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headlights icing over

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by makar, Dec 6, 2007.

  1. makar

    makar Junior Member

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    I have a peculiar problem...

    With winter upon us, my headlights are icing up. I have to scrape the ice off them in order to get reasonable light from them at night. Rather than scraping the plastic (and inadvertently scraping the car), does anyone have a solution for this that doesn't entail using toxic aerosol de-icer?

    I don't have a garage or sheltered area to park the car.
     
    #1 makar, Dec 6, 2007
  2. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    I'm surprised they don't heat up quickly enough to melt the ice. Assuming you have to scrape the windshield and probably the other windows, why not turn on the headlights when you start the car? Yes, leaving the car running while you scrape the windows will use some gas, but that's not an unreasonable thing to do in trade for being able to see where you're going.
     
    #2 hyo silver, Dec 6, 2007
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    That is odd. The headlights (in stock form) are warm to the touch. A peculiar problem indeed!

    Unless you have HIDs.. do those run cooler than halogens? (my guess is yes since it's a lower wattage).
     
    #3 Tideland Prius, Dec 6, 2007
  4. Neicy

    Neicy Member

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    I have the HID headlights and I have not had any issues. However, when it is snowing or raining I drive with them on.
     
    #4 Neicy, Dec 6, 2007
  5. makar

    makar Junior Member

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    I do have HID headlights. I do turn the car on while I'm scraping the windshield. We had such bad sleet and freezing rain, I had to pry a 1/2-inch thick sheet of solid ice off the front of the entire car. But even since then, I've had to scrape ice off the headlights, though not a solid sheet of ice.
     
    #5 makar, Dec 6, 2007
  6. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    Well, that's a lot more serious than a touch of frost. Mind you, if there's that much ice on the roads, I wouldn't be worried about scraping the car, because I wouldn't be driving. ;)
     
    #6 hyo silver, Dec 8, 2007
  7. makar

    makar Junior Member

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    I had gone to Chicago (a 2.5 hour drive for me) to take two exotic birds to my avian veterinary specialist (they have chronic illnesses). Got caught in bad weather on the way home.

    I drove slowly on the Interstate (about 35) going home -- quite a few cars had slid off the road. I did hit a patch of black ice... and the car fishtailed a bit, but the antilock brakes performed beautifully and the car stabilized. It took me over 5 hours to get home, but I got home safely and the birds were tired but okay.
     
    #7 makar, Dec 8, 2007
  8. Doc Willie

    Doc Willie Shuttlecraft Commander

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    What kind of tires are you driving?
     
    #8 Doc Willie, Dec 8, 2007
  9. makar

    makar Junior Member

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    The tires that came with the car. I am not in a position to spring for new tires.
     
    #9 makar, Dec 9, 2007
  10. diamondlarry

    diamondlarry EPA MPG #'s killer

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    I think that when you encounter the ice that he was describing that tire type is going to make little or no difference unless they were studded or had chains.

    I too had headlights that were a bit icy today and they are HID's.
     
    #10 diamondlarry, Dec 9, 2007
  11. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    Move to California, Arizona, New Mexico or Florida? :lol::D
     
    #11 dogfriend, Dec 9, 2007
  12. barbaram

    barbaram Active Member

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    I second that!
    It's time to move!!!! I left Rochester NY just because it was just too cold and icy in the winter.
     
    #12 barbaram, Dec 9, 2007
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