Set the Wiper Service Position

To change the wiper blades or lift them off the glass in winter on a Skoda Kodiaq Mk1 (NS, 2016–2024), the arms need to be in their service position — standing up clear of the bonnet edge. If you just switch off, the arms park low under the bonnet lip where you can’t reach them. Here’s how to raise them.

The service position — some owners call it the maintenance or winter position — is simply a mode that walks both wiper arms up to vertical and holds them there. You reach for it in two everyday situations: when the rubber blades are worn and streaking so you want to swap them, and when frost or snow is forecast and you’d rather stand the arms off the glass overnight so the blades don’t freeze flat and tear when you next switch on. It also gives you clear access to sweep leaves and grit out of the scuttle channel at the base of the windscreen. None of this is a fault — the Kodiaq is built to do it, and on this car the trigger is a specific tap of the wiper stalk just after you switch off, which we’ll walk through below.

Why You Need the Service Position

At rest the Kodiaq parks its wiper arms low, tucked under the rear lip of the bonnet where the metal and trim overlap the base of the glass. That hidden park keeps the wipers out of your eyeline and protects the blades, but it also means you physically can’t hinge an arm up from cold — the blade end is trapped beneath the bonnet edge. Try to drag it out and you risk bending the thin arm, popping the wiper linkage out of alignment, or chipping the painted bonnet lip. The service position solves this by first sweeping the arms up to the middle of the screen, where nothing overlaps them, before they stop. From there each arm hinges freely away from the glass.

Before You Begin

• Make sure the bonnet is fully closed and latched — the mode is blocked while it’s open, and lifting arms with the bonnet up can clash the two.
• Have the ignition in the right state for the stalk trick: switched on, then off, with the tap coming in the seconds straight after.
• If the blades are frozen to the glass, free them first with a scraper or a little de-icer — a stuck blade can stall the motor as it tries to sweep up.
• Have your new blades to hand and know the fitting before you start, so an arm isn’t left standing under spring tension longer than needed.
• Work one arm at a time and keep a hand on it — a spring-loaded arm that flicks back onto bare glass can crack the screen.

How to Set the Wiper Service Position

1. Make sure the bonnet is closed (the mode won’t engage with it open).
2. Switch the ignition on then off — leave the ignition off.
3. Within a few seconds of switching off, briefly tap the wiper stalk down (the single-wipe position).
4. The wipers sweep up and stop in the vertical service position.
5. Lift the arms away from the glass to change the blades or clear snow.

Some Kodiaqs also offer a service position toggle in the infotainment vehicle menu — either method does the same thing.

Returning Them to Park

When you’ve finished, fold both arms gently back down onto the glass before you do anything else — never leave them standing when you drive off. Then switch the ignition on and operate the wipers once; they sweep and settle back into the normal parked position under the bonnet lip. Give the screen a quick wash-and-wipe afterwards to check the new blades sit flush and clear cleanly.

If the Wipers Won’t Lift

• You missed the time window — the stalk input only works for a few seconds after switching off; switch on, off, and tap again more promptly.
• Wrong ignition sequence — the tap has to follow the on-then-off; a cold tap with the car already off may do nothing.
• The bonnet isn’t fully latched — the mode is blocked with the bonnet open, so press it shut and listen for the catch.
• Blades frozen to the glass — free them first, or the motor can stall part-way up.
• Try the menu instead — if your car has the infotainment service-position toggle, use that as a fallback.

Changing the Blades

With the arm standing vertical, support it with one hand so it can’t spring back while you work. Most Kodiaq blades use a common clip or hook fitting: release the catch, slide the old blade off the arm’s hook, and click the new one on until it locks. Check it’s seated squarely before you lower anything. Then guide the arm back down to the glass by hand rather than letting it drop — a released arm carries enough force to chip or crack the screen if it snaps back onto bare glass.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I put the Skoda Kodiaq wipers in service position?

Close the bonnet, switch the ignition on then off, and within a few seconds tap the wiper stalk down to the single-wipe position. The arms rise to vertical and hold. Some cars also offer the same option through the infotainment vehicle menu.

Why won’t my wipers move up to be changed?

They park low under the bonnet lip on purpose, so you can’t hinge them up cold. Use the service-position mode to sweep them clear of the trim first, rather than forcing an arm and risking a bent linkage or chipped paint.

How do I get the wipers back down?

Fold both arms back onto the glass by hand, then switch the ignition on and run the wipers once. They sweep and re-park themselves under the bonnet lip in the normal resting spot.

Do I need any tools?

No. Setting and clearing the service position is done entirely with the wiper stalk, or the infotainment menu if your car has it. Swapping the blades themselves needs no tools either — they clip on and off by hand.

Can I just lift the arms at park instead?

Not easily — at park the blade end sits trapped under the bonnet edge, so pulling it out risks bending the arm or chipping the bonnet lip. The service position exists precisely so you don’t have to.

Does using the service position reset anything?

No. It only moves the wiper arms; it doesn’t clear service reminders, fault codes, or any other setting. It’s purely a mechanical convenience for blade changes and frost.

Doing other jobs after a battery change? See our Kodiaq window re-initialise guide. For warning lights, look up the code on autodtcs.com.