Stupid wiper blades + cabin filter glovebox

So my driver's side wiper starts chattering and skipping - no biggie, I call up my dealer and they say "bring it in!"

 

I do, they replace both wipers (arms and blades), I get to test drive an '07 Spec.B (nice, but the six speed wasn't as smooth as I was led to believe it would be - I was glad to get back into my car), etc, yay.

 

This morning, it's raining, so I fire up the wipers thinking "ha ha, new wipers FTW!" and the driver's side wiper (and only the driver's side) starts streaking like crazy. I spritz it with the squirter (intercooler?) fluid, no luck, and even wipe it down on the side of the road like an idiot, and it continues to streak. Time to go back to the dealer...

 

What the heck is up with these blades? Also, where do I get a wiper arm with that stupid little spoiler? Anco and Bosch don't sell one like the LGT's, but does the wing even matter?

 

Also, while at the dealer I complained about the fabric in the glove box that covers the cabin air filter access coming loose. I've glued it back in place a couple of times, but either the velcro or the fabric keeps coming loose. The service manager is going to try and get regional to let him install an '06 glove box in place of my recalled hacksaw special. So that's good.

 

Anyway, that's my bit**ing for this morning - let me know if anyone knows of a better wiper option.

 

Thanks,

Ryan

You can get PIAA Super Silicone blades with or without a spoiler...

 

http://www.tirerack.com/images/accessories/product_images/piaa/spoiler_black_detail.jpg

 

The Bosch Icon blade is low profile and has a built in spoiler...

 

http://www.bosch.us/content/language1/img_boschLive/news_0602_iconwiper_header.jpg

^^^^^ Icon blades made a huge improvement for me. It actually wipes the bug splat off the glass with two wipes! No chatter, no fuss. I'm in a hurry to see how they clear snow.

Chattering can be due to the wiper arm being "torqued" in one direction or the other. Say you were looking at the blade from the tip toward the pivot point...if the arm is not holding the blade perpendicular to the glass it can chatter. The fix it to take an adjustable wrench (a Crescent wrench) and put it on the flat potrion of the wiper arm (not the blade) and twist the arm slightly (don't over do it). If the wiper chatters on the way up the glass, twist the arm counter clockwise and if it chatters on the down stroke, twist the arm clockwise (directions are looking at the tip of the blade toward the pivot point).

Chattering can be due to the wiper arm being "torqued" in one direction or the other.

 

In this case, the old arm had lost its "spring" - probably due to living thorough a fine Michigan winter. The new wiper isn't chattering, it's just streaking. That's a good technique for fixing wipers, however - I'll have to remember it.

 

Thanks,

Ryan

What the heck is up with these blades? Also, where do I get a wiper arm with that stupid little spoiler? Anco and Bosch don't sell one like the LGT's, but does the wing even matter?

 

I just got some replacement blades myself and was wondering the same thing. Does the little wing have any real effect?

Good to know I'm not alone...

 

I have the same problem, driver side wiper blade only. I've already had two OEM blade replacements, and finally a third (aftermarket) replacement with Valeo Ultimate wiper blades (from TireRack), which are basically identical to the Bosch Icon blades.

 

http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/valeo/ultimate.jsp

 

The wiper blade chatters/skips in both directions, but it's more pronounced on the downstroke. Should I ask the dealer to replace the entire wiper arm? It's really making me hate the car, and I know that there's probably an easy solution for this. It's just driving me nuts!

I have some chatter on driver side wiper. That was happening with stock blade, then with PIAA blade and now with Valeo. So this is definately some problem with the wiper arm.

 

I went to the dealer today. They could not fix it, and wanted to put some wax on my windshield. Luckily in the last second I stopped them!

 

I was there for another issue, and had no time to waste there, but next time I'll come with the stock wiper and they better fix it. They said the arms are not adjustable in any way.

 

Anyone got the issue resolved?

My driver side wiper blade still chatters 50% of the time and I still have the Valeo blades. (As I wrote above, I'd already replaced the OEM blades twice prior to trying the Valeos.)

^ so I gather your dealer was of no help, or you didn't try?

^ so I gather your dealer was of no help, or you didn't try?

 

I haven't returned to ask them yet, but I will soon. I intend to get an oil change in a week or two, or whenever I can get an appt. At the same time, I'll ask them if they could replace the wiper arm (but keep the Valeo blade) as well as look at one or two other minor annoyances.

 

I'll make sure to post here again once I have my car in for service pretty soon.