How Do You Get a Windshield Ready for Winter?

The winter windshield checklist

• Have any chips repaired before the cold arrives so temperature stress cannot push them into a crack.
• Switch to a winter washer fluid rated for deep cold so the jets do not freeze up.
• Fit fresh wiper blades so they clear slush and meltwater without streaking.
• Clean the inside of the windshield so fog has less to cling to on cold mornings.
• Keep a plastic scraper and a snow brush in the car before the first frost.
• Check that the front defroster and the rear grid both work and clear the glass.
• Lift the wipers overnight when snow or freezing rain is forecast.

Why each step matters

A chip is an open fracture, and the temperature swings of winter are what push it into a running crack. The defroster warms the inner layer while the outer layer stays frozen, and the stress falls on the chip. Having it filled before the cold means there is no air gap to expand, so the chip stays put through the season. Chips up to about the size of a quarter and cracks up to about six inches are usually repairable, so there is room to fix one before it grows.

Winter washer fluid matters because a summer blend slushes near freezing and can block the jets when you need them most on a salted road. A winter blend uses alcohol to stay liquid in deep cold, so a quick spray clears the salt haze while you drive. Top it up before the cold arrives rather than discovering an empty reservoir on the first icy morning.

Fresh blades and a clean inside surface keep the glass clear. Worn blades smear slush and salt grit across the pane, and a film on the inside gives fog something to cling to on cold mornings. A scraper and brush in the car mean you are never caught scraping with a credit card, and a working defroster and rear grid mean the glass clears while the engine warms rather than after it.

More questions about winter prep