Windshield Wipers Chattering/Skipping

[JWreck]

Last year, Audi replaced my windshield because my wipers kept skipping - big time. They replaced the wipers, used a 3M polish on it approved by Audi - none of it worked. Finally they blamed it on whatever was used to wash the car and the "damage" (little pits that EVERY car that's been driven down a highway has) to the windshield. The replacement was a "courtesy replacement". The issue went away after that.

Fast forward, my S4 is in the shop again for the same exact reason. This time, they noted that the windshield was not smooth to the touch - it was rather sticky. They applied the same polish again and it certainly helped, but they also said that my wiper arms were far too loose. They ordered parts to replace the arms which are now being installed.

Then, this morning I get a text from my wife and she said that her wipers were skipping like crazy this morning on her way to work (raining all day in Austin). WTF! We washed her car last night since we just got back from Dallas and it was filthy. This is a BRAND NEW CAR (Jaguar F Pace S).

I immediately swapped cars with her, went home and started to work on cleaning the windshield. I used dish soap, a razor and Bar Keepers Friend and after extensive testing, I believe it is back to normal again. (I'm letting it sit in my garage dry then going out again soon to test more).

At this point, i'm convinced that something I'm using while washing the car is the culprit. On a normal wash, I use:

Adams Shampoo
Gary Deans Infinite Use Detail Juice (while drying)
Chemical Guys window cleaner
an assortment of microfiber towels

I'm about to throw it all out. SOMETHING has to be causing it. The only other thing I can think of is that it does get humid in my garage, and perhaps that's causing an issue?

Interestingly, the A3 loaner I'm in has the SAME problem. I haven't washed it, it's just been in my garage. The dealership said those are known to have issues with skipping wipers and that's why they even carry the 3M polish they've used on mine.

Help?! It's hard to be objective and narrow down the list of what might be causing this when I'm so frustrated and can't find ANYONE else that has this much of an issue with a single cleaning product! What else could it be?! We don't park under trees, I've razored, clayed and washed the windshields repeatedly!

[14S4GWM]

0000 steel wool will do wonders on glass.

[JWreck]

0000 steel wool will do wonders on glass.

Good tip. I have some I use on my exhaust tips, I'll try that if it comes back. I'm just wondering what the heck could be causing it, on multiple cars from different manufacturers!


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[14S4GWM]

I think it's something from the roadway. Mine does it once in a while. I had my windshield ceramic coated and it chattered then pretty bad. Took the steel wool to it and i'm good now.

[jygesq]

Bon ami cleaner, I would not use any from of steel wool on glass.

[chrisucf99]

This happens to my wipers / windshield. A coat of paste wax on windshield works wonders. Apply and buff it off just like you're waxing your car.

[JWreck]

Here is a slow-motion video showing the issue. This was not even that bad - previously, it would jump across the windshield.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdbVHlnDpXc

[14S4GWM]

Bon ami cleaner, I would not use any from of steel wool on glass.

I would, lots of people do it. It's harmless with 0000.

[JWreck]

I would, lots of people do it. It's harmless with 0000.

Interestingly the dealership asked if I had done that previously and said they usually try that first.


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[EHesh14]

Steel wool and coat it with carbon collective platinum glass

[LYKUNO]

I'd consider trying a different brand of wiper blade. Are you using blades from the Audi parts dept at your dealer?

[JWreck]

Yep, so I bought new blades online (the only other kind that seem to work with our car, well documented here on the forum - Bosch OEM replacements I believe) and issues started soon afterward. Then, the dealership replaced the wipers with ones from a brand new car on the lot. Then they did it again after they replaced the windshield. Now, they've changed them once more after polishing the windshield this go-'round.

[cspcrx]

when mine start to do it. I just clean the glass with window cleaner from Costco and apply a fresh coat of rainx.

[administerturbo]

I suspect it's the Detail Juice. Had a similar issue after a rain ex application on a B6 A4.

[SwankP3RF3ct10n]

Yep, so I bought new blades online (the only other kind that seem to work with our car, well documented here on the forum - Bosch OEM replacements I believe) and issues started soon afterward. Then, the dealership replaced the wipers with ones from a brand new car on the lot. Then they did it again after they replaced the windshield. Now, they've changed them once more after polishing the windshield this go-'round.

The Bosch ones suck ass. I had the same issue with them the first week they were put on and they were new. They're crap on this car for some reason. I returned them and ordered Valeo and haven't had any more issues. Part numbers are 900209B and 9002411B.

[Johnnycash]

+1 on valeo wipers

[LYKUNO]

Thought I'd share a couple of highly-detailed articles about glass care on the TOGWT blog site. The first is "Polishing Auto Glass (http://togwt1980.blogspot.com/2015/05/polishing-auto-glass.html)" and the second is "Glass Cleaning Process (http://togwt1980.blogspot.com/2015/05/glass-cleaning-process.html)".

[Johnnycash]

Thought I'd share a couple of highly-detailed articles about glass care on the TOGWT blog site. The first is "Polishing Auto Glass (http://togwt1980.blogspot.com/2015/05/polishing-auto-glass.html)" and the second is "Glass Cleaning Process (http://togwt1980.blogspot.com/2015/05/glass-cleaning-process.html)".

little tidbit from the link:


External Glass

Use detailer’s clay towel to remove road debris, brake dust, tar, etc. I would not advocate the use of synthetic steel or brass wool on glass surfaces; the reasons being are that no matter how fine of a grit (even #00000) you use you are actually micro scratching the surface of the glass allowing more spaces for dirt to build and settle where normal washing will not remove it, even though the glass looks super smooth to the naked eye. Grades of steel wool are similar to grit in finishing papers; the finest steel wool is grade #0000 steel wool or 1000 grit

[doughboy17]

Your anticipation of it being attributable to something being used to detail the car is probably correct. I do my best to avoid placing anything on the glass, especially the windshield of my A4. My understanding is that Audi glass is treated in some way to shed water. At times, I have tried using Windex and it always results in smearing. I believe many glass treatments require frequent re-application to prevent smearing/skipping (RainX certainly did on my Camaro way back in the 80s).

However, I am puzzled why brand new wipers plus a new windshield AT THE SAME TIME would not resolve the issue. You may want to try just using distilled water and wiping immediately in the future.

From experience, the best wipers are OEM ... at least on my A4.

[JustPlaneChris]

Damn, I was just complaining about this issue. Same thing for me (same town too LOL). I blamed it on the RainX I applied before I read that one should not use such coatings on the Audi. First time I've ever had an issue with RainX on ANY car, and now I'm wondering if it's really the cause, or if it's the (brand new) Bosch wipers I installed.

The truly weird thing is the shuddering doesn't happen immediately. It's only after driving for a while.

Whatever the cause, it is super annoying.

[JWreck]

Damn, I was just complaining about this issue. Same thing for me (same town too LOL). I blamed it on the RainX I applied before I read that one should not use such coatings on the Audi. First time I've ever had an issue with RainX on ANY car, and now I'm wondering if it's really the cause, or if it's the (brand new) Bosch wipers I installed.

The truly weird thing is the shuddering doesn't happen immediately. It's only after driving for a while.

Whatever the cause, it is super annoying.

Yeah, when the issue started, it was only after driving for a while and using the wipers constantly. Prior to the 'fix' though, it was repeatable immediately by pressing the wiper stalk into the single wipe mode.

Have you taken yours to the dealer?

[JustPlaneChris]

No, I totally forgot to mention it during the 25k service I just had done.

I'm going to go use denatured alcohol to clean the windshield tonight, and we'll see if it helps (assuming it rains again tomorrow).

[JWreck]

No, I totally forgot to mention it during the 25k service I just had done.

I'm going to go use denatured alcohol to clean the windshield tonight, and we'll see if it helps (assuming it rains again tomorrow).

Supposed to rain tomorrow. The dealer uses some 3M polish to help. It seemed to help on my car last time, although it didn't rain much afterwards so I'm not 100% on it 'fixing' it. But honestly it seems to make sense that if it's something getting on the windshield and not a defective part or system, polishing it should remove the problem.

I've got my wife's Jag going well now. I can see a slight hazing now, but I may just order that polish the dealer is using and see if that does anything to help with that.

[bayonet14]

use some soapy water and razor blade to scrape clean your glass - if you have some old clay bar...lube up and clay the glass - several products out there to coat the glass and increase hydrophobic properties (like Forte Fly-by) on the glass...you can clean the wiper blades and give a light coat as well ;) - you can do the same for all your exterior glass ;)

[JWreck]

Keep me informed on the denatured alcohol. You're using actual denatured alcohol, not rubbing alcohol right?

[JWreck]

use some soapy water and razor blade to scrape clean your glass - if you have some old clay bar...lube up and clay the glass - several products out there to coat the glass and increase hydrophobic properties (like Forte Fly-by) on the glass...you can clean the wiper blades and give a light coat as well ;) - you can do the same for all your exterior glass ;)

I do this about once a quarter anyway. I did today to help clean it up and it seemed to work OK, along with the bar keepers friend. A very very slight haze now, but maybe some alcohol will clear that up, or I'll get a glass polish and pad and hit it with that.

The weird thing is, all the crap I'm doing, people do all the time. Washing their car with Adams, using the detail spray, claying the windshield - all of it. So why does something seem to have a negative effect on my cars?! Bad chemical batch? Poor application (how many ways are there to apply soap...)? I'm just almost clueless.

[k9lovr]

Clay or Nanoskin the windshield....makes the glass smooth as silk

[pdqgp]

Use 3D Eraser Gel and a Magic Eraser - the ones from your common grocery store. It will strip any/all things on that window. If you rinse your windshield and you notice any areas that are still beading or holding water, re-hit those as that is an indicator that it's not fully stripped. When you have it perfectly clean and free of all contaminatnts, water will not bead and will take forever to sheet away. That's because it's down to bare glass that has pits and micro-small little pits from rocks and road dust holding onto the water. A coating is what fills those in and makes it silky smooth.

Once Clean, Coat it with either McKee's glass coating or even something like optimum opti-seal or Blackfire Crystal Seal/any type of WOWA Product as both McKee's and the others mentioned will work great. If they aren't new, then replace the wiper blades too.

Going forward use either McKee's or Optimum on it. You won't have any more problems.

I'd also have you consider emptying the windshield washer fluid and insuring that it's just standard blue stuff.

I doubt you'll need to polish it unless it's badly pitted. 3D is an acid and will remove everything. IF you need to polish glass, Ceriglass and a Rayon Pad is the way to go. It's messy stuff and won't remove scratches unless you use a rotary. A standard DA unit will do a good job cleaning it though. Just pointing this out for those that haven't used it before.

http://products-import.s3.amazonaws.com/ProductImg/P_3779960/3779960_src_1.jpg

http://ep.yimg.com/ay/autogeek/mckee-glass-coating-1.gif

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/autogeek_2268_484107907

[JustPlaneChris]

Well, I couldn't find my denatured alcohol (packed in a box still, my workshop is still in flux). So, I used Mequire's Ultimate Compound on the windshield, followed up by a cleaning with isopropyl alcohol. I also wiped down the wiper blades with alcohol.

We'll see what that does.

[JWreck]

Well, I couldn't find my denatured alcohol (packed in a box still, my workshop is still in flux). So, I used Mequire's Ultimate Compound on the windshield, followed up by a cleaning with isopropyl alcohol. I also wiped down the wiper blades with alcohol.

We'll see what that does.

I used isopropyl before and I feel like it made it worse. I ran up to Home Depot and bought some denatured, going to test it tonight. Windshield on the Jag is still fine, but I want to see if it makes that slight haze go away.

[JustPlaneChris]

Maybe I better dig through the boxes and find the denatured then!

EDIT: Found it! Windshield cleaned with denatured, and it feels very different to the touch. Almost "grippy". It will be interesting to see what it does now.

[JWreck]

Maybe I better dig through the boxes and find the denatured then!

EDIT: Found it! Windshield cleaned with denatured, and it feels very different to the touch. Almost "grippy". It will be interesting to see what it does now.

Oh....see, the dealer didn't think it should feel grippy. After they polished it, it was smooth as glass (see what I did there?). That said, I went up to a random car on a lift and had them feel that windshield, and it felt "grippy" - exactly like mine did. They thought that was interesting.

[4wheelpilot]

A few observations and suggestions that may be helpful...
1. Audi discourages the use of windshield coatings like Rain-X because it can leave a film and obscure visibility (this is most obvious when sunlight hits the windshield at certain angles).I started using Rain-X decades ago...it works great to help shed water (above a certain speed) but I stopped using it long ago because getting the haze off is annoying, even when following their directions.
2. Occasionally after I clean the windshield-I prefer Invisible Glass by Stoner-there is still a haze. But this is most often on the inside which gets a film very easily.
3. I noticed that my wipers stutter ONLY when I use the single swipe. They may stutter in other modes if there isn't enough water (rain) on the windshield but spraying with fluid makes them glide smoothly. I use the cheap blue washer fluid. I would prefer the "bug removing" fluid but it may disrupt the car's fluid level sensor.
Best of luck.

[JWreck]

A few observations and suggestions that may be helpful...
1. Audi discourages the use of windshield coatings like Rain-X because it can leave a film and obscure visibility (this is most obvious when sunlight hits the windshield at certain angles).I started using Rain-X decades ago...it works great to help shed water (above a certain speed) but I stopped using it long ago because getting the haze off is annoying, even when following their directions.
2. Occasionally after I clean the windshield-I prefer Invisible Glass by Stoner-there is still a haze. But this is most often on the inside which gets a film very easily.
3. I noticed that my wipers stutter ONLY when I use the single swipe. They may stutter in other modes if there isn't enough water (rain) on the windshield but spraying with fluid makes them glide smoothly. I use the cheap blue washer fluid. I would prefer the "bug removing" fluid but it may disrupt the car's fluid level sensor.
Best of luck.

Thanks for the input. I have never applied a rain x type coating to my cars windshield.

The haze is definitely outside and is clear until the wipers swipe across it. Not a big deal because it's barely noticeable (I've seen a lot worse).

I have heard the rain x fluid or bug removing fluid does clog up sensors and nozzles on our car. I rarely use the spray so I let the dealer top it off with whatever they use (I haven confirmed they don't use anything special).


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[Senseless]

I once tried 0000 steel wool on my windshield and it made the glare much worse. I wouldn't recommend that. For really good glass cleaner I get Subaru branded glass cleaner, believe it or not. Subaru parts departments have it.

[JWreck]

I once tried 0000 steel wool on my windshield and it made the glare much worse. I wouldn't recommend that. For really good glass cleaner I get Subaru branded glass cleaner, believe it or not. Subaru parts departments have it.

Good info, thanks!

[bayonet14]

I do this about once a quarter anyway. I did today to help clean it up and it seemed to work OK, along with the bar keepers friend. A very very slight haze now, but maybe some alcohol will clear that up, or I'll get a glass polish and pad and hit it with that.

The weird thing is, all the crap I'm doing, people do all the time. Washing their car with Adams, using the detail spray, claying the windshield - all of it. So why does something seem to have a negative effect on my cars?! Bad chemical batch? Poor application (how many ways are there to apply soap...)? I'm just almost clueless.

Could be - had to replace a front windshield and it was grippy as you stated - had to use Ceriglass‎ to polish it out the sealed it w/forte - no issues

[SouthernBoy]

I noticed two days ago that my 2016 S4's wiper blades would skip only when using the single swipe mode. When using the intermittent rain sensing mode, they worked fine. That was the first time my S4 got caught in a down pour in the eleven months I've owned it (I drive my truck in rainy weather and in snow).

An old window cleaning mix is a small amount of white vinegar and distilled water. I doubt this would have any affect on the skipping but tends to work well with haze and plastic gas out on the interior side of the windshield.

[bberg22]

Thanks for the input. I have never applied a rain x type coating to my cars windshield.

The haze is definitely outside and is clear until the wipers swipe across it. Not a big deal because it's barely noticeable (I've seen a lot worse).

I have heard the rain x fluid or bug removing fluid does clog up sensors and nozzles on our car. I rarely use the spray so I let the dealer top it off with whatever they use (I haven confirmed they don't use anything special).


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I think Rain-x changed their formula back to the original because I have put over 6 gallons through my car without any issue. There was a "new blend" that actually looked redish in color which I think was the issue. Also i like to use silicone wiper blades to avoid the chatter/squeak, PIAA is the brand I prefer and they do have one model that fits our cars I believe. The PIAA blades will be on my car the next time I need replacements.

[Helmet165]

The Bosch ones suck ass. I had the same issue with them the first week they were put on and they were new. They're crap on this car for some reason. I returned them and ordered Valeo and haven't had any more issues. Part numbers are 900209B and 9002411B.

Thanks for the recommendation, just ordered a set!

To OP - I'm not sure it'll help with the chatter, but I highly recommend Sprayway glass cleaner. Back in the day I could only get it at my friend's glass repair shop, fortunately now it's on Amazon (with 90+% positive reviews). It's really great stuff.

[JustPlaneChris]

Oh....see, the dealer didn't think it should feel grippy. After they polished it, it was smooth as glass (see what I did there?). That said, I went up to a random car on a lift and had them feel that windshield, and it felt "grippy" - exactly like mine did. They thought that was interesting.

Well for cripes sake don't do what I did! I still have wipers that shudder across the glass (usually on the downstroke) and now they also make a nice "skronk" at both ends of the travel when they reverse directions! [headbang]

I've got to get this fixed, it is intolerable to drive in the rain.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L8avJaXS5s

[JWreck]

Well for cripes sake don't do what I did! I still have wipers that shudder across the glass (usually on the downstroke) and now they also make a nice "skronk" at both ends of the travel when they reverse directions! [headbang]

I've got to get this fixed, it is intolerable to drive in the rain.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L8avJaXS5s

Yikes. Are you close to Audi North Austin? They have the 3M polish. See if you can get them to do that and report back. They'll love to hear about another windshield wiper issue (mine is there right now).


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[JustPlaneChris]

I'm close, but don't have the time this week (taking a class). It'll have to wait.

[JustPlaneChris]

The Bosch ones suck ass. I had the same issue with them the first week they were put on and they were new. They're crap on this car for some reason. I returned them and ordered Valeo and haven't had any more issues. Part numbers are 900209B and 9002411B.

Can you confirm those are the right part numbers for the B8.5? Amazon and Europaparts both say they don't fit my car.

[4wheelpilot]

The Bosch ones suck ass. I had the same issue with them the first week they were put on and they were new. They're crap on this car for some reason. I returned them and ordered Valeo and haven't had any more issues. Part numbers are 900209B and 9002411B.

To add a bit more confusion, I ordered Bosch wipers from Amazon 4 months ago and they have performed well for me.
Bosch 3397007297 Original Equipment Replacement Wiper Blade - 24"/20" (Set of 2)

The only issue I've experienced is when I use the single swipe and get a stutter on the right blade only.
Is it possible that the wiper motor's torque is slightly reduced with the single swipe mode or there isn't enough washer fluid on the windshield?

[jygesq]

the 297 wipers are the correct ones for our cars according to the chart on the wiper box. I have not changed them, but others say they OEM manufacture.

[SwankP3RF3ct10n]

Can you confirm those are the right part numbers for the B8.5? Amazon and Europaparts both say they don't fit my car.

Yes, those are the right ones. There's no difference between the years on B8/B8.5, they're all the same.

[JustPlaneChris]

Thanks!

[VeeDubbinJetta]

My 2014 A4 does exactly the same thing and has done so since new. Everytime the car goes into the dealer I have them look into it. I was convinced it was the windshield but after reading this thread it sounds like it's just an Audi thing. I've done the polish, razor blade, clay bar, etc. I've gone through about 10 sets of wiper blades in 3 years of ownership thanks to Audi. Mine is the worst on single swipe mode but still is pretty bad on intermittent. Amount of water has no effect either. At this point I've just learned to live with it. Might give those Valeo blades a try

[Supersquid]

I think Rain-x changed their formula back to the original because I have put over 6 gallons through my car without any issue. There was a "new blend" that actually looked redish in color which I think was the issue. Also i like to use silicone wiper blades to avoid the chatter/squeak, PIAA is the brand I prefer and they do have one model that fits our cars I believe. The PIAA blades will be on my car the next time I need replacements.

Yes. Wiper material matters.

I went to vinyl wiper blades after a most frustrating year of scrubbing & treating my glass w/ no improvement. I did the razor, alcohol, glass treatment, clay bar, and vinegar - all to no avail. My mechanic swore by the vinyl blades, and voila! The rubber blades were cheaper and never worked right. I found Stoner's Invisible Glass to be the most helpful effective glass cleaner and use it exclusively on my and my wife's vehicles. Careful w/ the tint, though. Make sure the alcohol won't damage it. Heard some horror stories.


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[JustPlaneChris]

Interesting. Which brand is vinyl?

[chi123]

Mine has the same issue. Wipers would start skipping across the windshield after some use. Doesn't matter how wet the windshield is either. Tried cleaning the glass as best as I can and replaced the OEMs with Valeo wipers and they have the same exact problem. Wondering if it has anything to do with how much the wiper arm is tightened down.

[JWreck]

I would also like to know which brand is vinyl. The PIAA recommended here make me nervous, since they supposedly "coat the windshield with a silicone layer".

[Supersquid]

These are the ones I got. Be advised, they aren't very aerodynamic, and will leave a few spots at higher speeds. Still totally worth it, though.

https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-3397118933-Original-Equipment-Replacement/dp/B002G3OG6S


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[JustPlaneChris]

Bah. Bosch is what I have installed, and they chatter like crazed monkeys. Oh well.

[pdqgp]

Bah. Bosch is what I have installed, and they chatter like crazed monkeys. Oh well.

See my post #28. Invest in a few products and you will say goodbye to chatter and skips forever. I use this combo on my own cars and every car I detail, which is 1-2 per week as a side hobby/gig.

[JustPlaneChris]

Thanks, I will give it a try.

[JustPlaneChris]

See my post #28. Invest in a few products and you will say goodbye to chatter and skips forever. I use this combo on my own cars and every car I detail, which is 1-2 per week as a side hobby/gig.

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it doesn't work. I spent fifty bucks for the products, followed the instructions, and they still skip, chatter, and slap the windshield just like before. The only benefit I got was easy bug removal on a 10 day road trip, but regular old RainX will do that for a helluva lot less money.

My advice for anyone else thinking about trying the products in post #28 is to save your money. Or better yet, use that money to buy a bottle of good liquor of your choice because the effing wipers in the S4 will drive you to drink! [headbang]

[pdqgp]

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it doesn't work. I spent fifty bucks for the products, followed the instructions, and they still skip, chatter, and slap the windshield just like before. The only benefit I got was easy bug removal on a 10 day road trip, but regular old RainX will do that for a helluva lot less money.

My advice for anyone else thinking about trying the products in post #28 is to save your money. Or better yet, use that money to buy a bottle of good liquor of your choice because the effing wipers in the S4 will drive you to drink! [headbang]

My Guess is that it's your Wiper Arms and they need adjusted:

It's likely your wiper blades or wiper arm tension. Over time they can torque/twist especially in hot climates where they may not get used often. If your blades are stuttering up or down the windshield in only one direction, most likely the blade is not perpendicular to the glass. Do they skip on the up/down or both stroke? twist the wiper arm to correct this. watch this video to see what I mean (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHTjwpC44zo). Please use a rag to prevent from scratching the arm though. [>_<]


The wipers you should be using are:

Valeo 9002411B Frameless ULTIMATE 24" All-Season OE Replacement Wiper Blade (https://www.amazon.com/Valeo-9002411B-Frameless-All-Season-Replacement/dp/B00411RDN6/ref=au_as_r?_encoding=UTF8&Make=Audi%7C73&Model=S4%7C981&Year=2014%7C2014&ie=UTF8&n=15684181&s=automotive&vehicleId=2&vehicleType=automotive)
Valeo 900209B Frameless ULTIMATE 20" All-Season OE Replacement Wiper Blade (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00411RCXC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

I have had mine on for 14 months here in Ohio and no issues with them. They are great.

Once the blades are parallel, if you did what I explained to a T you shouldn't be having problems. In fact you won't be using your wipers much except around town under 40mph. Again, I detail 1-2 cars per week and this is my process. Never an issue. Eraser Gel and a Magic Eraser will strip that baby to nothing but bare glass. The McKee's Glass coating will fill in the pits and seal the surface. Optiseal does the same thing but isn't as hydrophobic.


Longer shot in your case but does cause issues:

Could potentially be crud built up in the tank too. I've pulled tanks where people have scum like residue inside from adding Rain-X and other simliar solutions or 3rd party hydrophobic garbage. If you bought it used then that might be part of the problem. Stick with the regular flavor blue stuff.

[JustPlaneChris]

Thanks for the tips, I will have to check the arms. They chatter in BOTH directions, but what's annoying is they don't chatter on every stroke. Sometimes they are smooth, and I think "Yay, the latest thing I tried works" and 5 minutes later they are chattering so hard they slap the windshield.

It took several applications of the Eraser Gel with Magic Eraser to get the windshield to sheet water all the way across. I then applied the McKee's according to their instructions. It definitely kept bug guts from sticking, and the glass felt great to the touch.

My wiper blades are brand new Bosch, not the Valeo. I guess that's the one additional thing I can dump money into trying to fix this!

Oh, and there's nothing but the regular blue stuff in the washer tank. In fact, the washer hasn't even been used since I cleaned and prepped the windshield for the road trip I just returned from.

[pdqgp]

Thanks for the tips, I will have to check the arms. They chatter in BOTH directions, but what's annoying is they don't chatter on every stroke. Sometimes they are smooth, and I think "Yay, the latest thing I tried works" and 5 minutes later they are chattering so hard they slap the windshield.

It took several applications of the Eraser Gel with Magic Eraser to get the windshield to sheet water all the way across. I then applied the McKee's according to their instructions. It definitely kept bug guts from sticking, and the glass felt great to the touch.

My wiper blades are brand new Bosch, not the Valeo. I guess that's the one additional thing I can dump money into trying to fix this!

Oh, and there's nothing but the regular blue stuff in the washer tank. In fact, the washer hasn't even been used since I cleaned and prepped the windshield for the road trip I just returned from.



Good to see you follwed the steps. I'm confident you have the glass treated and prepped and ready to wipe. Can't comment on Bosch and how they perform as I've only ever replaced the originals with the OEM Valeo's noted. If you buy them and try them worst thing is you can simply return them to Amazon. They take most anything back even opened.

I would bet its the arms. I have a vid and some pics of the wipers on our van as vans are known for chattering. Must have something to do with the lenght and size of the wipers and glass. Stay tuned. Will update later.

[cspcrx]

Mine get used very little here in Phoenix, so based on the information above I am at the greatest risk of having this issue. I notice a similar issue in it is not consistent in any one direction of the sweep or consistent with every sweep.

It is loud as heck though!

In for the ultimate fix.

[JustPlaneChris]

Good to see you follwed the steps. I'm confident you have the glass treated and prepped and ready to wipe. Can't comment on Bosch and how they perform as I've only ever replaced the originals with the OEM Valeo's noted. If you buy them and try them worst thing is you can simply return them to Amazon. They take most anything back even opened.

I would bet its the arms. I have a vid and some pics of the wipers on our van as vans are known for chattering. Must have something to do with the lenght and size of the wipers and glass. Stay tuned. Will update later.
The wipers are dead nuts perpendicular to the glass, so it's not an arm issue. I was under the impression that the Bosche were the OEM wiper, but I will likely give the Valeo a try.

I'm also going to re-clean and re-apply the McKee's. I have to do something, even just returning them to rest from the maintenance position they jumped all the way down. It's astonishing that Audi got so much right with this car, but failed so miserably on something so basic. In my 30+ years of driving, I've never had a car with wipers as troublesome as this one.

[JWreck]

It's astonishing that Audi got so much right with this car, but failed so miserably on something so basic. In my 30+ years of driving, I've never had a car with wipers as troublesome as this one.

I told my dealership the same thing. They proceeded to tell me that A3s have this problem all the time.

Maybe we should be getting Audi NA involved.


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[cspcrx]

They will if the NTSB climbs up the tail when someone says they could not see and crashed because the wipers fail to properly clean the windshield

[sirsycott]

wow i've never had this issue in the 3 years of owning my b8.5 s4

very interesting to say in the least, i've gone through 2 sets of oem and valeo wipers
and i also have tons of pits from rocks , but thankfully i haven't had this issue everyone seems to be reporting on

[Lamprey]

I may have missed it, but the people having the "shuddering" issue, what brand/kind of window cleaner are you using?

I've been using the Audi/VW brand concentrate exclusively and haven't had any issues (neither with the stock blades or the Valeo blades). Probably doesn't have anything to do with it, but just curious.

https://www.europaparts.com/windshield-washer-solvent-concentrate-zaw096311a.html

[JustPlaneChris]

I use whatever the dealer tops it off with at service time. In reality, I think I've only used the washers twice in the 4 months I've had the car.

[pdqgp]

The wipers are dead nuts perpendicular to the glass, so it's not an arm issue. I was under the impression that the Bosche were the OEM wiper, but I will likely give the Valeo a try.

I'm also going to re-clean and re-apply the McKee's. I have to do something, even just returning them to rest from the maintenance position they jumped all the way down. It's astonishing that Audi got so much right with this car, but failed so miserably on something so basic. In my 30+ years of driving, I've never had a car with wipers as troublesome as this one.


Do a baggie test on the windshield. Put your hand in a sandwich bag...thin one and run your fingers across the glass. If it feels perfectly smooth an clean you don't need to re-clean it. Wipe it down with an IPA mix at say 20% concentration and then reapply another coating of McKee's Window Coating. Clean your windows with your favorite cleaner one last time and go from there.

If you're still getting shudders, it's like the blades. I mean you could polish the glass with Ceriglass and a Rayon Pad but I don't think that's necessary. Do they shudder when dry or only when wet?

Wife was out all day in the rain but by the time I got home it stopped so here's our van which had it's windshield cleaned and coated way back March. Coating still functions like day one and the wipers are smooth flowing. You can hear a bit of grit on the windshield though as it's just rained and it's wiping dirt around, plus, it's been months.... But still, smooth and hydrophobic.


https://youtu.be/5BS-MdMQX-k

[cspcrx]

It actually rained enough today that I had to use my wipers, yes it does rain in the desert some times all be it rarely.

So I noticed mine are fine on the upswing, no chatter. But on the downswing they both chatter. They did it every time then went two or three swipes with no chatter on the downswing. Then did it again almost every sweep.

I need to put them in the service position to see how they are positioned on the glass. If the video with the mini in it is true than mine should be leaning upward whish is why they do not chatter on the upswing.

[pdqgp]

Here's a quick vid of my S4 with the same McKee's 37 Glass Coating on it. Zero squeaks or shudders from the wipers and water just rolls right off.

I'll try and get a better example upon the next rain. I'll also be doing our nieghbors minivan windshield this weekend. Full strip, polish with Ceriglass to remove scratches and then coating. Will document for those that haven't done this before.

Coating on my car has been on about 6 weeks.


https://youtu.be/8AdkdMNHa8E

[JWreck]

Here's a quick vid of my S4 with the same McKee's 37 Glass Coating on it. Zero squeaks or shudders from the wipers and water just rolls right off.

I'll try and get a better example upon the next rain. I'll also be doing our nieghbors minivan windshield this weekend. Full strip, polish with Ceriglass to remove scratches and then coating. Will document for those that haven't done this before.

Coating on my car has been on about 6 weeks.


https://youtu.be/8AdkdMNHa8E

I wish my wipers worked like that


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[JustPlaneChris]

I wish my wipers worked like that


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Me too. Not even close. And even when they don't shudder, they leave a white-ish smear behind, not a clean clear glass like that.

[JWreck]

I'm scared to touch the glass for fear of creating more problems


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[JWreck]

I've always steered clear of hydrophobic coatings from folks saying they have to re-apply it a lot to keep wipers from skipping even worse than before.


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[whiped]

Valeo 9002411B Frameless ULTIMATE 24" All-Season OE Replacement Wiper Blade (https://www.amazon.com/Valeo-9002411B-Frameless-All-Season-Replacement/dp/B00411RDN6/ref=au_as_r?_encoding=UTF8&Make=Audi%7C73&Model=S4%7C981&Year=2014%7C2014&ie=UTF8&n=15684181&s=automotive&vehicleId=2&vehicleType=automotive)
Valeo 900209B Frameless ULTIMATE 20" All-Season OE Replacement Wiper Blade (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00411RCXC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

I picked these up when they were on sale a few months back for $22 for the set.

Few weeks afterwards my old ones started streaking. Since swapping to these I've had -0- issues. No streaks, squeaks or other annoyances.

Well worth the $20 if you can find them on sale.

[pdqgp]

I'm scared to touch the glass for fear of creating more problems

Let go of the fear. Really, no worries. The key to this is preparing the glass and ensuring the wipers are solid. Both are easy to do. Worst case if needed (I'll be doing our van and posting details) is you could polish the glass with Ceriglass and a Rayon Pad. THis will remove any scratches or wiper trails and of course any previous products.



I've always steered clear of hydrophobic coatings from folks saying they have to re-apply it a lot to keep wipers from skipping even worse than before.

Cheap ones like Rain-X and Aquapel yes, but not a true glass coating. IF and that's a big if or even if you wish to skip a hydrophobic coating that would bond to the glass, just use Optimum Optiseal. It works just as good the only difference is it won't last as long. 2 mos vs 12-18 months for a coating. I do both. If a customer that I detail doesn't wan tthe coating, I apply Optiseal and they most always thank me later.

[JWreck]

Let go of the fear. Really, no worries. The key to this is preparing the glass and ensuring the wipers are solid. Both are easy to do. Worst case if needed (I'll be doing our van and posting details) is you could polish the glass with Ceriglass and a Rayon Pad. THis will remove any scratches or wiper trails and of course any previous products.




Cheap ones like Rain-X and Aquapel yes, but not a true glass coating. IF and that's a big if or even if you wish to skip a hydrophobic coating that would bond to the glass, just use Optimum Optiseal. It works just as good the only difference is it won't last as long. 2 mos vs 12-18 months for a coating. I do both. If a customer that I detail doesn't wan tthe coating, I apply Optiseal and they most always thank me later.

Is there truth to the rumor or what I've read that the windshield has a coating of something on the top layer and polishing it removes it?

Sounds so dumb now that I've typed it out.


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[pdqgp]

Is there truth to the rumor or what I've read that the windshield has a coating of something on the top layer and polishing it removes it?

Sounds so dumb now that I've typed it out.



Never heard that before. The only concerns around polishing are when using a rotary vs a DA unit. Rotary will remove much deeper scratches but one has to be careful just as with paint to prevent any holograms. That's not an issue with a DA unit and rayon pads. You can easily polish out light scratches and bump the clarity of the glass.

[pdqgp]

Here's a quick video showing the Ceriglass Polish, results and of course the coating.


https://youtu.be/Dc7-bTV3aTs

[JWreck]

Just ordered McKee's glass coating to try out. Once it arrives we will see. This issue always gets brought back up on rainy days like today. If it works I will be super happy.

[JustPlaneChris]

Now that we've had some rain (after almost 2 months with none) I can report that the Valeo wipers are NOT CHATTERING. What a relief.

[JWreck]

Now that we've had some rain (after almost 2 months with none) I can report that the Valeo wipers are NOT CHATTERING. What a relief.

Nice! I'll pick some of those up too for after my cleaning!

It's been a good rain the last couple of days too!


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[JustPlaneChris]

I honestly didn't think they would help, but they did. I noticed they are much more curved out of the box, which means more pre-load against the windshield. Maybe that's the difference compared to the Bosche, or maybe it's the material. In any case, it's good to be chatter free.

[cspcrx]

It rained the other day here as well. I paid closer attention to what was going on.

Only the drivers side wiper is chattering. It only chatters on the down stroke and or is not the entire blade that seems to be chattering. Based on the water left behind when it chatters its only the upper 1/3 of the wiper that does it.

If it was the lean of the wiper I would think the entire wiper would chatter not just the upper 3rd. Drove me nuts the entire drive home!

[14S4GWM]

I find if my wipers are actually in the on position then they chatter but if I have it set to intermittent they dont. Drives me crazy

[Acejam]

A few observations and suggestions that may be helpful...
1. Audi discourages the use of windshield coatings like Rain-X because it can leave a film and obscure visibility

Audi discourages the uses of Rain-X because it clogs Audi-branded windshield washer lines and reservoirs. I believe there was even an internal memo for dealers sent out about this long ago.

[JWreck]

Here's a quick video showing the Ceriglass Polish, results and of course the coating.


https://youtu.be/Dc7-bTV3aTs

Ok so I did this over the weekend. I used a 3M glass polish that the dealership uses, recommended by Audi. Then I followed up with a coating of McKee's.

Looks great except I feel like there's a slight hologram effect now. I'm assuming this would be from the polisher but I used a DA, I didn't think it would be easy to leave holograms on glass since it's so much harder than paint.

If I needed to remove the coating and polish more how do you remove the coating? Any other thoughts?


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[JWreck]

So update, I think it was actually the McKees that is causing the holograms. They're more of a swiping look than a polishing look. Kind of annoying in direct light.


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[Wreckm]

My driver side has been skipping and not doing its job for some time now.
Just recently bought some chemical guys cleaning / waxing products.
Got the Chemical guys blitz acrylic spray and the guy at the shop actually told me to use it on the windows also.
Haven't used the blades in awhile and when i used it last week when we had some rain windows wiped perfectly no skipping cleaned the window great!

[JWreck]

Raining today. No skipping, just major streaks. I'm beginning to regret messing with the windshield


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