Why have the Euro 7 emissions

 

 Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to us, our 2021 Honda Ridgeline was not prepped with the proper winter windshield-wiper fluid containing antifreeze. This oversight caused problems during a 10-hour trek north: As the temperature dropped and the windshield was coated with a milky film from salted highways, the fluid froze. At first the water froze on contact with the glass, then it froze deeper in its bowels, and for the final nine hours, no fluid came out at all.

The weather then turned to freezing rain and sleet. We initially welcomed the moisture; it meant fewer stops at gas stations to clean the windshield. As the mercury dropped further, however, the freezing rain froze instantly upon contact with the glass, and the defroster was too weak to melt it and keep the entire windshield clear. There were some intervals where all but the top strip cleared with the fan on full speed and set solely to Defrost. Choosing a setting that allows a combination of Defrost and a little heat to warm cold toes was not an option: Splitting the heat further weakened the defroster, and it couldn't clear enough ice for driving visibility. Frequent stops were necessary for ice scraping and cleaning, making a long drive even longer. On the plus side, that meant we weren't unduly burdened by the Ridgeline's smaller gas tank, which usually forces multiple stops for gas. Fuel economy is rated at 18/24/21 mpg city/highway/combined.

The Ridgeline does boast a handy feature in the form of a wiper de-icer you activate via a button on the dash left of the steering wheel; it's designed to turn on automatically when the outside temperature dips to less than 25 degrees Fahrenheit. The feature heats the area at the bottom of the windshield, so the wipers don't freeze in place. It worked beautifully; the wipers never stuck. The problem was, without cleaning fluid being dispensed, the wipers merely smeared the salty coating across the windshield.