These instructions apply to the DS 5 Mk1 (K) 2011-2018.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
To change the front wiper blades on your DS 5 (2011–2018), you first need to lift the wiper arms into their service position. If you just switch off and lift the arms, they foul the bonnet — the car has a simple owner sequence to park them clear of the glass. No tools.
The service position — some owners call it the maintenance or winter position — is simply a mode where the DS 5 raises both wiper arms high up the screen and holds them there. You use it whenever you need to get to the blades: renewing worn rubbers, cleaning the glass under the arms, standing the arms up off the screen before a frost so they don’t freeze flat and tear when you first switch on, or clearing leaves and grit out of the scuttle channel at the base of the windscreen. It is a normal built-in feature, not a fault, and on this car it is triggered from the wiper stalk moments after you switch the ignition off.
Why There’s a Service Position
When the DS 5 parks its wipers, the arms drop right down to the bottom of the screen and tuck under the trailing edge of the bonnet. That is tidy and aerodynamic, but it leaves no clearance to swing an arm up or to unclip a blade — the arm hits the bonnet lip long before it is upright. Try to force it from park and you risk bending the thin arm or chipping the paint along the back of the bonnet. Raising the wipers into the service position first lifts them clear of that lip so they stand well up the glass, giving you room to work and protecting both the arm and the bodywork.
Before You Start
- Keep the bonnet closed. The arms need to travel up past where the bonnet edge sits, so leave it shut until the wipers are in position.
- Have the ignition ready to switch off — the sequence starts the moment you turn it off, so know where the new blades are before you begin.
- Make sure the blades aren’t frozen to the glass. If they are iced on, free them gently first; a motor pulling against frozen rubber can stall or strain the linkage.
- Have the replacement blades to hand so the arms aren’t left standing on bare metal any longer than needed.
- Work one arm at a time and support each arm as you lift it.
Moving the Wipers to the Service Position
- Make sure the bonnet is closed.
- Turn the ignition off.
- Within 1 minute of switching off, briefly operate the wiper stalk — the arms move up to the service position and stop.
- You can now lift the arms off the glass and renew the blades.
Returning the Wipers to Normal
- Fold the arms back onto the screen.
- Turn the ignition on and operate the wiper stalk — the wipers return to their normal parked position.
Always lower the arms flat onto the glass before you switch on. If a raised arm is left standing when the motor drives the wipers back to park, it can swing down hard onto the screen.
If It Doesn’t Work
- You missed the timing window. The stalk only calls up the service position for about a minute after the ignition goes off — leave it longer and the wipers just sweep normally. Switch off and try again.
- The ignition wasn’t fully off. Make sure the car is switched off, not just at accessory, before you touch the stalk.
- The bonnet is open. Close it — with it up the arms can’t clear the lip.
- The blades are frozen down. Free them from the glass first, then repeat the sequence.
- You forced the arms from park. Fold them back down and run the proper sequence rather than levering them up cold.
- Still nothing? Cycle the ignition off again and repeat the stalk action promptly.
Changing the Blades
With the arms raised, support each one as you lift it off the glass — an arm that springs back onto the screen can crack it. Most blades release with a small clip or hook where they meet the arm; press the catch, slide the old blade off and clip the new one on until it locks. Check it’s seated, then lower the arm gently back down rather than letting it drop.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I put the DS 5 wipers in service position?
Bonnet closed, ignition off, then within 1 minute flick the wiper stalk — the arms rise up the screen to the service position and stop there so you can reach the blades.
Do I need any tools?
No. The whole thing is done with the ignition and the wiper stalk. You only need your hands to swap the blades once the arms are raised.
How do I get the wipers back to normal?
Fold both arms flat onto the glass, switch the ignition on and operate the wiper stalk. The wipers sweep back down to their normal parked position under the bonnet.
Can I just lift the arms at park instead?
Better not to. At park the arms sit under the bonnet lip with no clearance, so lifting them cold risks bending an arm or chipping the paint. The service position raises them clear first.
Why won’t the wipers lift?
Almost always the one-minute window was missed, or the ignition wasn’t properly off. Switch the car fully off and operate the stalk straight away, with the bonnet closed.
Does using the service position reset anything?
No. It only parks the arms high for access. It doesn’t clear a service reminder or change any settings — the wipers simply return to normal next time you switch on and use them.
If a wiper-motor fault code appears, our sister site autodtcs.com can help you decode it.
Independent guide — not affiliated with DS. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.