Drivers are only just realising what little

Apr 13, 2024

IT seems that some drivers are only now realising what a little-known button on their dashboard really means.

Experts say that knowing about the function could help save your life.

The button is indicated with a symbol showing a rectangle with three squiggly lines pointing upwards.

It appears that some drivers are completely unaware of what it does – it demists the rear window.

All you have to do is simply press the button to switch it on.

Most models will then automatically switch off once it’s cleared but with some older versions you’ll have to press the button again to turn it off once the window has cleared.

The function was demonstrated in a short TikTok video by the Mike Hinton Driving School, known as “@mrdriveruk” who has around 31,500 followers.

Similar advice was also given by the social media user known as “@drivingtestsuccess”.

In the second video, it also explained how to tell the difference between the front and rear demister buttons, with the front one having a slanted symbol, rather than a rectangular one.

The experts at the RAC say drivers should always demist their windows before setting off as this could impede your vision and so mean you could be driving illegally.

The motoring organisation warns you should not “move off until all glass surfaces on your car are clear. It’s dangerous and illegal if visibility is impeded”.

It advises that you should use the car’s air conditioning, if it has it, in conjunction with the heater.

The RAC said: “Hot air will dry the glass a little through evaporation, but the air will then cool down and condense on the glass once more, so make sure the air-con is on to keep the atmosphere inside dry.”

If your car doesn’t have AC then you should actually open your windows which will help clear your windows faster.

According to the RAC: “This helps because the dry, cold air from outside can help reduce the amount of water vapour inside the car, stopping the screen misting up.”

The experts also revealed a nifty hack to clean your windscreen – by using shaving foam.

All you need to do is grab a clean towel and then put a dollop of shaving foam on it.

Then wipe the windscreen with the towel, making sure you spread the shaving foam over the entire surface.

Once that’s done, take another clean towel and wipe off the shaving foam completely.

It warned though: “This protective barrier won't last forever and may need to be repeated regularly, but a windscreen cleaned with shaving foam will be less likely to mist up.”