These instructions apply to the Volvo S60 Mk3 (225) 2018-present.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
To change the blades or clear snow on your Volvo S60 (225, 2018–present) you need the wipers in their upright service position. Park them normally and they sit tucked under the bonnet lip out of reach — the S60 sets the service position from the centre touchscreen. It’s a normal feature rather than a fault: the car raises the arms clear of the scuttle so you can renew blades or stand them up in frost without straining the mechanism. There’s no lever on the arm to do this by hand, which is why the touchscreen route is the one to use.
Why There’s a Service Position
When the S60’s wipers finish a wipe they drop to the bottom of the windscreen and sit low against the scuttle, tucked under the trailing edge of the bonnet. That keeps them out of the airflow and out of your view, but it leaves very little room to grip and raise them. If you try to lever an arm up from that parked spot you load the wiper linkage against its stop and risk flexing the arm or chipping the bonnet edge. Lifting the arms to the middle of the glass first gives the clearance you need to unclip a blade or fold the arm forward, which is what the service position provides.
Before You Begin
- Close the bonnet fully. The arms rise into the space just below it, so latch the bonnet before you begin rather than working with it open.
- Have the car stationary and safely parked.
- Switch the wipers fully off at the stalk; the service option won’t arm while they’re still running.
- Free any frozen blades first. If the rubber is iced to the glass, warm the screen and ease the blade loose by hand so the motor isn’t dragging a stuck blade.
- Have the new blades ready and work one arm at a time so the other stays supported.
Activating Service Position
- Make sure the bonnet is closed, the car is stationary and the wipers are switched off.
- On the centre touchscreen, scroll to and select ‘Windscreen wipers – service position’.
- The arms move to the raised service position; lift them off the glass to change blades or clear ice.
Once the arms stand off the screen you can fold each one fully forward on its pivot to reach the blade clip. Support the weight of the arm as you do so, so it doesn’t drop back onto the glass.
Returning Them to Normal
Fold the arms back onto the screen, then switch the wipers on (or deactivate service position on the screen) to return them to park. Let the motor pull the arms down on its own rather than pushing them by hand — forcing them against the drive can upset the park position. If an arm still stands proud, run one wipe and it should settle back under the scuttle line.
Won’t Activate?
- Switch the wipers fully off first — the mode won’t arm otherwise.
- Close the bonnet and make sure the car is stationary.
- Check you’ve found the right screen entry — it lives with the vehicle/wiper settings, not the climate or media pages.
- Free frozen blades before retrying so a stuck blade doesn’t stop the arms lifting cleanly.
- Wake the car fully and try again with the wipers idle if nothing happens first time.
Changing the Blades
With the arm raised and folded forward, hold it so it can’t spring back and crack the screen. Blades on this car use a common clip or hook fitting — press the release tab, slide the old blade off the arm hook, then click the new one on until it locks. Confirm the correct blade length and fitting for your car in the handbook first, as the driver and passenger sides differ. Lower the arm gently back onto the glass afterwards and check it sits flat before driving off.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I put Volvo S60 wipers in service position?
With the bonnet closed and wipers off, select ‘Windscreen wipers – service position’ on the centre touchscreen; the arms rise to the middle of the glass so you can lift them off to swap blades or clear ice.
Why won’t they lift the normal way?
They park low under the bonnet on purpose, with hardly any room to grab them. Use the service mode to raise them clear rather than forcing them, which can bend an arm or chip the paint.
How do I get them back down?
Fold the arms onto the screen and switch the wipers on, or deactivate the mode on the screen. Let the motor park them itself instead of pushing them by hand.
Any tools needed?
None to raise the arms — it’s all done from the touchscreen. For the new blades you only need the replacement blades; the clip fitting needs no tools.
Does the service position reset anything?
No. It only moves the wiper arms; it doesn’t clear the service reminder or any stored codes. The maintenance light is a separate reset carried out after a service.
Can I just lift the wipers where they park?
It’s not advisable on this car — there’s little clearance at park and levering them up strains the linkage. The screen takes seconds and spares you a bent arm.
Doing winter prep? A stored fault can be checked on autodtcs.com, and our S60 service reset clears the maintenance reminder after a service.
Independent guide — not affiliated with Volvo. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.