Windscreen Wipers Skipping / Shuddering / Squeaking

[khamtran]

I took my Golf Mk6 in for the 15,000km service last month and also had the wipers replaced.

I was quite shocked when I found out that they charged $45.97 for each of the front wipers. I was told that that's how much these new areo wipers cost so I accepted that.

Anyhow, it has only been a bit over 5 weeks since the service and the wipers are skipping. I've cleaned them with a soft wet cloth which helps a little but after some rain they start skipping again. The washer reservoir also contains the proper washer additive. The car is also garaged nightly and is rarely left out in the sun.

I wanted to know if there is a warranty period for these types of things. I'm quite annoyed because my original set lasted over 9 months without skipping. Has anyone else had a similar problem?

I haven't contacted the service centre yet but I will in the next day or so.

[SilvrFoxX]

Are you talking about the blades.? if so they cant be that special.. I would go get a set of $15 silicon jobs

[Romp]

Are you talking about the blades.? if so they cant be that special.. I would go get a set of $15 silicon jobs

Agreed, +1

[Corey_R]

They are not "standard" jobbies like what many people are used to putting on their Toyotas and Commodores and the like - they're Bosch Aeroblades. They don't have the old "4 or 8 point pressure frame" on them. There is no frame, only a single attachment point, and the blade itself provides the pressure.

Mavericks My GTI site has details on order codes and approx prices.
I've done a search around the webs and you can order from Bosch suppliers rather than VW. But it'll cost you a bit more than $15.

[SilvrFoxX]

bugger.. do they make them in Silicon

[Corey_R]

Since they're a Bosch product, and not just some no-name oem crap often used by other manufacturers, I'd be very surprised if they're not already a silicon blend...


As for the skipping issue. I find that I've only had that when I have some contaminent on the windscreen... a thorough cleaning with a good automotive glass cleaner and microfibre cloth has fixed that up for me on the 1 occasion I've had it. Use the same cleaner on the blades too! (I just use Meguiars glass cleaner btw... it's probably one of the few Megs products which is actually any good!)

[SilvrFoxX]

This was posted on another forum but believe it now was posted here somewhere

VW Golf wiper blades

[Corey_R]

Yeah - I saw that... but I'm not convinced that standard blades (for traditional frame based wipers) have the weight and to properly support themselves and provide pressure to the screen etc... I don't know...


The Bosch blades are the best I've ever used on any car... including swapping out 3 different brands of silicon blades within a few months back in my pre-VW days cause I wasn't happy with the OEM ones on previous cars.

If they're skipping on the Golf, I'd just fix why they're skipping. Also, don't replace them in 15,000km - they really don't need it - unless you only do 15,000km in like 5 years... they don't need it. If they did need it, it'd make me wonder about what products are being used to clean the car, or where the car is being parked etc, which has made them deteriorate so quickly - and whether that is what is possibly causing the skipping...

[pologti18t]

As has been said before. VW supply a blade replacement kit for the Aeroblade wipers for about $20. Fitted them to my Polo wipers and they work as well as the originals.

BTW... you shouldn't need to replace these wipers after 9months! They should last years. Its just a way for your local dealer to screw more money out of you

[markwid]

BTW... you shouldn't need to replace these wipers after 9months! They should last years. Its just a way for your local dealer to screw more money out of you

+1. Wipers has lasted 4 years so far.

[brisgtimkv]

Since they're a Bosch product, and not just some no-name oem crap often used by other manufacturers, I'd be very surprised if they're not already a silicon blend...


As for the skipping issue. I find that I've only had that when I have some contaminent on the windscreen... a thorough cleaning with a good automotive glass cleaner and microfibre cloth has fixed that up for me on the 1 occasion I've had it. Use the same cleaner on the blades too! (I just use Meguiars glass cleaner btw... it's probably one of the few Megs products which is actually any good!)

do this first, then check the wiper arms aren't bent or fouled in some way. when i had the mkv some idiot yanked the wiper to put some a note under it and ended up bending it a little. caused it to skip.

[khamtran]

As for the skipping issue. I find that I've only had that when I have some contaminent on the windscreen... a thorough cleaning with a good automotive glass cleaner and microfibre cloth has fixed that up for me on the 1 occasion I've had it. Use the same cleaner on the blades too! (I just use Meguiars glass cleaner btw... it's probably one of the few Megs products which is actually any good!)

I only used a non-ammonia version of Windex to clean the front windscreen, but not the wipers. This does fix the problem initially but after some heavy rain the skipping starts again.

[khamtran]

If they're skipping on the Golf, I'd just fix why they're skipping. Also, don't replace them in 15,000km - they really don't need it - unless you only do 15,000km in like 5 years... they don't need it. If they did need it, it'd make me wonder about what products are being used to clean the car, or where the car is being parked etc, which has made them deteriorate so quickly - and whether that is what is possibly causing the skipping...

I guess my request to replace them on at the 15,000km service (11 months of driving) was in part due to my ignorance of not knowing that they can last longer.

My car is only ever hose cleaned at the local hand car wash. Apart from that all my other carcare products are Meguiars.

[Danny]

Yeah they are the biggest dodgeys the service depot's I just had the XR6 Turbo Ute in for its First (15,000km) service, and they told me that it needed new wipers. I laughed at the guy and asked if he was joking, to which he kept a straight face and told me they were "streaking". I just shook my head and told him I had a renault for 4 years and never changed the blades once, never a problem, and there was no problem to my eye with the wipers on the Turbs anyway.

As said before it's a cash grab.

Khamtran, try polishing and buffing the window see how that goes.

[khamtran]

Khamtran, try polishing and buffing the window see how that goes.

I did do that with some Windex and a microfibre cloth which fixes it initially but the problem comes back after some rain.

I'm popping into the dealership today and so I'll see what they have to say.