Windscreen Wiper Damage..

**brokinfan** · 14-03-2010,06:21 PM

Yesterday I was washing my new Golf and I could not get the windscreen wipers raised up... I've washed it lots of times before but never had a problem extending them. Yesterday they seemed to be stuck so I gave it more force than necessary and managed to get them up... No problem except I chipped some of the paint at the top of the bonnet and now the mechanism is damaged - i.e. they will not glide smoothly over the surface and also the left hand side wiper has made a small but thick graze over the very bottom of the glass.

Obviously this was my fault for forcing them up, but I think they should have come up easily on their own as normal and I do not know why they didn't... I spent a good ten minutes trying different ways and in the end I just got so cross with it I applied too much pressure.

I'm going to need the winderscreen washer mechanism re-aligned, a tiny touch up of paint and some glass filler (it's not cracked but 'scraped'.. like frosted ice). I guess the damage is probably around £100. Do you think my VW dealer will repair the damage and fix it under the warranty due to the mechanism appearing to have been faulty in the first instance or do you think they'll make me foot the bill? Anyone else had problems with their wipers for washing???

**vwcabriolet1971** · 14-03-2010,06:48 PM

Yes I've experienced the same frustration but left the wiper blades where they were for washing. Similar problem clearing snow . It is a bit annoying you can't raise wiper blades - must make changing blades a little harder ?

**lucid** · 14-03-2010,08:04 PM

Are you saying that on the mk6 you can't or aren't supposed to be able to lift the wiper arm off the screen as per normal?

**HHGTTG** · 14-03-2010,08:22 PM

Originally Posted by lucid

Are you saying that on the mk6 you can't or aren't supposed to be able to lift the wiper arm off the screen as per normal?

You cannot or must not try to lift the blades away from the windscreen and up to 90 degrees unless you first put them into the 'Service' position.
This is done by turning on the ignition then off again and then pressing the wiper stalk briefly downwards toward the floor. The wipers will then, and only then park themselves 90 degrees up on the windscreen where they can then be lifted away from the glass.
If you do anything else you will damage arms, painted surfaces on edge of bonnet etc.

**moe360** · 14-03-2010,09:25 PM

Originally Posted by HHGTTG

You cannot or must not try to lift the blades away from the windscreen and up to 90 degrees unless you first put them into the 'Service' position.
This is done by turning on the ignition then off again and then pressing the wiper stalk briefly downwards toward the floor. The wipers will then, and only then park themselves 90 degrees up on the windscreen where they can then be lifted away from the glass.
If you do anything else you will damage arms, painted surfaces on edge of bonnet etc.

Respect to HHGTTG I had no idea you could do the above

thanks for this info you know your stuff buddy keep it coming

**lucid** · 14-03-2010,09:35 PM

Yes thanks i had no idea either.

**vwcabriolet1971** · 14-03-2010,10:21 PM

Nice one HHGTG , thanks ,

**HHGTTG** · 14-03-2010,10:29 PM

Read the manual. It could save you from pounds worth of damage.
To put the wipers back to their parked position place them back on the windscreen then turn on the ignition and briefly flick down the wiper stalk again OR they will return, I believe, if you drive the car away.

**HHGTTG** · 14-03-2010,10:32 PM

The wipers are designed to sit parked below the rear level of the bonnet for protection and aerodynamics, I suppose. Therefore you cannot lift them away from the windscreen when parked. You must first get them into their 'service' position.

See my other post as to how to achieve this.

**Keithuk** · 14-03-2010,10:34 PM

Originally Posted by moe360

Respect to HHGTTG I had no idea you could do the above

thanks for this info

Yes it does tell you this in the handbook. Now depending on your handbook on a GTi/GTD Cleaning and changing windscreen wiper blades page 241. It has a supplement on how to put your wipers in the service position (arms and blades vertical) it says page 109 but its actually on page 112. Its actually in the main index at the end of the book under Windscreen wiper - folding back wiper blade.

@brokinfan I don't think you will be able to claim under warranty.