# Wipers squeaking.....



## Del-GTi (Mar 31, 2007)

......but only at the end of their travel. 

Aarrrggghhhh!!! This is doing my head in! 

Replaced my old worn wipers with nice new Bosch AeroTwins. Thoroughly cleaned screen with bar keepers friend then car washed as normal. Windscreen is spotless, no coatings, no streaking, no juddering, water sheets off and wipers are nice and smooth. 

But as the wipers come to a stop at either end of their travel they give off a squeak. The sort of squeak your finger makes on a wet plate or glass when it’s clean. You know, squeaky clean! Annoyingly squeaky. 

The weird thing is, it only does it after the wipers have been on for some time. Like they are warming up. Doesn’t matter if the rain is light or torrential, still squeak. I’m positive the glass is clean - it’s almost as if it’s too clean.

Next step is to try reapplying a glass sealant just to those areas where the squeak occurs, see if that helps. 

Any ideas or suggestions before I sell this car! :devil:


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## James_R (Jun 28, 2007)

Try some graphite powder rubbed along the wiper blade.

You can get it from Zoro Tools (eBay shop) or Cromwell Tools.

KASP K30050 Graphite Powder.

HTH


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## Rappy (Oct 2, 2020)

I would suggest getting another set of blades, not Bosch. Had issues with these before, very much like what you describe above.


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## cangri (Feb 25, 2011)

I has some Bosch who did that as well. Replaced them.


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

As well as the above suggestion - you say re-apply windscreen coating ? Wondering if there is still some remnants left where the wipers are squeaky ?

I’ve had a similar issue previously when I got a small amount of spray that I was using on the car on the bottom of the windscreen. Drove me potty until I worked out what it was. 

AG glass polish is very good for cleaning the windscreen as well :thumb:


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## Rappy (Oct 2, 2020)

I would try the easiest option first, replace the wipers.

Save yourself hrs of frustration trying to sort it, like I did 

I did everything from polishing the glass, bending wiper arms etc.....


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## breney (May 7, 2014)

I've had bother with a new set of Bosch Aerotwins. Not squeaking, but missing a strip in the middle of the drivers line of sight. Replace the wipers


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## LSpec (Apr 7, 2013)

Rappy said:


> I would suggest getting another set of blades, not Bosch. Had issues with these before, very much like what you describe above.


thank you, It helps me a lot, I have the same issue, and my new wipers are bosch.


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## Rayaan (Jun 1, 2014)

The Bosch ones will do it with glass coatings applied to the screen. Take the glass coating off and see how smooth they are


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## Del-GTi (Mar 31, 2007)

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated. 

As previously said, no coatings on screen so already know how smoothly they wipe. There is a possibility that some remnants could be at edges but it doesn’t look like it. I did try graphite powder before on another set of wipers but found that it caused lines on the screen. 

I was wondering if the Bosch wipers I bought were old stock and have gone hard (ooh err missus). It pains me to change them as they are new and weren’t exactly cheap but it might come to that.

Anyway, I put the car in the garage tonight and cleaned the glass again with AG Glass Polish so will see how that goes. More rain forecast for tomorrow so will get to try it out. I’ll post back with an update


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## Del-GTi (Mar 31, 2007)

Still squeaking as bad if not worse than before. Next to try is the coating at the squeaking points. Failing that I’ll need to try new wipers.


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## Rappy (Oct 2, 2020)

Rappy said:


> I would suggest getting another set of blades, not Bosch. Had issues with these before, very much like what you describe above.


x2


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## Rappy (Oct 2, 2020)

Rappy said:


> I would try the easiest option first, replace the wipers.
> 
> Save yourself hrs of frustration trying to sort it, like I did
> 
> I did everything from polishing the glass, bending wiper arms etc.....


x2


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## DavieB (Aug 14, 2009)

I’ve not been impressed with the Bosch wipers, got them on both my cars and wonder why I insist on using them. Must try soldering else next time!


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## Ste T (Jul 17, 2008)

Just Clay the screen to make it super smooth and then give it a good clean with a glass cleaner, should find your problem is gone.


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## macca666 (Mar 30, 2010)

Ste T said:


> Just Clay the screen to make it super smooth and then give it a good clean with a glass cleaner, should find your problem is gone.


If he's used bar keepers friend as per original post I'd be very surprised if claying removes anything further.


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## Del-GTi (Mar 31, 2007)

I’ve clayed it and also used cerium oxide. The latter is great stuff - if you’ve never used it and want to remove a glass coating, you can actually feel it cutting through the coating and removing it! 

Car is back in the garage, just as well really as the rain is torrential. Work will continue today, see how we get on.


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## MDC250 (Jan 4, 2014)

I’m not sure I’ve understood the coating point...as I read it the screen has had a coating on in the past and you’ve tried a variety of deep cleans but think may be some remnants of the coating at certain points on the screen?

Not sure it would directly help here but think it’s correct to say most coatings recommend wiping the blade with the coating as well.

Maybe if you can’t eliminate the issue with all the cleaning you’ve done apply a coating and try the blade as well. If you are going to replace the blades again you only stand to lose a bit of time.


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## Del-GTi (Mar 31, 2007)

Kind of......Andyblue suggested there could be some coating left. I don’t think there is but you never know. 

Your point about applying the coating is what I’m going to try today.


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## Del-GTi (Mar 31, 2007)

Small update - coating didn’t help. I bought two sets of these wipers so fitted the other set last night. Guess what....they squeak too! 

So either, the blades are defective, possibly fake Bosch blades or something else on the screen is causing the issue. I still have the old wipers in the garage so will try fitting them back on tonight. See how that goes.


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## Fordbunny (May 15, 2019)

Hi Del- GTi, Been reading though this trail. I have a 2009 Mondeo and had a similar issue. Tried this and that but the wipers kept squeaking! Nobody has mentioned the tension on the arm and the angle of attack on the blade. This can make a huge difference. I also use the Bosch Aerotwin blades but I also use Autoglym screen wash with condensed water which I collect from our dehumidifier. Yippee! Success ! No squeaks at all! I also get AG Polar seal on the screen when I wash but this makes it even better! Wipers just glide over the screen. Happy Bunny.


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

Del-GTi said:


> Small update - coating didn't help. I bought two sets of these wipers so fitted the other set last night. Guess what....they squeak too!
> 
> So either, the blades are defective, possibly fake Bosch blades or something else on the screen is causing the issue. I still have the old wipers in the garage so will try fitting them back on tonight. See how that goes.


Oh that's a shame...

Maybe trying Ford bunny solution may help ?

If you don't mind - which adapters are you using for the blades, do you have any of the others spare (after the push button one - number 4 I think) trying to help a mate out who binned all his adapters in the box as he thought they were a direct fit, guess what - nope 

I'm struggling to find my old ones...


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## Del-GTi (Mar 31, 2007)

Old blades back on - they now squeak too. So coating will be removed at the weekend, maybe you were right Andyblue and there is still some coating remnants there. 

I will take a look at angle of attack/tension at the weekend but I had checked that the blades were square to the window - they seem to be. If I’m honest I always thought angle of attack was related to juddering, which I don’t have.

My wipers have a weird claw-type fitting, it’s one of the things that makes it difficult to get something other than Bosch or OEM. The alternative is cheap tat! However, I fitted Heyner wipers to my wife’s car and it came with a load of different adapters. I’ll check the garage to see if they are still there. Will let you know.


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## MDC250 (Jan 4, 2014)

What a pain. Hope you get sorted after all this effort.


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## Rappy (Oct 2, 2020)

Fordbunny said:


> Nobody has mentioned the tension on the arm and the angle of attack on the blade. This can make a huge difference.


I mentioned this in Post 6 on this thread. Tried everything. Wasted hrs trying to sort :wall::wall:

Going to sound like a broken record


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## Rappy (Oct 2, 2020)

Rappy said:


> I would suggest getting another set of blades, not Bosch. Had issues with these before, very much like what you describe above.





Rappy said:


> x2


x3 :lol:


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## washingitagain (Sep 11, 2018)

My money is on this being the screen or wiper alignment rather than the blades themselves. A new set should be silent.

I coated my windscreen once and it caused judder (I know, not what OP has) and the only solution was new blades. I've never had new blades squeak - in fact they are always super quiet.

Plus, I'd always buy Bosch!


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## Del-GTi (Mar 31, 2007)

Cured the squeak!!! :thumb:

Thought I'd post an update to this for anyone still interested. So after the coating didn't stop the squeak and the old wipers were squeaking now too, I decided to use cerium oxide to remove the coating and hopefully anything else on screen.

Here's what I did:

1) Screen polished with cerium oxide (mixed into a paste and applied using cloth)
2) Cleaned Bosch blades with isopropyl alcohol and re-fitted them.
3) Adjusted the tension of the blades on the screen(hopefully)

Point 3 is a bit hard to explain but basically, where the hinged part of the wiper arm meets the non-hinged part there is a knuckle. What I did was place some rubber at that point so that the wiper shouldn't be sitting as hard or firmly on the screen. It's not changed it by much but it might just be enough to help. Should have taken a pic of this but I didn't think to. Can do if anyone wants more info.

Anyway, as I said - no squeaking. I'm inclined to think that there was still something on the screen, as mentioned and suggested but it could be a combo of the 3 things I did. Still, it's sorted (hopefully for good). I drove during some pretty horrific weather over the last week, with heavy rain, hail sleet & snow and the wipers were excellent, as they were before, but with no horrible noises.

Thanks all to contributed to this with ideas and thoughts. Just glad it's cured as either a hammer was going through the screen or the car was being sold. We get too much wet weather to put up with that!

And cos everyone loves a pic, here are a couple of boring pics of the work in progress:

One of the squeaky parts (you can see where the wiper parks):









Masked up when applying the coating:









Clean and bare:









New wipers:









As an extra, car was in for service+MOT recently and garage left me the rest of the screenwash after topping up! A nice touch which is unusual from them. Good stuff this, normally I only used AG Ultimate Screenwash but this will be getting used up.


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

Oh that’s great news. :thumb:


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