What does it mean when someone raises your windshield wipers?
Ava Richardson
Updated on May 06, 2026
What does it mean when someone raises your windshield wipers?
With each passing winter, more and more drivers are flipping up their wiper arms when the weatherman calls for freezing weather. The thought is simple; lifting the wiper blades from the windshield will prevent them from freezing to the glass during freezing weather conditions.
How do you put a windshield wiper in a service position?
To lift the wipers on the Golf, you must first park the car, kill the ignition, then hold the wiper stalk on the steering column down for a few moments. This moves the wipers into “service position”—essentially to the top of their stroke against the windshield—at which point you can then hinge them away from the glass.
Why you shouldn’t put your windshield wipers up?
Because cold weather makes glass more brittle, “a wiper arm in the cold weather, can be like a hammer hitting the glass if it comes down quickly.” Islip says wiper blades are designed to catch wind to hold them tighter to the windshield. So if you leave them up—and they get blown down—it can crack your windshield.
Will AutoZone put windshield wipers on?
Most places, including AutoZone, O’Reilly and Advance Auto Parts will also replace your wiper blades for free if you buy them at their store. Really, if you buy wiper blades, chances are the place you’re buying them from will put them on for you at no cost.
Are there winter windshield wipers?
Winter windshield wiper blades are pretty standard—they all have a blade with a rubber covering. While there may be differences in the quality of material used for the blade or rubber casing, this design is uniform across all brands. It’s perfect for harsh winter weather conditions.
How much does it cost to get your windshield wipers replaced?
The average cost for a windshield wiper blade replacement is between $23 and $38. Labor costs are estimated between $8 and $12 while parts are priced between $15 and $26. Estimate does not include taxes and fees.