I have noticed a large accumulation of leaves and debris down the side of one water drain on the right side of the plastic wiper cover.

 

How is this removed? The rubber trim peels off easily but how do I remove the plastic cover to remove the debris?

 

Thanks

It snaps into a plastic slot along the bottom of the windscreen. It's a bit tricky to get out.

Pull directly away (perpendicular) from the screen. Don't use tools to lever it you can easily crack the screen.

While you're in there you might want to change the pollen filter if it hasn't been done for a while.

It snaps into a plastic slot along the bottom of the windscreen. It's a bit tricky to get out.

Pull directly away (perpendicular) from the screen. Don't use tools to lever it you can easily crack the screen.

While you're in there you might want to change the pollen filter if it hasn't been done for a while.

So I should just pull it upwards (90 degrees) and away from the screen so it comes out of the slots? I had a similar tricky one to pull out on my old alfa. Real PITA.

Can I do this without removing the wipers?

 

Just had a full service and they changed the pollen filter but the plonkers didn't clean out the debris I see now.

 

Many thanks!

Yes, and yes. No need to remove wipers to get to the passenger side.

Also if you have that many leaves in there it would be a good idea to remove the front plastic inner arch liners at some point. All sorts gets down the back of there and can block the drains and cause rusting. Jack the car, remove wheel, remove arch liner with torx driver (T25 I think, might be wrong there)

I got about four handfuls of soil out of mine after about three years since I last did it.

Also if you have that many leaves in there it would be a good idea to remove the front plastic inner arch liners at some point. All sorts gets down the back of there and can block the drains and cause rusting. Jack the car, remove wheel, remove arch liner with torx driver (T25 I think, might be wrong there)

I got about four handfuls of soil out of mine after about three years since I last did it.

In fact it had no inner arch liner on this side when I got it (looked like it had a small bump on the lower side bumper and broke the liner). I had a new one put in so no crud there. Just the drain hole at the top.

I'll try and remove it tomorrow.

 

Cheers

Always a youtube vid about when you need it -

Always a youtube vid about when you need it -

Superb! Videos are the best.

 

Thanks a lot.

 

Now I just need one for my other thread of how to remove the manifold/plenum chamber to access all the spark plug and injectors.

Great thread, i need to xo this so 8 can feed my boost gauge pipe through to the dash

Very carefully, i would just use your hands to lever it out, not tools as the plastic is quite rigid and its obviously very close to the windscreen. I find that getting some silicone spray lubricant and dousing in between along the top where the rubber beading is can help no end in loosening things up and making removal easier.

 

I second the comments about the arch liner, as a lot of that debris from the scuttle will have eventually made its way down and settled there. I used to have an issue with the rear screen on mine constantly being fogged when i first bought it. Opened the arch liner on both sides and there was about 3-4 inches of crud piled up in there preventing the water form draining away as it should. Removed that, flushed it out with water, rear windscreen fogging issue fixed ever since!

As stated to get where the leaves are  you need to remove the wiper arms, plastic cowling . I did this when i fitted Cruise Control

Before I removed the wipers I placed tape above and below the blades to make it easier to relocate arms in correct position.

 

I know that video did not take wipers off but he was only replacing the pollen filter and only needed to get to one side. You will need to get to both sides. 



Remove the plastic wiper covers that sit over the nuts



Spray wiper bolts with WD40 to help release them if tight. Also I found it easier to take wiper arms off windscreen to remove as there is no strain against the wiper spindles.

Remove nuts with 13mm socket .

Pic of wipers removed.



Then remove the rubber strip that sits over plastic cowling

Remove the plastic cowling. It is in 2 sections and held in quite tight and sits in a groove at bottom of windscreen, so be careful to lever it off without snapping the plastic lugs.You can lever it up from the windscreen with flat screwdriver.

Cowling removed



Now is a good time to replace the pollen filter as it is now exposed and these are cheap enough. (sits on the battery side under cowling)



This was the state of my old one.

I know everyone says don't use tools but I went with a flat real bendy butter style knife. Worked outside in too. Heard someone mention a good warm day helps aswel but I'm in Ireland so needless to say had to make do with cold damp conditions. Just don't force it I guess is the golden rule on this one

I'll have to do it all again as think my motor is stuffed

Chnaged my mind on fitting a boost gauge, was goi g to di it today but tue plastic covers on my car are stuck on tight, im either going to break them or they wont go back on the same lol, maybe ill pay a garage to do it some time.

Chnaged my mind on fitting a boost gauge, was goi g to di it today but tue plastic covers on my car are stuck on tight, im either going to break them or they wont go back on the same lol, maybe ill pay a garage to do it some time.

 

chances are that is the windscreen mastic on the base of the plastic..

 

try spraying the plastics with wd40 letting it soak and slowing levering up until you can move the screwdriver along the base when the plastic starts to come away.

 

They are quite flexible. go on have a go...... 

I got it off! Bit of wd40 and it eased out nicely thabks for the tip. Then i realised looking i still didbt know where to feed the hose through and that probably i need to take the drivers side off to find other cables that go through. Ill try to pick up a new filter to change at the same time later then have a go at taking tje other side off

Eventually got to mine today! Was a bit tricky but second time should be a doddle.

 

I found birds nests, rats nests and 10 years of autumn leaves in there! Cleaned out all the dirt from the grooves.

 

Frustrating part was that the full service I paid for was a change of the pollen filter. Yes they changed it but didn't bother cleaning out any of the leaves!
Can't you get any mechanics to do a job properly these days? Just took a vacuum cleaner.

Now you've removed it once, it will be much easier in future. Mine comes off very easily now That's what 3 wiper linkage clean/replaces, pollen filter replace and amp wire fed through that are does.