Has anyone ever dealt with this windshield wiper problem before (Video Inside)

[SVTF-150]

So about a year ago I picked up some new OEM blades to eliminate the passenger side wiper missing a large portion of the windshield... I installed the new blades but the problem didnt go away. Switched back to the old blades (as they were fine besides the original problem), and threw the new ones in the garage for when the old ones kicked the bucket. Fast forward to this month, I took the car in for one last big CPO session before my warranty ran out, and mentioned the wiper problem to my service manager. He said the arm was most likely bent and that it would not be covered under CPO. I picked up a new arm, installed the thing, and switched to the new (but sitting in my garage for a year) blades.

As of day one (last week) with the new blades, I have experienced a bizzare "chattering" or "shuttering" problem that I have not been able to diagnose. I cleaned the windshield (glass cleaner, clay bar, glass cleaner, buff), cleaned the blades (rubbing alcohol), and tried rain-x, but the problem has not gone away. Nobody I've spoken to has been able to shed any light on this situation, and I've been forced to drive around in an obscene amount of rain using my wipers once every two minutes or so fr the past week... so I figured I would post here...

Full disclosure:
- Like I said, the new blades were sitting around for a while. The rubber might be bad, but I cant imagine how that could happen
- During installation, the arm that attaches the wiper motor to the wiper arms fell off and my mechanic had to remove both wiper arms in order to reattach the little engine arm located under the wiper cowl.

I've searched, wracked my brain, and even asked the stealership (dealer said they had some angle adjustment they could do, but my mechanic said there's no adjustment that can be made). Seriously, what the hell... Do I just have a bad set of wipers, or is there really some adjustment that got thrown off during my wiper arm install?

Sorry for the long-winded-ness... here is the video (first swipe is bad, second one isnt, third one is horrid)



Oh and please dont just say "your windshield wasnt very wet"... this happens on the lowest setting during downpours... as a matter of fact, the wetter the windshield is, the worse the chattering is.

Help!

[B6JoeS4]

Is the windshield an OEM windshield or is it some crappy PPG stuff. that might affect it.

i think you just got a bad set of blades

[drew]

i've had brand new blades do that before. it went away...

[robertbutnar]

I have a set of aero wipers i can sell you for pretty cheap due to some sun spots on them (fully functional) you would just need new Blades

[zrowcool]

try silicone spray on the wipers or pledge on the glass (the furniture stuff). Your windshield needs something on it that lets the blades glide a bit better. looks like they are too new or too much pressure being put on the glass. there is an adjustment to the angle of the blades but i think a simpler fix would be to soften up the rubber on the wipers or put a wax finish on the glass that will let them glide better.

[Roadrunner143]

happened to me. changed the blades (bought new ones). problem solved.

[SVTF-150]

Is the windshield an OEM windshield or is it some crappy PPG stuff. that might affect it.

i think you just got a bad set of blades

its the original OEM windshield and this was never a problem for the first 34k i owned the car :(

try silicone spray on the wipers or pledge on the glass (the furniture stuff). Your windshield needs something on it that lets the blades glide a bit better. looks like they are too new or too much pressure being put on the glass. there is an adjustment to the angle of the blades but i think a simpler fix would be to soften up the rubber on the wipers or put a wax finish on the glass that will let them glide better.

i hoped the rain-x would have solved that problem. at first it seemed like it did, but then they started chattering again. i'll give the silicone spray a shot

thanks for all the help so far guys

[steveo_01vwgolf]

mine does the same thing. annoying and loud as hell. scares the shit out of my wife sometimes.

[dparm]

My dad worked in Bosch's wiper division for about 25 years so I know a thing or two about this.


First, what blades are on there? How old are they? When were they installed/changed?

Is the glass clean? What have you tried cleaning it with?

[road race s4]

Is the glass clean? What have you tried cleaning it with?

I cleaned the windshield (glass cleaner, clay bar, glass cleaner, buff), cleaned the blades (rubbing alcohol), and tried rain-x, but the problem has not gone away.

I would try some silicone spray as suggested above.

[dparm]

RainX makes it a million times worse. You should NOT be coating the windows with anything.

Again, please tell me more about the age of the blades, when they were installed, what blades they are, etc.

[SVTF-150]

My dad worked in Bosch's wiper division for about 25 years so I know a thing or two about this.


First, what blades are on there? How old are they? When were they installed/changed?

Is the glass clean? What have you tried cleaning it with?

OEM Aero blades

Bought the blades last October, never used them until last week when I installed them. They were sitting in my garage in their original packaging, but they were opened.

The glass is insanely clean (I'm a detailer). Washed and car-bladed, then blown off and hand dried, then buffed... this was right before installing the wipers. After they seemed to not be working correctly, I used invisible glass and buffed... after that didnt work, i used invisible glass and buffed... clay barred with detail spray, then dried and buffed... invisible glass again then buffed... then rain-x'ed. Same results every time. (ps when i say 'buffed', i dont mean with a buffer or PC, I simply use a clean microfiber on the already cleaned window to remove any streaks/residue).

My two biggest worries are:
1. Bad wiper blades
2. Something was messed up when my mechanic had to pop both arms off then put them back on.

[dparm]

I'm betting the rubber took a weird set from being in the garage all year. From the video it looks like the rubber isn't "flipping" correctly on the downstroke.

[smitty0583]

My blades have the same problem!!!! i'm going to grab a new set of blades tomorrow hopefully it works out!!

[B6JoeS4]

Since you are a detailer, I would try hitting it with a finish polish with a medium cut pad. i do that to my windows and every car i detail and it greatly improves the clarity and smoothness of the glass.

I do clay, Meg's M205 with a green pad on my PC with the speed at 5. usually 4-5 passes. then either clean with stoner's or an application of Aquapel (worlds better than rain-x)

[SVTF-150]

Since you are a detailer, I would try hitting it with a finish polish with a medium cut pad. i do that to my windows and every car i detail and it greatly improves the clarity and smoothness of the glass.

I do clay, Meg's M205 with a green pad on my PC with the speed at 5. usually 4-5 passes. then either clean with stoner's or an application of Aquapel (worlds better than rain-x)

havent every ventured into the land of cutting on glass... never felt i had the need to. guess i could give it a try, but i still dont think it would solve this problem :( I'll give it a shot on the s for my pre-winter detail. I don't have any 205, but I do have Menzerna SIP and Meg's 105. Do you think the 105 would be a bit much?

[SVTF-150]

I'm betting the rubber took a weird set from being in the garage all year. From the video it looks like the rubber isn't "flipping" correctly on the downstroke.

damnit... so you think i essenially blew $40, and need to grab a new set?

[B6JoeS4]

So you only have two cut compounds and not a finishing polish? I guess the SIP with a finishing pad would be fine. only 2-3 passes though. still, you should have a finishing polish in your arsenal. M105 does finish down nicely light colored cars. its when you try to finish off with m105 n a black car that you realize how much it leaves behind. my favorite by far is the M205

[SVTF-150]

no, i do have a few different finishing polishes and sealers... i'm a big fan of P085RD. as far as the 105, i really have only used that on the s's tarnished metal trim pieces. the SIP, P085RD, Einzett glanz with appropriate pads combo has pretty much taken care of everything i've been faced with thus far. i don't own a freestanding business (i simply learned out how detail at a friend's high end car spa, and help out at the car club i used to work for full time for in the sales division/detail for club members and friends), so i haven't had to deal with any situations in which major paint correction has been an issue. this db9 was the worst paint i've seen so far, and i didnt really want to experiment with it :)

before


after


the result of the rest of that weekend's work:

[dparm]

damnit... so you think i essenially blew $40, and need to grab a new set?

Yes. Buy wipers when you need them or this sort of thing happens. Or at least, if you must buy them in advance, buy them and keep them inside where the temperature is constant.

[SVTF-150]

Yes. Buy wipers when you need them or this sort of thing happens. Or at least, if you must buy them in advance, buy them and keep them inside where the temperature is constant.

like i said though, i planned on using them last year when i bought them but found out the blades werent what was causing the problem, it was the bent arm. guess you live and learn though :) . i'm going to wipe the blades with silicone spray and let them sit overnight off the windshield. if that doesnt do the trick, then its new wipers for me

thanks for all the help man, i really appreciate it!

[drew]

hahahah....thread about windshield wipers with over 20 replies.

epic...=)

[dparm]

It's an important safety item, one that's often neglected or overlooked!

[SVTF-150]

hahahah....thread about windshield wipers with over 20 replies.

epic...=)

hehehe.... aaaaathank you!

It's an important safety item, one that's often neglected or overlooked!

agreed!

as a reward for everyones help, ill post these pictures of this totally S1CK b5 that i saw yesterday that i posted on EA. i heard this thing has like 800whp and a rear wheel drive conversion!?!111!



and now for the money shot...

[dparm]