Juddering wiper blades

[DickP]

Hi,

I have replaced the wipers on my car for new Bosch items and they began juddering across the windscreen. As I have washed the car a few times since with no improvement, I replaced them again with another set thinking that they may have been a bad batch. This has not improved matters.

Having ran my fingers lightly over the areas where it judders, my fingers also judder.

What do I need to use on my car's windscreen to remove whatever it is which might be causing the problem?

Thanks,

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

DickP said:

Hi,

I have replaced the wipers on my car for new Bosch items and they began juddering across the windscreen. As I have washed the car a few times since with no improvement, I replaced them again with another set thinking that they may have been a bad batch. This has not improved matters.

Having ran my fingers lightly over the areas where it judders, my fingers also judder.

What do I need to use on my car's windscreen to remove whatever it is which might be causing the problem?

Thanks,

Try a glass polish or something like Bar Keeper's Friend with a polishing pad or at least a microfibre cloth, followed by some isopropyl alcohol (if you can get any!).

[Brainpox]

Something like this maybe https://www.gtechniq.co.uk/shop/auto/glass-metal/g...

You can also 'lubricate' the blades by putting some glass cleaner on a cloth and pinching the blade. Also cleans them and makes them last longer.

[stevesingo]

Alcohol hand gel on tissue paper works a treat at removing road oils and grime from windscreens.

[A1VDY]

Although it's meant for paintwork Autoglym Super Resin Polish is brilliant on glass. Use a small amount on a new microfibre cloth, it'll cure the juddering..

[Longtime Lurker]

A1VDY said:

Although it's meant for paintwork Autoglym Super Resin Polish is brilliant on glass. Use a small amount on a new microfibre cloth, it'll cure the juddering..

Whenever i polish my car with Super Resin Polish I always do the glass and the lights as well, I'm sure my neighbours are sitting thinking what is he doing!!

[normalbloke]

Keep it simple. Use the good wiper blades you have.Keep them clean with methylated spirits. Clean the windscreen with methylated spirits. Use a decent washer fluid( nothing comes close to Decosol). Change blades at the end of the summer. End of.

[Sheepshanks]

Longtime Lurker said:

A1VDY said:

Although it's meant for paintwork Autoglym Super Resin Polish is brilliant on glass. Use a small amount on a new microfibre cloth, it'll cure the juddering..

Whenever i polish my car with Super Resin Polish I always do the glass and the lights as well, I'm sure my neighbours are sitting thinking what is he doing!!

What happens as it starts to wear off?

I always use their Car Glass Polish. Don't use a cloth that's been washed with fabric conditioner. I've never tried anything else as it's always worked.

[OllieJolly]

DickP said:

Hi,

I have replaced the wipers on my car for new Bosch items and they began juddering across the windscreen. As I have washed the car a few times since with no improvement, I replaced them again with another set thinking that they may have been a bad batch. This has not improved matters.

Having ran my fingers lightly over the areas where it judders, my fingers also judder.

What do I need to use on my car's windscreen to remove whatever it is which might be causing the problem?

Thanks,

If you're waxing it each time, or shampoo with wax in it etc, that can cause judder.

[The_Nugget]

TyrannosauRoss Lex said:

Try a glass polish or something like Bar Keeper's Friend with a polishing pad or at least a microfibre cloth, followed by some isopropyl alcohol (if you can get any!).

You can get vast quantities of isopropyl alcohol from eBay.

[Cyder]

As unpopular a suggestion as it may be, try the OE aftermarket wiper blades.

The springs inside the blades are tuned to match the curvature of the screen and apply even pressure.

After market generic blades are usually OK but will have a generic spring pressure that can lead to the juddering.

[Summit_Detailing]

Sounds like the glass is just dirty.

A specific cerium oxide based glass polish will sort it out easily.

Carpro ceriglass is my preferred choice, been using it for years.

https://www.detailedclean.co.uk/engine-and-exterio...

Cheers,

Chris

[DickP]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

I have tried several times now to clean the windscreen with a variety of window cleaners and rags/clothes, to no positive effect.

The wipers run smooth when dry, but not when wet. I don't understand how this can happen.

I appreciate the answers but I am now incredibly confused from the different proposals and having read that the windscreen can also end up too clean and cause wipers to drag and judder?!

As I need to use the car for work, and the days being more wet than dry now, I really need to get this corrected asap as it's making the car almost undriveable. As extreme as it may sound, a replacement windscreen might be on the cards if I can't figure this out in a matter of days.

Thanks,

[Cyder]

Did they judder with the old blades before you put the Bosch blades on?

If no then see my post above about trying the OE blades. Designing wiper systems to clean a screen properly is one of the (many) things I do for a living.

[DickP]

Hi,

Not sure where to get OE blades from?

The wiper blades I had when they did not judder were the same model of Bosch. They were wearing and not clearing the windscreen very well after 15k miles and 6 months on the car, so I replaced them (not having washed the car first) and that is when the judder arose.

Thanks,

[DickP]

Hi,

I have now used methylated spirits on the windscreen to try and make sure there is absolutely no oily substance on it. The wipers drag even worse now.

I don't understand how I can go from a car that had wipers which were fine for 6 months and 15k miles for then the replacement set of exact same model and type to be cause these problems. If it were a wiper design issue then why did it not happen with the first set I fitted?

Thanks,

[Sheepshanks]

DickP said:

Not sure where to get OE blades from?

The franchise dealer! He just means blades from the vehicle maker, although I'm not sure I buy the spring tension bit. I've always used Bosch on all the family cars and not had an issue.

Years ago wiper arms twisting so they didn't sit parallel to the surface of screen used to be a thing but I haven't heard of that for years - you used to twist them (carefully) so they were parallel.

I have vague recollections of someone being unable to resolve juddering wipers and eventually changing the screen!

[DickP]

Hi,

Oh right I understand. Not sure I would be able to buy X-Type wiper blades from a JLR dealer now though?

As a final experiment I swapped the wiper blades between my car and my father's (which is also an X-Type). The judder is now present on my father's car but mine now wipes fine with his blades. His car also had the same model of Bosch wiper blades, just a year older.

Is this indicative that I might have had two sets in the month of a bad batch?

Both pairs were purchased from ECP.

Thanks,

[Sheepshanks]

DickP said:

Is this indicative that I might have had two sets in the month of a bad batch?

I guess that's possible, but I'd be thinking that not so much a bad batch, but maybe something has changed in the design or manufacturing process. That's assuming ECP haven't bought a load of counterfeit Bosch wipers!

[DickP]

Hi,

I suppose the question is now do I buy another set of the same Bosch wiper model but from a different supplier?

Thanks,