Rapid SpaceBack 64 plate rear wiper - new spacers needed?

[ajw1100]

My wife's rear screen wiper worked fine until a month or so ago when it failed to sweep a large oval section in the middle of the glass. I checked the wiper rubber and it seemed fine to me but thought it might have got 'tweaked' somehow and needed to be replaced. Popped in to the dealers and asked them to check it.

Their 'technician' said we did not need a new wiper but did need a new wiper arm replaced under warranty, they had seen this before and the cause was a weak pressure spring, they did not have an arm but would order one in and we arranged that they would fit it the following week. We turned up to have it fitted as agreed, when they discovered it had been ordered but had been crossed off the order by the dealer. We were offered a coffee while they sorted it out.

 

A short while later they came and told us we did not need a new wiper arm at all, we needed some 'spacers' that would align the shaft of the wiper motor to apply the correct pressure to the wiper across its travel, they would let us know when the 'spacers' were in stock. Two weeks later we have not heard a dicky bird from them, I am just waiting to see how long it takes them to contact us before I take them to task, again.

 

In the mean time has anyone else come across this 'missed part of the screen' and needing new spacers to fix problem? If this is correct I do not see why the existing setup has worked fine for about 11 months and then needs new spacers :think:.

[chrisgreen]

No, rear wiper fine here. Just the usual issues of blade deterioration from water and dirt collecting on it.

[spiz]

I have the same issue as described above and not yet resolved. The dealer advised no fault found during testing...

 

... which is lazy as I did point out that you can just see daylight between the centre area of the parked wiper blade and the glass.

 

My guess is weak wiper arm tension or alignment/spacers as mentioned above. Let us know how it is resolved.

 

Thanks!

Edited 13 February, 2016 by spiz

[Vtronic]

Got it too. No big deal, will see what happens when i will change the wiper blade

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[camelspyyder]

It's been a weakness on almost every car I've owned. We have had wipers that don't clear the whole area they are supposed to, excessive judder, lifting off at any speed over 40 mph, and several cases of washer jet tubes failing and filling the tailgate or boot with water.

 

I don't think manufacturers put any effort into engineering rear wipers at all.

[eyegr]

I had the exact same problem two months ago. A new Bosch wiper blade did the trick. Try a new blade before looking other, more expensive options.

[spiz]

I had the exact same problem two months ago. A new Bosch wiper blade did the trick. Try a new blade before looking other, more expensive options.

Good suggestion. I'll try that first before following it up with the dealer as a warranty issue.

[eyegr]

Good suggestion. I'll try that first before following it up with the dealer as a warranty issue.

The blade I bought is the Bosch Aerotwin A 403 H, like this one: http://www.amazon.de/Heckscheibenwischer-Scheibenwischer-Wischerblatt-Flachbalkenwischer-Scheibenwischerblatt/dp/B00IIA1LSE

Installation was dead easy.

 

In fact, I went to a local shop and asked the mechanic if I could try a new blade to see if this would solve the problem, which it did. Maybe you could do try it too to save money in case it's not the blade.

Edited 14 February, 2016 by eyegr

[ajw1100]

Thanks for the replies, this will be a repair under warranty so don't want to fork out if I don't have too. Dealer said the wiper blade was okay and it was the arm that needed replacement, then changed that to the motor needing new 'spacers' to better align the spindle to the glass. Still not heard from them so a wakey, wakey call is needed.

 

My wife does not like it that she has this large oval patch of rear screen that does not clear, and at a distance blurs the car directly behind, more disconcerting and I can see her point.

 

I will let you know if and how it was sorted.

[Vtronic]

Any news?

Just changed the wiper blade yesterday, works perfectly now.

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[ajw1100]

Bit busy in my singular brain cell........

 

Well ,sorted... so far. No idea what they did, had to leave the car for a few hours and did not get a work docket only "All sorted, here are your keys"

 

Wifee's happy so that suits me.

[David69Rapid]

at times my wiper doesn't go back to its complete position. sort of sticks in the middle. doesn't do it much but annoying. Like a cheap lada samara!!!

[camelspyyder]

Surely not.

Only the Spaceback looks like a Samara

[spiz]

The blade I bought is the Bosch Aerotwin A 403 H, like this one: http://www.amazon.de/Heckscheibenwischer-Scheibenwischer-Wischerblatt-Flachbalkenwischer-Scheibenwischerblatt/dp/B00IIA1LSE

Installation was dead easy.

 

In fact, I went to a local shop and asked the mechanic if I could try a new blade to see if this would solve the problem, which it did. Maybe you could do try it too to save money in case it's not the blade.

 

The Bosch A403H solved our problem also.

It wasn't available locally until recently. Front and rear blades can now be purchased from the bosch au online shop.