Brushing snow off your car can be a pain. You need to scrape the windows so you can see and clear snow from your lights so you can signal. To make matters worse, snow and ice often build up around windshield wipers. That makes them useless when you first hit the road.

That problem disappears if you know how to put your wipers in “service mode” for safety before a storm.

An old-school trick is flipping wipers up and away from the hood ahead of a big snowstorm. When they stick straight up, ice can’t trap them against the windshield. But many newer vehicles use “hideaway” windshield wipers that tuck beneath the hood. Those designs don’t allow the blades to hinge upward when the car is off.

Why modern cars use windshield wiper service mode

To solve that problem, many automakers program a “service mode.” It positions windshield wipers at the 12 o’clock position. That keeps them cleaner during storms and makes blade changes easier.

Certain models from Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, Mazda, and Volkswagen offer this feature. The process to activate it varies by brand. Drivers should check their owner’s manual for exact steps.

In Toyotas with recessed wipers, drivers hold the “mist” setting on the stalk within 45 seconds of shutting the car off. Many Hyundais require holding the stalk up after shutdown. Some models activate service mode by pressing the mist button twice after turning the vehicle off.

If you want to make post-snowstorm cleanup easier for yourself or a loved one, learn how to use windshield wiper service mode now. A Mazda example appears in the video embedded below: