Windcsreen wiper not wiping off all the water

[Kompressor]

OK I have given my C200 Kompressor to the other half. I knew there was a problem with the windscreen wiper but it was very slight - now it's gotten worse.

Basically whenever it rains and I switch on the windscreen wipers the left blade wipe quite good. The right blade (driver side) leave gaps of unwiped water as if the blade itself is not making full contact with the glass. This is dangerous as it obscures visibility on driver side.

I went to halfords to buy a new set of bosch wipers and was told that my currrent blades on inspection was fine and maybe the wiper arm spring that delivers the tension to affect a full wiper blade contact with glass may have weak tension - get new one. Since then it has gotten worse and so I decided to buy the bosche blades anyway - so I returned to halfords and was told they don't sell the blade on my car because it is a double blade and they mentioned they never seen a mercedes with twin blades (double blades) before. They reckon I have to go to MB to get the blades or they can order it for £27+.

Now I read this thread http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=41403&highlight=windscreen+wiper+blade and it got me thinking if grease could ALSO be a factor. Finally my windscreen glass has loads of dotted effect all over it as if someone used a really tiny ice pick or a pin and went to work on the entire windscreen. It is not visable all the time but when the light reflects at a certain angle or the glass is cleaned it is more visable. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[dragon]

The driver side got a wind deflector.

 

[Dec]

This is just as an example… http://www.wjjeeps.com/wipers/wiper_wj_07f.jpg How dose the bad blade, that is, the rubber blade, fit within the Claws of the metal blade compared to the Good blade (passenger side) it sounds like the rubber is not in uniform contact with the glass at all times during the sweep of the blade.

The rubber part of the blade should be able to flex to take account of the curvature of the screen.

I just replaced my blade after about 9 months, that is the rubber insert, not the metal Superstructure as it is referred to in the link for €4, its non Bosh but it dose exactly what it is supposed to do and it dose it well.

Dec

 

[Kompressor]

Here are some pics that will give you an idea...

 

[Ellsy Tanners]

Your blades look minging any way I would just get a new pair.

You could make sure the blade is correctly fitted in the metal strip that runs all the way across. some times it comes out of the groves on the aero blades.

 

[Dec]

Ah a different type of blade that I was thinking of. Is the tip of the driver side blade not contacting the glass or is that the way it is photographed?

Have you tried cleaning the blade where it contacts the glass.

Dec

 

[Kompressor]

The driver side got a wind deflector.

I guess not... still the problem is the same when it is stationary.

 

[Kompressor]

Your blades look minging any way I would just get a new pair.

You could make sure the blade is correctly fitted in the metal strip that runs all the way across. some times it comes out of the groves on the aero blades.

Not really... not mingy (grimy) it's the photo pixilation... I edited the pic in fireworks to auto fix colour.. but it came out how it is in the bottom pic ???

I will check the rubber blades tomorrow or just buy new ones.

 

[Kompressor]

Ah a different type of blade that I was thinking of. Is the tip of the driver side blade not contacting the glass or is that the way it is photographed?

Have you tried cleaning the blade where it contacts the glass.

Dec

It's the driver side (far right - middle) that is not wiping away the water... it basically directly obscure vision at eye level. Not the tip at the end. I have wiped the blade several times same problem. I sometimes have to press down slightly while wipers are moving intermittently to get it to make FULL initial contact with glass to clear water. Some days are worse than other how much water get left on windscreen.

 

[Kompressor]

What about the spring the guys at halfords mentioned?
The glass itself have freckles all over it as mentioned in my first post... anyone knows what could be the cause and what is the cure?

 

[Dec]

I understand the problem, the reason I mentioned the tip of the blade is it would seem to me that the downward pressure is not being evenly distributed through the length of the blade, either the spring has lost its power, that you can easily check by lifting upwards, you should have a fair idea as to whether there is sufficient power there or not, or the blade has lost its springiness, a purposely built in design fault, perhaps, so people will have to buy new blades more often.

If the arm spring is ok and the ends of the blade are weaker than the were when new then it follows that there must be more downward force exerted on the center part of the blade, preventing it from flipping over on the return sweep resulting in your symptoms. That’s my theory for what its worth,, probably new blade needed as already suggested.


Dec

 

[Dec]

There is a spring under the arm to force the blade on to the glass, if it were too weak the blade would cause the symptoms you have but I think that is unlikely.
The freckles from what you describe sound like tiny holed in the windscreen, the only cause I can think of are stone chips or the car was in the vicinity of someone who was welding and the sparks hit the screen, but then of course the paint work would also have been damaged too.

Dec

 

[television]

I would clean the screen with a light T cut to remove all of the grime first. I have never known a weak spring though the faulty one could be compared with the good side.

These rubbers are curved slightly and when pressed against the screen should flatten out uniformly, may be as Ellsy just worn out

 

[Kompressor]

It's late but I had to come in and thanks you guys before this thread scrolls off the front page. I will give the windscreen a good clean as suggested AND buy new blades as well.If I still have the problem then the spring would be my next suspect. I guess it's a matter of eliminating the suspects as I go along. As for the freckled windscreen, that's a mystery. As suggested if it was welding sparks the hood paint work would have some freckles too. Can't see it being stones chips from the road unless a dump truck filled with sand typed on it and then the hood once again would be affected too??? I have a theory however... maybe the previous owner use salt or something to that effect to melt the snow on the windscreen overnight and it eat into the glass or maybe hot water being poured on the glass to defrost ice???

Thanks for all your suggestions. I'll let you know when it's resolved.

 

[television]

If the damage is only light to the glass it may be possible to polish it out with glass polish (www.frost.co.uk) though my own findings with glass polish are that its fine for a while but soon scratches again as if there was a hard skin to start with and once polished the skin is removed

 

[100%Bitch]

I always thought that the light pitting on a windscreen was caused by particles in the air hitting the glass as the car is moving.

Just a thought.

 

[Kompressor]

I did a search on halford web site and according to the search for my particular model and year they do bosch windscreen wipers, as well as halford's own brand.

Bosch: SP Wiper Blade 24
Halfords: Set 110

For the benefit of anyone else searching for wiper blades, a good web site to search for brands and car make/model is http://www.wiperblades.co.uk/index.php just type in your car make, model, year, on the left panel and press search.

According to web searches the blades for my car are described as 'Flat Blade'.
Wiper blades explained - very informative for me: http://www.wiperblades.co.uk/wiper-blades-explained.php