Wipers slightly stuck up - Mk5 GTI

[jessv3]

Hi All,

I have this old guy who comes to my work and washes my car for me, he does a good job and is well priced but last week I went out side to see where he was up to and noticed my front wipers were hanging forward, and my car was locked so I asked him: how did you get them forward? (as I'm aware you cant pull the wipers up unless you activate the wiper service mode, i.e to change wiper blades). He then showed me how he was getting them forward, by pushing the passenger side wiper up a little bit then hanging the wipers forward ever since he has done that the wipers no longer sit all the way down, as in they don't stick up from the windscreen but rather they aren't in the same position they use to be in so i can see them clearly when im driving when previously I couldn't. They still seem to wipe the windscreen fine?

I have played around with the functions including putting the wipers in service mode, but still cant get them back to that original spot where they sat flush and couldn't be seen whilst driving.

Does anyone have any idea's? could it be stuck in this position permanently?

Cheers,
Jesse

[phaeton]

Depending on whether he actually bent anything, perhaps a VAG-COM scan could reset the position ??

[jazd]

Heh didnt even know there was a service mode. Havent really had a need for it yet.

For those who dont know

[Maverick]

Heh didnt even know there was a service mode. Havent really had a need for it yet.

How do you know you haven't had a need for it yet? Haven't you washed your car? RTFM as it has heaps of information on things you won't know about.

[phaeton]

I use it sometimes to clean the blades myself.

Fantastic thing to learn especially when I work around them

[ope126]

Might be time to choose another old guy to wash your car...

[Maverick]

Might be time to choose another old guy to wash your car...

They'll end up doing the same thing if he doesn't bother to either park his wipers or show them how to park the wipers.

[jazd]

How do you know you haven't had a need for it yet? Haven't you washed your car? RTFM as it has heaps of information on things you won't know about.

U can lift the wipers a little and get under them when u r washing, but I did wonder how they came up.

[benough]

He might have just moved them a gear tooth on the motor. It might be worth taking them off the moving them back (Hard job I know)

You could try it on under warranty?

[Maverick]

He might have just moved them a gear tooth on the motor. It might be worth taking them off the moving them back (Hard job I know)

You could try it on under warranty?

The way to tell this would be to put the wipers into the park position, if they are touching the side of the A pillar then they have shifted and it may be possible to loosen them up and reattach them but it could also mean that the shaft they attach to has damaged the arms by them being rotated manually too many times.

[jessv3]

Unfortunately the car is out of warranty. Personally I believe the wipers are a design floor on vw's part. I can only imagine how many people have been through similar situations with their wipers, i.e when those homeless guys try and clean your windscreen when your at the lights in the city.

I don't think the shaft or gear tooth is damaged as he showed me when he pushed it up he was using very little effort. I think its more likely to be that the setting has changed and maybe the motor needs to be re-calibrated so that the wiper returns to its normal position?

[benough]

How is it a flaw?

They are under the bonnet to decrease drag and noise. They also have a specific method for access and cleaning. The Space Shuttle doesn't have a design flaw because the "driver's door" is 80M in the air.

May I suggest you look on the Ross Tech Wiki for a wiper setting. If so, armed with beer/wine someone locally with a VAGCOM might sort you out

[jessv3]

How is it a flaw?

They are under the bonnet to decrease drag and noise. They also have a specific method for access and cleaning. The Space Shuttle doesn't have a design flaw because the "driver's door" is 80M in the air.

May I suggest you look on the Ross Tech Wiki for a wiper setting. If so, armed with beer/wine someone locally with a VAGCOM might sort you out

I guess its subjective to whether drag and noise are really decreased or if it is a space saving exercise, Ive owned plenty of VAG cars in the past and the GTI is the first one to have the wipers under the bonnet. My car is actually due for a service so I might get the guys at vw to reset them (if its even possible).

Thanks Guys

[Maverick]

Unfortunately the car is out of warranty. Personally I believe the wipers are a design floor on vw's part. I can only imagine how many people have been through similar situations with their wipers, i.e when those homeless guys try and clean your windscreen when your at the lights in the city.

If the owners can't be bothered to RTFM it's their own fault and more cars are coming out with semi concealed wipers for the reasons that benough pointed out. As for the homeless bums who touch the car, if they damage the bonnet or the wipers it's criminal damage.

I don't think the shaft or gear tooth is damaged as he showed me when he pushed it up he was using very little effort. I think its more likely to be that the setting has changed and maybe the motor needs to be re-calibrated so that the wiper returns to its normal position?

There is no setting and the motor can't be calibrated, to adjust the wipers you have to undo the arm and adjust it on the spline. There is always some play in the wipers when parked which is due to it's special parking feature (which you can read about in the manual).

[Maverick]

I guess its subjective to whether drag and noise are really decreased or if it is a space saving exercise, Ive owned plenty of VAG cars in the past and the GTI is the first one to have the wipers under the bonnet.

It's not subjective at all, it saves fuel, increases the life of the blades and reduces noise. I assume the GTI is the newest of the VW cars you've owned so it's not surprising that it's the first to have semi concealed wipers as it's one of the many constant improvements that VW make with each model.