Wipers resting position.
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Wipers resting position.
This issue was touched on briefly in an older thread so I thought that I'd start a fresh thread for future reference.
When I bought my '11 SWB CPO a few months ago I immediately realized that the wipers were resting a bit too high -- quite a bit above the black lower portion of the windshield (and enough to be annoying). Interestingly, when the windshield was wet they'd go all the way down, but they'd remain high once the windshield started to dry. So I decided to have the wipers "fixed" to sit lower.
I took the car in to a local Lexus dealership and the shop foreman told me that the wipers on a LS460 cannot be adjusted. That didn't sound right. So a few days later I took the car to another Lexus dealership 15 miles away. A tech spent 35 mins. with the car and was able to get them much lower. Great! (or so I thought). This weekend on a road trip I drove through a 3 hour rainstorm only to find that the wipers would hit the vehicle while in operation. So this morning I took the car back to the second dealership. Now the wipers sit "just right" (like Goldilocks' porridge) and don't hit the car.
It's a bit troubling that I had to get a second opinion, but I'm so glad that I did!
When I bought my '11 SWB CPO a few months ago I immediately realized that the wipers were resting a bit too high -- quite a bit above the black lower portion of the windshield (and enough to be annoying). Interestingly, when the windshield was wet they'd go all the way down, but they'd remain high once the windshield started to dry. So I decided to have the wipers "fixed" to sit lower.
I took the car in to a local Lexus dealership and the shop foreman told me that the wipers on a LS460 cannot be adjusted. That didn't sound right. So a few days later I took the car to another Lexus dealership 15 miles away. A tech spent 35 mins. with the car and was able to get them much lower. Great! (or so I thought). This weekend on a road trip I drove through a 3 hour rainstorm only to find that the wipers would hit the vehicle while in operation. So this morning I took the car back to the second dealership. Now the wipers sit "just right" (like Goldilocks' porridge) and don't hit the car.
It's a bit troubling that I had to get a second opinion, but I'm so glad that I did!
#2
ES350 has two different positions. The higher position puts it above the black and is for winter driving. To adjust it feels like you're going to break it, but it's simply how it is.
I wonder if yours has that and they tried actually adjusting it.
I wonder if yours has that and they tried actually adjusting it.
#3
Intermediate
Thread Starter
No; the LS460 does not have a winter mode for the wipers.
#4
Lexus Fanatic
I agree that the wipers sit too high at rest. Makes the car look cheap. I tried adjusting, but then they slap the plastic trim at the base of the windshield. In fact, even in the "too high for my liking" position, they slap at the high speed setting.
#5
Lexus Fanatic
Mine don't sit too high and don't slap...
#7
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#8
Lexus Fanatic
#9
2013 Lexus GS 350: The Windshield Wiper Trick
June 14, 2013
2013 Lexus GS 350
Last February, during what passes for winter here in southern California, an alert reader noticed that the windshield wipers on our 2013 Lexus GS 350 were in the winter park position.
He was right of course, but several of us hadn't noticed. Snow is something we generally keep at arm's length in these parts unless we choose to ski on it.
The so-called "Snow/Service" position reduces the chance that light to moderate snow accumulation will bury the wipers. It keeps them out from under the edge of the hood so they can be lifted and unstuck.
But it's more than that, and GS owners in warm climates like ours should know what's up. That's because this raised position improves access to the wiper blades when they need changing.
During my road trip to the Circuit of the Americas, I put the wipers back in the summer position after reading the manual while I sat munching enchiladas in a café in Grants, New Mexico. I took pictures, filed them on my laptop, then promptly forgot all about them.
So here they are. Better late than never, right?
2013 Lexus GS 350
It's pretty easy to put the wipers back in the normal position once you know you won't break anything. Stand on the passenger side, not the driver's side, and press the blade down parallel to the glass in the direction you'd expect. It takes a bit of pressure to overcome the detent, but not too much. There's no reason to go to the driver's side after this. Both blades snap into position together.
2013 Lexus GS 350
This is where they're supposed to live most of the time, tucked in where they'll generate less aerodynamic turbulence and less wind noise. They look nicer here, too.
How do you put them back into the snow/service position? I don't have a picture of that, but it's not quite what you think.
Again, you must be on the passenger side, but you don't pull the blade back up the windshield toward the roof. Instead you lift the arm straight up off the glass a couple inches or so, then apply gentle backward pressure, if needed.
You can almost do it accidentally when you clean the glass. In fact, that's probably how our GS's wipers got into the snow/service position in the first place.
June 14, 2013
2013 Lexus GS 350
Last February, during what passes for winter here in southern California, an alert reader noticed that the windshield wipers on our 2013 Lexus GS 350 were in the winter park position.
He was right of course, but several of us hadn't noticed. Snow is something we generally keep at arm's length in these parts unless we choose to ski on it.
The so-called "Snow/Service" position reduces the chance that light to moderate snow accumulation will bury the wipers. It keeps them out from under the edge of the hood so they can be lifted and unstuck.
But it's more than that, and GS owners in warm climates like ours should know what's up. That's because this raised position improves access to the wiper blades when they need changing.
During my road trip to the Circuit of the Americas, I put the wipers back in the summer position after reading the manual while I sat munching enchiladas in a café in Grants, New Mexico. I took pictures, filed them on my laptop, then promptly forgot all about them.
So here they are. Better late than never, right?
2013 Lexus GS 350
It's pretty easy to put the wipers back in the normal position once you know you won't break anything. Stand on the passenger side, not the driver's side, and press the blade down parallel to the glass in the direction you'd expect. It takes a bit of pressure to overcome the detent, but not too much. There's no reason to go to the driver's side after this. Both blades snap into position together.
2013 Lexus GS 350
This is where they're supposed to live most of the time, tucked in where they'll generate less aerodynamic turbulence and less wind noise. They look nicer here, too.
How do you put them back into the snow/service position? I don't have a picture of that, but it's not quite what you think.
Again, you must be on the passenger side, but you don't pull the blade back up the windshield toward the roof. Instead you lift the arm straight up off the glass a couple inches or so, then apply gentle backward pressure, if needed.
You can almost do it accidentally when you clean the glass. In fact, that's probably how our GS's wipers got into the snow/service position in the first place.
#10
Lexus Test Driver
SO when the wipers are in the proper/hidden "rest" position, are you not supposed to be able to see them at all if you were standing in front of the car look towards it? Like, are they supposed to be nearly or completely tucked and not visible above the hood line?
#11
Intermediate
Thread Starter
The LS460's wipers do not have a winter park position.
#12
Lexus Fanatic
As others have said, that link is not applicable to the LS, there is no winter park position.
I will take a picture of mine, since mine is the newest we know its set to factory spec.
I will take a picture of mine, since mine is the newest we know its set to factory spec.
#13
Lexus Fanatic
Yeah this has been discussed before, but the LS has no such feature. I was hoping this was a mod that could be done. Too bad.....I was excited for a second there....
Mine at rest, sit above the hoodline.....definately visible
Mine at rest, sit above the hoodline.....definately visible
#14
Lexus Fanatic
Haven't had a chance to snap a picture. The wipers are clearly visible at rest, but they don't sit up above the black border of the windshield.
#15
Lexus Test Driver
Any lower, looking in that area from the passenger side, the larger of the two arm's (the drivers side arm), would be well beneath the hood line, almost appearing to go in the opposite direction.