Does a Ford Explorer Have a Heated Wiper Park?
Reviewed by the Skyview Auto Glass technical team — NWRD-, ASE- and DINITROL-trained technicians · Updated November 2026
Quick answer
Some Ford Explorer windshields carry a heated wiper park and some do not. A 2020 Explorer in our records has it, the 2021 does not, and the 2025 and 2026 have it again. It is the heated strip at the base of the glass that thaws frozen wipers, and it is recorded against the part number.
Which recorded Explorer years have the heated strip
The Explorer has changed windshield specification repeatedly, and the heated wiper park is the feature owners notice losing fastest through a Midwest winter. It is the heated strip at the base of the glass that thaws wipers frozen to the screen overnight, and it is encoded in the part number rather than added at the shop.
A 2020 Explorer windshield in our records, DW02567GTYN, carries a forward camera with a dynamic calibration, acoustic glass, a rain and light sensor, and the heated wiper park. The 2021 windshield, DW02566GTYN, has the camera, the acoustic glass and the rain and light sensor, but no heated wiper park. They are different part numbers and they are not interchangeable with each other.
The earliest and latest recorded years bracket the range. A 2013 and 2015 Explorer share DW02204GGYN, green tint with a green shade band, acoustic, no camera and no calibration. The 2025 and 2026 share DW02986GTYN, with the camera, a dynamic calibration, acoustic glass, rain-sensing wipers, the heated wiper park back again, and the Explorer name printed into the third visor frit.
The 2020 versus the 2021, one heated element apart
2020 Explorer (DW02567GTYN)
- Forward camera with a dynamic calibration.
- Acoustic glass and a rain and light sensor.
- Heated wiper park at the base of the glass.
- Lists DW02808GTYN as its interchangeable.
2021 Explorer (DW02566GTYN)
- Forward camera with a dynamic calibration.
- Acoustic glass and a rain and light sensor.
- No heated wiper park.
- Lists DW02823GTYN and DW02807GTYN as interchangeables.
One model year apart, one heated element, a different part number. Glass without the heated strip cannot give the feature back.
Why this one matters in a Midwest winter
The heated wiper park is the difference between wipers that free themselves on a cold morning and wipers bonded to the glass until the defroster reaches them. Through a Michigan or Indiana winter it is the feature an owner misses first if replacement glass goes in without it, and it is recorded against the part number so there is no reason to get it wrong.
More questions about Explorer windshields
Do all Ford Explorers have a heated windshield?
No. The 2013 and 2015 Explorer in our records, DW02204GGYN, has no camera and no heated wiper park at all. The feature appears on the 2020, disappears on the 2021, and returns on the 2025 and 2026. The VIN tells us which glass your Explorer takes.
What is the Explorer windshield defrost strip?
It is the heated wiper park, a strip at the base of the glass that warms to thaw wipers frozen to the screen. It is built into the glass specification, not a separate heater, so it transfers with the correct part number or is absent with the wrong one.
Does the Explorer windshield need calibration?
The 2020, 2021, 2025 and 2026 windshields in our records all carry a forward camera requiring a dynamic calibration. The 2013 and 2015 have no camera, so no calibration. We confirm whether your Explorer needs it from the VIN. See our guide on what windshield calibration is.
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