Squeaky wipers

[s999sws]

I have a 6 month old E280CDi Estate, and when the wipers are on auto, and just wipe every second or so, at the moment they get to the parking position and then start up, they make an annoying screech. It is quite obtrusive and getting on my nerves. When there is enough rain for them to go quite fast, then this noise disappears. Also when I use the washers, the noise is not there. I think that it is to do with the amount of lubrication the water gives the screen, but do you think the pressure of the wiper arm spring could be wrong?.
Thanks
Stephen W-S

 

[noby39]

When I bought a new Merc two years ago I was plagued with the same problem, even when the rain was tipping down. The wretched wipers squeaked for several hundred miles. Took the car back to the MB dealers but found myself in a queue. "All our technicians are busy!" No one but a technician could help, it seems. After 40 minutes I had to leave, to collect my wife from the nearby VW dealership where she was buying a new Golf. I happened to mention the problem with the Merc to the VW salesman, and he said that it was because the windscreen had not been cleaned properly. He sprayed the windscreen with a cleaner of some kind (sorry, I didn't get the name of it), left it on the screen for 5 minutes, gave the screen a good rubbing and repeated the cleaning for a second time. Problem solved. No further trouble. A MB salesman could not have done that, I imagine. Local MB dealership: 0/10 marks. Local VW dealership: 10/10 marks. Make of that what you will. Why did I not have the good sense to buy a VW?

 

[emjaykay1]

Exactly the same problem on my S class. Then the dealer said new wipers (£36 + VAT) No change asked for my old ones back and got them.

Now I use Holts Screenies which I got from Halfords. Does the trick. Wet screen, spray it on, leaves a foam covering and leave for a minute and it clears all the grease no problem. Great for the boot! They also sell a polish that comes complete with a cloth takes a bit longer but same result.

In fact now you reminded me I am off to Manchester aiport tomorrow so I will do it now!

 

[w124_E280]

If they are the aero type blades they sometimes need adjusting, which is basically bending them back into shape

 

[jberks]

The floppy wipers on the 211 aren't bendable as there is no solid strip down the middle. I have to say that mine are silent and always have been, but then I am fussy about cleaning the windscreen. The sqeak is mixed reistance across the surface area - so parts of the blade go faster than other parts and the squeak is the bits left behind being dragged to catch up. So, as advised, a thorough clean should do the trick.
BTW I've been very impressed with this new blade design. I normally used to be unhappy with any wiper blade over around 4 months old and would replace the single blade on the 210 at least twice a year. These have been on at least since I collected the car in November and they still perform floorlessly.

 

[s999sws]

I polished the bottom of the screen with glass polish and now no noise, thanks to all of you.
Stephen W-S

 

[sv4]

Do not ever use Rain-x ( or anything similar ) on your front windscreen! I have tried it on 2 of my cars previously and it caused the wipers to judder in operation, so I have been religiously avoiding it since.

However, I sent my W203 for valeting recently, and they applied rain-x despite my telling them not to apply anything on the windscreen As expected, it caused the wipers to judder and chatter over the glass. Managed to remove the rain-x with some glass polish, and the problem went away.

 

[benzo]

This is interesting. Have had my 2004 E Class since Mid August. When I got it, the left wiper blade made a horrible scraping noise. I took it back to MB and had it changed again "under warranty" (they had put new ones in before I picked the car up). Now noticed the right blade makes the same noise although less marked, and am planning to take the car back again for replacement wipers.

Funny thing about mine is - the wipers are silent when there is a drizzle but become noisy when the rain gets heavier and the windscreen is wetter. Any take on this?

Never thought it could be due to a dirty screen. I wash the car and wipe down, but next time will give the windscreen a thorough wipe/polish and see how it goes.

 

[s999sws]

I have an important update to this problem. If you read my last post you will see that I said that the screen polish worked. Well it did, but only for a day or so. I have been back to my local MB main dealer, in Plymouth, and they tried everything. They changed the blades, they cleaned the glass, they adjusted the wiper arm pressure, but to no avail. My car has been back six times now, but at long last it seems to have been rectified. An engineer there noticed that it was only at the parking areas of the screen that it squeaked. |He found traces of a polymer on the glass which made it super smooth, like if you have wet shoes and they squeak on the rubber pedals. They tried various chemicals to remove it but they didn't work. Eventually, and without any pressure from me, they have just last week changed the entire windscreen and both wiper arms and blades, all under warranty. I have not noticed any more squeaks since then, but until I have had the car back and driven through the rain for a couple of weeks I am still sceptical. I will keep this thread updated. I am extremely pleased with my dealer and can thoroughly recommend them. The service manager is first rate and I hope Mercedes read this post and congratulate him on his excellent service.
Stephen w-S

 

[Myros]

I'm Intrigued

by the rain -x thing. I've been using it for 20 years or so and had no problems, in fact the exact converse.

 

[television]

by the rain -x thing. I've been using it for 20 years or so and had no problems, in fact the exact converse.

Me too, no problems with it.
there is a bit in WIS about the problem, the most important thing being the the flat of the arm is parrallel with the screen, if not it causes the blade to judder and squeek.

malcolm

 

[benzo]

Update:

Took my car in to MB. they polished the glass, checked the arms and changed the wiper blades again. It was silent for 2 weeks after I got it. Then I took it to a car wash on Saturday and the scraping noise has started again. They did spray something or other on the glass. Can anyone recommend a good windscreen cleaner?

 

[sv4]

I just used cheap Carplan glass polish, but you may have to apply it a couple of times.

 

[Blobcat]

I use autoglym glass cleaner and glass polish.
I've been driving my wifes Honda for the last few days and the drivers side wiper was making a lot of noise. On investigation the wiperblade had started to split away from the backing in places so the blade was pulled onto it's side during the sweep. I changed the wiper and all is now well again.