Poor E-Class wiper design?

[PanzerMcGrory]

Went to wash my E-Class this morning for the first time and when i went to lift the wiper blades up they scored into the paintwork of the bonnet. This has obviously been done a few times before as it was scored down to the metal but thankfully its aluminium so no rust yet.
Turned my wipers on and stopped when they were verticle and they then lifted up ok, when i finished washing my car i checked the handbook and it warns you of the above scenario.

I think this is a poor design because no doubt everyone will get caught out first time and should damage the paintwork only once but what about when its in the garage? or getting its courtesy wash? seems i will always have to have a touch up stick ready for getting it back from them.

 

[jberks]

Went to wash my E-Class this morning for the first time and when i went to lift the wiper blades up they scored into the paintwork of the bonnet. This has obviously been done a few times before as it was scored down to the metal but thankfully its aluminium so no rust yet.
Turned my wipers on and stopped when they were verticle and they then lifted up ok, when i finished washing my car i checked the handbook and it warns you of the above scenario.

I think this is a poor design because no doubt everyone will get caught out first time and should damage the paintwork only once but what about when its in the garage? or getting its courtesy wash? seems i will always have to have a touch up stick ready for getting it back from them.

Yes, mine has a scrape there too.
Can't argue, looks like on of those afterthoughts. Everything looks good on the computer screen, nothing fouls etc, but nobody thought to check how you raise the wiper arms.....

 

[Razoo]

Went to wash my E-Class this morning for the first time and when i went to lift the wiper blades up they scored into the paintwork of the bonnet.

I think this is a poor design because no doubt everyone will get caught out first time and should damage the paintwork only once but what about when its in the garage? or getting its courtesy wash? seems i will always have to have a touch up stick ready for getting it back from them.

Quite a few cars have wiper/bonnet interface problems.

Rather than a poor design, I think this problem is a consequence of the E-Class wipers (when parked) being designed to tuck right down beneath the trailing bonnet edge to reduce drag and wind noise.

When I washed my Merc for the first time, I was nearly caught out, but luckily spotted the problem before the bonnet was scratched. I've since seen the warning message in the MB handbook.

Razoo

 

[pfc]

Page 405 of the owner's manual tells you to park the wipers vertically before removing them from the windscreen. They are no doubt parked in that position to reduce wind noise and drag.

What always surprises me is that when parked vertically you can move them by hand and afterwards they re-park in the correct position.

How does that work?

 

[jberks]

Ah - so you guys read the manuals ....
As I didn't :0, I had to figure out my own method. From memory if you raise the bonnet to the vertical, they lift up really easily - inside the engine bay - just don't shut the bonnet whilst they're up or it could be expensive ;-)
Your way is probably better but it does involve reading the manual....

 

[kth286]

No such problems with the mid 80s to mid 90s generation of E class, even though the wiper is tucked down behind the sweeping bonnet uplift.

It is however the single wiper on that generation of car and in my 165,000+ miles not a hint of a problem with it.

 

[PanzerMcGrory]

Talking about manuals, the service book folder has to be the worst i have ever had, like a fag packet with the top cut off leaving the books all worn at the edges due to the lack of protection.

 

[jberks]

Talking about manuals, the service book folder has to be the worst i have ever had, like a fag packet with the top cut off leaving the books all worn at the edges due to the lack of protection.

It is, but then they do provide a purpose built holder for it in the rear armrest (unlike many manufacturers who give you a huge pile of docs to fill up our glovebox) so they should be safely locked away unless you're looking at them and theoretically remain in perfect nick.

 

[television]

The easiest way to raise the wiper blades is to turn them on and turn off the ign key when they are upright. Complete your task and turn ign on and let them park

 

[PanzerMcGrory]

The easiest way to raise the wiper blades is to turn them on and turn off the ign key when they are upright. Complete your task and turn ign on and let them park

I imagine most people like me find that out the hard way but my main point is i will never do it again however im 100% certain that it will be done when its in a garage and especially during a courtesy wash meaning that part of the bonnet will constantly need touched up.

 

[HJHPH]

Hi, I also spotted the possible conflict between wipers and bonnet before damage was done, I actually manually move mine up the screen just enough to clear the bonnet when I wash mine and slide them back down when I have finished. Does not seem to do any harm.
Don't want them smearing my nice clean dry windscreen when they park themselves
Paul.

 

[HJHPH]

Also, having read the manual, the rain sensor wiper section states that you should not let the wipers operate over a dry screen for fear of scratching.

 

[television]

Also, having read the manual, the rain sensor wiper section states that you should not let the wipers operate over a dry screen for fear of scratching.

I agree, one snag with the auto wipe is that if you have been out in the rain, and you do not turn this off, when you start the car the next time, the wiper will give one sweep and stop

 

[HJHPH]

I agree, one snag with the auto wipe is that if you have been out in the rain, and you do not turn this off, when you start the car the next time, the wiper will give one sweep and stop

I always switch mine off but my wife is a culprit here, leaves the rain sensor on full time despite my protestations

 

[television]

I always switch mine off but my wife is a culprit here, leaves the rain sensor on full time despite my protestations

I would rather have a scratched screen, than go scratching around for a new wife

 

[HJHPH]

Amen, the glass would be a lot cheaper

 

[baron210]

Hi Panzer Mcgrory Where did you get your Merc profile picture? - looks like a used Merc on the main Mercedes site form Lakeside or Cambridge I was chasing once (ended up with a 56 reg Iridium Silver E320 CDi from Brighton in the end for £17.200 with 27K on the clock.
I spotted this one pretty quickly (the problem with the wiper / bonnet clearance), after having the same ussue with my old car (A Peugeot 307 CC).

Generally over the moon so far with the Merc, but used Rain X and this took ages to clear away, and did all kinds of things to the auto-sensing wiper speeds, flat blades have just started to stutter slightly, maybe time to replace????

 

[PanzerMcGrory]

Hi Panzer Mcgrory Where did you get your Merc profile picture? - looks like a used Merc on the main Mercedes site form Lakeside or Cambridge I was chasing once (ended up with a 56 reg Iridium Silver E320 CDi from Brighton in the end for £17.200 with 27K on the clock.
I spotted this one pretty quickly (the problem with the wiper / bonnet clearance), after having the same ussue with my old car (A Peugeot 307 CC).

Generally over the moon so far with the Merc, but used Rain X and this took ages to clear away, and did all kinds of things to the auto-sensing wiper speeds, flat blades have just started to stutter slightly, maybe time to replace????

No i got it from mercedes of winchester.

though funny you should say that because a few merc dealerships seem to take their pics in very similar settings that looks like an old airfield and have them photographed in the same position.

 

[outsmartsmart]

Off topic (slightly). Wipers are 'hidden' down behind bonnets not [just] for aerodynamics but mainly for pedestrian crash protection in accidents......

 

[keith100]

Also, having read the manual, the rain sensor wiper section states that you should not let the wipers operate over a dry screen for fear of scratching.

Right, but when I press the screen wash button, the wipers do a full swipe before the water jets out!

The wipers on my 204 also foul the hood, unless parked upright. Actually the whole wiper system is the only disappointment with the car.. they are noisy at the bottom of the sweep, and flicker at top, and the switch is on the wrong side of the wheel.

Off topic (slightly). Wipers are 'hidden' down behind bonnets not [just] for aerodynamics but mainly for pedestrian crash protection in accidents......

Not sure about that. I had a 1970 car with hidden wipers and no one cared about pedestrians then:lol: