In recent weeks, we’ve reported on a few Ford vehicles that have lost their Windshield Wiper De-Icer feature for the 2021 model year. Now, the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus is the latest vehicle to delete this feature, Ford Authority has learned. In the case of the Nautilus, the De-Icer was previously part of Lincoln’s Elements Package. For the 2020 model year, the Elements Package included the following equipment and features:
- Heated Rear Seats
- Heated Steering Wheel
- Rain-Sensing Wipers
- Windshield Wiper De-Icer
The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus isn’t the only vehicle losing this feature for the new model year, as the 2021 Ford Ranger, which we reported on earlier this month, and the 2021 Ford Expedition, as we reported back in September, have also had their Windshield Wiper De-Icers, or Heated Wiper Pack as it’s otherwise know, deleted.
Regardless, a handful of other Ford models continue to offer the windshield wiper de-icer feature, including the Ford EcoSport, Ford Edge, Ford F-150, and Ford Super Duty.
Ford’s windshield wiper de-icer is designed to prevent the vehicle’s wipers from freezing to the windshield, a common problem in winter, particularly in areas where temperatures routinely drop below freezing. This keeps the driver from having to manually pull the frozen wipers off the windshield so they can be operable.
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.
Drivers were also able to use SYNC Connect to activate the windshield wiper de-icer system from their smartphone as part of the FordPass experience. SYNC Connect allows owners to start, lock, unlock, and locate their vehicle from virtually anywhere using a smartphone. Drivers could even schedule a specific time to start their vehicle remotely so it would be ready to hit the road, de-iced and warmed up.
The windshield de-icer feature eliminated the need to pull wiper blades up and away from the vehicle when parking outside at night, and helped keep streaks of water and ice from forming across the windshield when the wipers were in use. That way, ice and snow could be wiped away neatly, leaving the windshield clean and streak-free.
Though the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus is losing this handy feature, it is gaining a heavily revised interior design, as we reported last month.
We’ll have more on the 2021 Nautilus as soon as it’s available, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Lincoln news, Lincoln Nautilus news, and ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comments
Why would Ford be doing away with this feature? I would this they would be putting it on more vehicles. I don’t have it on my F150 but I would think it would be a nice feature.
Many people, including myself, in the Snowbelt raise the wiper arms up off the windshield when parking outside.This keeps the wiper from getting buried in snowfall and/or frozen to the windshield, and keeps them out of the way when brushing snow off. Also you avoid possible damage to the wiper blades trying to chisel them off the windshield with an ice scraper.
I’ve never had blade heaters, but I understand they can take more than 15 minutes to thaw the blades. By that time you can have the windshield clear. anyway.
Might also be a glass replacement issue- are insurance companies balking at them? Crown Vics and Grand Marquis’ were available with a whole windshield electric defroster. Replacement costs were $1300+.
Why would Ford keep this feature on the EcoSport and Edge, but remove from top end Lincoln ?
I don’t understand a luxury brand losing this option at all and the more models you put it on the cheaper it becomes
Able to program an auto start by time of day with your smart phone? It sounds great on cold mornings but what if you have the car parked in the closed garage and forgot about the auto start is enabled?
I’ve never had that feature on a car, but I suspect that the temperature brings the base of the windshield up somewhat over 32 degrees, possibly in the mid 40s to low 50s, for a short period, so it’s not going to physically burn the driver or a car.
From what I’m reading here, I’m guessing that Ford is dropping the feature entirely, and it won’t be available, even as an option, true?