Can this be done? Is it just heating elements like on the defroster for the back glass? I have a 93 Legacy wagon...no snow-readiness here...figured this would be a fun add on.

My 02 OBW has wiper warmers built into the front windshield. Its the first car I've ever seen with that option. I see no reason for your idea not to work. Good luck with it, and let us know how you make out.

I try to not be discouraging of ambitious ideas, but I feel I must give you my honest opinion on the wiper warmer. Our 99 outback has one, and I think it is nearly worthless. It won't melt any significant snow that is there, and it won't keep the wipers from icing. I rarely use it regardless of the weather, and I doubt my wife uses it. Maybe you can do a better job than Subaru did.

 

Now heated mirrors, they are cool...um, I mean warm.

 

Regardless of what I think, good luck.

Originally posted by 99obw

I try to not be discouraging of ambitious ideas, but I feel I must give you my honest opinion on the wiper warmer. Our 99 outback has one, and I think it is nearly worthless. It won't melt any significant snow that is there, and it won't keep the wipers from icing. I rarely use it regardless of the weather, and I doubt my wife uses it. Maybe you can do a better job than Subaru did.

 

Now heated mirrors, they are cool...um, I mean warm.

 

Regardless of what I think, good luck.

 

I agree, the wiper warmer on my 01 Outback is only useful for clearing a very light coating of frost/ice, and somewhat useless in even the lightness bout of snow or freezing rain.

 

Just use a decent set of winter wiper blades and the more expensive windshield washer fluid. The $0.99 Wal-Mart stuff sucks... The $3-4 stuff with ice melter is much better.

 

Oh, the most important point, the gen 1 Legacy's never had heated glass, so you wont find a heated windshield to fit. I am not aware of any kits to add defroster "lines" to glass, but even if they do exist, the odds are that you will crack the glass removing it from the vehicle.

 

Do NOT even think about heated windshield washer sprayers. If you spray heated fluid on cold glass, the glass will shatter. A new heated sprayer kit came out about two years ago, but the company is out of business due to a class action lawsuit regarding broken windshields.

 

BTW: in some cases a replacement heated windshield for the 00-04 Outback/Legacy can be a lot less than an unheated one. You can install a heated windshield and simply not connect it to save some money. In my case a heated windshield was $300 and unheated $760.

Now if they'd only add a timer or a light to the heated mirrors. I don't know how many times I've noticed that they've been on for who knows how long.......in the summer.

Ours has a light, but of course it is burnt out. :boohoo: