JK, I actually see this doing better, and I used that thing in multiple major storms in MA and I was fine.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The kid comes in ranting (a new one on the same topic) that these are deadly and the worst ever. So sue them.
I say they aren't the worse, my wipers never iced up, and I had little problem seeing. That pisses the kid off. I contradicted his rant.
He says yes they are, I'm lying. Right away I'm a liar?
To what end? Tell me my reason or motive for LYING about that.
Typical kid from the coasts - lack of logic, jump right to name calling.

I show how mine still has ample visibility with a picture - he takes that as proof I'm lying and that I can't possibly see out that glass - and adds I just proved my wipers HAD TO be fully iced up.
No, they did not - again, I'm a liar, don't know what I'm talking about. That picture was the WORST mine ever got - and it isn't even bad! He doesn't know what a bad defroster is.

They could be better. But it's not a sports car with a small windshield and tiny cabin to warm. But these aren't deadly dangerous. Of course a person could be driving too bloody FAST for the weather and I'd bet that's part of the issue - impatience, driving too damn fast for conditions, which adds to the icing problem. Speed = faster ice-up. (and is stupid in icing conditions)

Want wipers that ice up? Buy a LARGE vehicle with a CURVED glass. THOSE ice up - a flat wiper will follow flat glass far batter. Once wipers on a curved glass ice up, they only clean the lower middle as they can no longer flex. How about a 22" wiper blade (or larger) on a CURVED glass - if you want to talk iced wiper blades. You have to get out and bust the ice out of the joints so the wiper will bend and flex against the glass.

My wiper blades never froze up.

He wants to argue physics with a guy who was a mechanic for decades and an A student in college?

This has been a problem in all JL, not new to the JT. Get upset at FCA for not fixing this yet and maybe they'll make a TSB as they did with the steering box that so many people "fixed" with the steering stabilizer.
Seems to me though, Jeep people like to fix things with innovative solutions when something doesn't fit their fancy.

My experience across 49 years of driving in Iowa winters in all sorts of trucks and cars, hundreds of them - flat windshields seem to be harder to defrost. BUT - the wipers don't have as big a problem as they don't need to FLEX for the curves.
Curved windshield may defrost better but you have some serious issues with those flexing wiper blades icing up. Once they ice stiff, they won't flex around the curved ends of the glass.
JT blades are flat on flat glass - they don't need to bend and flex around the ends of the curved glass. Want trouble? Drive something with very curved, rounded glass and 22" wiper blades that freeze and won't fit the curve in the windshield in the ice and snow. Those you have to bust the ice out of the wipers to get them to flex. That results in worse ice on the left and right ends.

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