Removing wiper blades

[TonyNSP]

Hi all,

I've purchased some Bosch wipers based on the recommendations here and have successfully replaced the driver's and rear wipers, and the horrible scraping has gone - hooray!

 

However, I'm unable to get the passenger side wiper blade off.  The little clip/button that you depress to release the blade has actually broken off - the wiper moves a couple of mm in and out of the arm but I can't get it to release and slide out. 

 

Any suggestions as to what needs pressing/etc seeing as how the clip is no longer there to hold it in place?

[silver1011]

Use a small flat bladed screwdriver the press the broken clip.

 

 

 

 

Edited 7 December, 2019 by silver1011

[TonyNSP]

Thanks for the suggestion.  I've tried that this morning but there's nothing left of the clip to press.  I've taken a look at the old driver's wiper that I've replaced and I can't see anything else that's stopping it from coming out now that the clip has gone.  Much though it pains me, I think I might take it in to our local village garage workshop.  They're pretty good and have looked after my previous car for several years once it was out of warranty, often doing little jobs for hardly anything. 

[silver1011]

Even after pressing the clip, there is still quite a bit of tension / friction that you need to overcome in order to slide the blade out of the arm.

 

If in your case the clip has completely deteriorated then there shouldn't be anything holding the blade in, unless the way in which the clip has broken is somehow jamming out of site.

 

I'd be tempted to try a little brute force and wiggling before giving up.

[Phil245]

1 hour ago, silver1011 said:

I'd be tempted to try a little brute force and wiggling before giving up

 

And perhaps a dose of WD40 or even washing up liquid.......

[TonyNSP]

Thanks for all the suggestions, and the photos.  As far as I can see, the clip has broken off completely so there shouldn't be anything else holding it in. 

 

There is a certain amount of quite free movement (about 3 mm) which wasn't there before the clip broke but then it's as if there's still something solid stopping it coming out any further.  Looking at the old driver's side blade I can't see anything else that could be stopping it.  I've tried a bit of brute force and even a large flat-blade screwdriver between the blade and the arm where I can now create a small gap, but it appears to still be solidly attached.  I'm a bit hesitant to heave on it too much as I need the car later today and it's heaving it down with rain, so I don't want to damage it but still not be able to get it out.

 

I might have another go at it if the rain stops for a bit - it's really annoying me now as something so simple shouldn't be so difficult.

[TonyNSP]

I took the car into the local workshop this morning and asked if they'd have a quick look.  He gave it a hard tug and it came straight off, followed by a muttered "for f$*k's sake" from myself and feeling really stupid.  He just laughed and said "no problem, it's not the first time that's happened".

 

So, it was just me not daring to heave on it hard enough and being worried about damaging the wiper arm.

 

Thank you guys for the helpful comments, and the "a little brute force" comment was spot on - hangs head in shame.

[MJ1]

19 minutes ago, TonyNSP said:

I took the car into the local workshop this morning and asked if they'd have a quick look.  He gave it a hard tug and it came straight off, followed by a muttered "for f$*k's sake" from myself and feeling really stupid.  He just laughed and said "no problem, it's not the first time that's happened".

 

So, it was just me not daring to heave on it hard enough and being worried about damaging the wiper arm.

 

Thank you guys for the helpful comments, and the "a little brute force" comment was spot on - hangs head in shame.

 

Never any shame, if you do it day in day out you become an expert and know what force to use. So no shame in not knowing what force to apply...

[Beachy]

I recently purchased some Bosch wiper blades from Halfords after typing in my registration number. They were the wrong type but the Halfords own brand fitted with the supplied clips. Found that strange as my previous Bosch ones were the same as the above photos, clipped straight on.

[Breezy]

Which Bosch blades fit the Karoq?

[Hairball]

I've recently changed all wiper blades on my car as even after cleaning etc they would still being very vocal in a short time.

 

I got the following from a certain online store:

• Bosch A864S Aerotwin Wiperblade Set, 650/450 mm front
• BOSCH Aerotwin Heckwischblatt A331H - Länge 330 mm rear

So far silence from both but we will see how things go...

[silver1011]

5 hours ago, TonyNSP said:

Thank you guys for the helpful comments, and the "a little brute force" comment was spot on - hangs head in shame.

 

Better safe than sorry. 30 seconds of embarrassment is better than forking out for a new wiper arm!

 

Or worse still, when the blade finally releases from off the wiper arm (now without the blade attached) it slams back down onto the windscreen, smashing it.

 

It happens more often than you might think!

 

 

Edited 9 December, 2019 by silver1011

[Breezy]

3 hours ago, Hairball said:

I've recently changed all wiper blades on my car as even after cleaning etc they would still being very vocal in a short time.

 

I got the following from a certain online store:

• Bosch A864S Aerotwin Wiperblade Set, 650/450 mm front
• BOSCH Aerotwin Heckwischblatt A331H - Länge 330 mm rear

So far silence from both but we will see how things go...

Thanks...going to order some myself.

[Breezy]

Got my Bosch blades this morning. Fitted them and they are much better than originals.

First time Ive ever bought a new car and had to change the blades because the originals were so poor.

[Hairball]

1 hour ago, Breezy said:

Got my Bosch blades this morning. Fitted them and they are much better than originals.

First time Ive ever bought a new car and had to change the blades because the originals were so poor.

 

Like you I've never felt the need to change the wiper blades on a new or ex demo car ever, I hope that it's either the OEMs are old stock/faulty batch or that the react badly to the windscreen coating residue on a new screen. Looking at my old wipers they look identical to the Bosch ones but without Bosch name. Certainly worth changing over though as so far the difference has been like night and day. This is really the only real irritation I've had from the new car. If that's all I still really rate the Karoq. Peace returns inside the car in the rain instead of the wiper farting competition that I lived with for a while.

[solanaman]

I discovered the knack of removing these wipers is to twist slight upwards as you pull, having depressed the square button - they slide straight out easily.

[Skodagriff]

The wipers on my Karoq SEL have been ridiculously noisy from new. I have replaced them with Bosch and now have silent wiping. Easy to do and the best £27 I have spent. If someone from Skoda reads this thread, do the decent thing and fit decent wipers during manufacture.

[CJJE]

4 hours ago, Skodagriff said:

The wipers on my Karoq SEL have been ridiculously noisy from new. I have replaced them with Bosch and now have silent wiping. Easy to do and the best £27 I have spent. If someone from Skoda reads this thread, do the decent thing and fit decent wipers during manufacture.

Ironically, the Skoda Storyboard website makes the following claim (and note that Skoda dealers charge around £42.13 for the 'official' front pair!)

 

Pavel Švejdar recommends buying original brand wipers rather than cheap alternatives. “The cheaper versions may claim to fit a number of different brands and models, but they never fit as well as the originals. The same applies to other spare parts. In addition, generic products usually have a large universal adapter connecting the joint and the arm, which is ugly when seen from inside and outside the car,” Švejdar explains.

 

Chris