Myron D. Brown Posted May 4, 2016 Share Posted May 4, 2016 Hello, For those of you who have technical expertise with automobiles, maybe you can answer this question for me. The 2017 Lincoln MKZ has a new feature the "windshield wiper de-icer" that's available as part of the Technology Package or the Climate Package. For those unfamiliar with this feature, it was first introduced on the 2017 Ford Escape. Ford's website says, "Much like traditional rear window defrost systems, the base of the windshield where the wiper blades rest is equipped with a local heating element. The system is designed to clear light snow and ice from the wiper blades in under 10 minutes at minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit." And here's a video of how it works: https://youtu.be/ohIGBq-f1GA Okay...so I noticed this morning that all references to this feature on the 2017 MKZ now have an asterisk saying *Not available on Hybrid models. I visit the Lincoln.com website regularly, and I've never noticed this disclaimer prior to today. I wonder if it's a last-minute change, or just something Lincoln forgot to clarify when they first started posting information online. I've already ordered my 2017 MKZ Hybrid. This feature was listed on the page when the sales representative and I went through and selected the options I wanted. It's a cool feature and would come in very useful in the winter, although I feel I can live without it. So now, I'm just curious as to why Lincoln would exclude it from Hybrid models. The Lincoln concierge I asked about it said she had no knowledge of why the designers/engineers excluded it. Does anyone in this forum know why this feature wouldn't work with a hybrid? I'm assuming there has to be a technical/mechanical/electrical explanation...but I have no expertise there. Thanks for your help... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drolds1 Posted May 4, 2016 Share Posted May 4, 2016 It's probably too much of an electrical drain for a hybrid. What goes around comes around. My 2000 Lincoln LS had a heated wiper rest embedded in the base of the W/S. It came on automatically when ambient temp was 32ºF. There was an on/off button to allow you to shut it off if not needed. In later MYs, they eliminated the button. It just came on and you couldn't shut it off. In typical Ford fashion, they quietly dropped it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron D. Brown Posted May 4, 2016 Author Share Posted May 4, 2016 Hmmm...interesting. But if it's available on a non-hybrid, then it gets its power from the 12V battery. If a hybrid has both a 12V battery and a high voltage battery, then I would assume it could handle more power drain. Especially since the engine will begin to recharge it once you start driving. But it's okay. 99% of the time, I'm parked in my garage, so it's a feature I can live without... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgara Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 Like drolds1, I had a 2003 and 2006 Lincoln LS, and both had heating element strips at the base of the windshield where the wiper blades sit. There was no button or switch, and I never fully understood how they worked, but on cold mornings with frost or snow, you could actually see the strip clearing the glass. I liked that feature, and I was sad to hear when Lincoln dropped it. Glad to see it return in the 2017 MKZ. Like beta software, these pre-production cars get features added and removed. I guess we will just have to wait until the 2017 models are actually out before we can say if it will be included with the Hybrid or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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