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Transport Canada
Disclaimer: These documents are not the official versions (more).

MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ACT

Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations

Standard 104



Windshield Wiping and Washing System

104. (1) In this section,

 

"areas A, B and C"

« zones A, B et C »

"areas A, B and C" means the areas referred to in Column I of Tables I, II, III and IV to this section when established as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of SAE Recommended Practice J903a Passenger Car Windshield Wiper Systems, (May 1966), using the angles specified in Columns III to VI of the above Tables; 

 

"daylight opening"

« ouverture de jour »

"daylight opening" means the maximum unobstructed opening through the glazing surface as defined in paragraph 2.3.12 of Section E, Ground Vehicle Practice, SAE Aerospace-Automotive Drawing Standards, (September 1963); 

 

"glazing surface reference line" 

« ligne de référence de la surface vitrée »

"glazing surface reference line" means the intersection of the glazing surface and a horizontal plane 25 inches above the seating reference point, as shown in Figure 1 of SAE Recommended Practice J903a, (May 1966); 

 

"overall width"

« largeur hors tout »

"overall width" means the maximum overall body width dimension W116 as defined in Section E, Ground Vehicle Practice, SAE Aerospace-Automotive Drawing Standards, (September 1963); 

 

"plan view reference line" 

« ligne de référence longitudinale »

"plan view reference line" means,

(a) in respect of vehicles with a bench type front seat, a line parallel to the longitudinal centreline of the vehicle and outboard of the centre of the steering wheel by a distance equal to 0.15 times the difference between one-half the shoulder room dimension and the steering wheel centre offset, as shown in Figure 2 of SAE Recommended Practice J903a, (May 1966); and

(b) in respect of vehicles with individual front seats,

(i) a line parallel to the longitudinal centreline of the vehicle which passes through the centre of the driver's designated seating position, or

(ii) a line parallel to the longitudinal centreline of the vehicle located so that the geometric centre of the 95 per cent eye range contour is positioned on the longitudinal centreline of the driver's designated seating position; 

"shoulder room dimension"

« espace d'épaules »

"shoulder room dimension" means the front shoulder room dimension W3 as defined in Section E, Ground Vehicle Practice, SAE Aerospace-Automotive Drawing Standards, (September 1963); 

 

"95 per cent eye range contour"

« 95 pour cent du contour de la portée visuelle » 

"95 per cent eye range contour" means the 95th percentile tangential cut off specified in SAE Recommended Practice J941a Passenger Car Driver's Eye Range, (August 1967). 

(2) For the purposes of this section, the expression "manikin H-point", "manikin H-point with seat in rearmost position", and "H-point" used in an SAE Standard or SAE Recommended Practice mean "seating reference point".

(3) Subject to subsection (3.1), every vehicle shall have a power-driven windshield wiping system that has at least two frequencies or speeds and that has, irrespective of engine speed and engine load,

(a) one frequency or speed of at least 45 cycles per minute;

(b) a difference of at least 15 cycles per minute between the highest frequency or speed and one of the lower frequencies or speeds; and

(c) the lower frequency or speed referred to in paragraph (b) equal to at least 20 cycles per minute.

(3.1) A three-wheeled vehicle that is equipped with a windshield shall have a windshield wiping system that conforms to the requirements of subsection (3).

(4) Compliance with subsection (3) shall be demonstrated by testing under the conditions specified in sections 4.1.1 and 4.1.2 of SAE Recommended Practice J903a, (May 1966).

(5) In the case of a passenger car or a three-wheeled vehicle, the windshield wiping system, when tested wet in accordance with SAE Recommended Practice J903a (May 1966), shall wipe the percentage of areas A, B and C of the windshield that

(a) is specified in Column II of whichever of Tables I, II, III or IV to this section is applicable; and

(b) is within the area bounded by a perimeter line on the glazing surface 1 inch from the edge of the daylight opening.

(6) Subject to subsection (7), every vehicle shall have a windshield washing system that meets the requirements of SAE Recommended Practice J942, Passenger Car Windshield Washer Systems (November 1965), except that the words "the effective wipe pattern defined in SAE J903, paragraph 3.1.2" in paragraph 3.1 of SAE Recommended Practice J942 shall be replaced

(a) in the case of a passenger car or a three-wheeled vehicle, by the words "the areas established in accordance with the definition of areas A, B and C in subsection (1) of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 104"; and

(b) in the case of a multipurpose passenger vehicle, truck or bus, by the words "the pattern designed by the manufacturer for the windshield wiping system on the exterior surface of the windshield glazing".

(7) A three-wheeled vehicle that is equipped with a windshield shall have a windshield washing system that meets the requirements of subsection (6).

TABLE I

Passenger cars and three-wheeled vehicles 
of less than 1 520 mm overall width

Column I Column II Column III Column IV Column V Column VI
 

Area

Minimum percentage
to be Wiped


Angle in Degrees

Left Right Up Down
A 80 16 49 7 5
B 94 13 46 4 3
C 99 7 15 3 1

 

TABLE II

Passenger cars and three-wheeled vehicles of 1 520 mm or more but less than 1 630 mm overall width

Column I Column II Column III Column IV Column V Column VI
 

Area

Minimum percentage
to be Wiped


Angle in Degrees

Left Right Up Down
A 80 17 51 8 5
B 94 13 49 4 3
C 99 7 15 3 1

 


          TABLE III

Passenger cars and three-wheeled vehicles of 1 630 mm or more but less than 1 730 mm overall width

Column I Column II Column III Column IV Column V Column VI
Area Minimum percentage
to be Wiped
Angle in Degrees
Left Right Up Down
A 80 17 53 9 5
B 94 14 51 5 3
C 99 8 15 4 1


     

TABLE IV

Passenger cars and three-wheeled vehicles
of 1 730 mm or more overall width

Column I Column II Column III Column IV Column V Column VI
 

Area

Minimum percentage
to be Wiped


Angle in Degrees

Left Right Up Down
A 80 18 56 10 5
B 94 14 53 5 3
C 99 10 15 5 1

  

Established by the CONSOLIDATED REGULATIONS OF CANADA, 1978

amended by

SOR/94-670 25 October, 1994 pursuant to sections 4 and 7 of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act

Paragraph 104(6)(b) of Schedule IV of the French version.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ACT IS NOW CHAPTER 16 OF THE STATUTES OF CANADA 1993.

SOR/97-264 20 May, 1997 pursuant to section 5 and subsection 11(1) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, in force May 20, 1997

Subsection 104(2).

SOR/2002-55 31 January 2002 pursuant to section 5 and subsection 11(1) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, comes into force February 13, 2003.

Paragraph 104(6)(b) of Schedule IV is replaced.

SOR/2003-272 24 July, 2003 pursuant to section 5 and subsection 11(1) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, comes into force 24 July, 2003.

Subsection 104(3) of Schedule IV is replaced; The portion of subsection
104(5) of Schedule IV before paragraph (a) is replaced; Subsection 104(6) of Schedule IV is replaced; The heading of Table I to section 104 of Schedule IV is replaced; The heading of Table II to section 104 of Schedule IV is replaced; The heading of Table III to section 104 of Schedule IV is replaced; The heading of Table IV to section 104 of Schedule IV is replaced.

 


Last updated: 2005-03-02 Top of Page Important Notices