[Ice]

So my 2006 Innova has seen 4 new wiper blades over the past 2 months, on the driver's (right) side. The wiper judders on the upswing, and clears up ok on the downswing. The juddering makes it impossible to drive during the rains, especially with the lights on.

I have tried the following blades:
1. Hella Full-rubber - started juddering after a day
2. Hella regular - started juddering on the 3rd or 4th use
3. Bosch - Full-rubber - cleaned smoothly for 2 days and then started juddering
4. Hella Full-rubber - started juddering almost immediately.

I use the windshield washer every day, so I am able to accurately track when the trouble starts. I have checked to see if the wiper arm is loose, but it seems fine.

What could the problem be?

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Check the windshield. The glass must be rough. Any paint or thinner fell on the glass?

[Ice]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Check the windshield. The glass must be rough. Any paint or thinner fell on the glass?

Tejas,
The windshield is very clean. I clean it myself, every day. Also, the left wiper is perfectly fine. And as far as I know, nothing like paint or thinner has fallen on the windshield.

I wonder if it could be the wiper arm

[Akshay1234]

Try getting the windshield polished, the car is 6 years old and its possible the windsheild has got scratched, etc till now.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Yup change the arm. Probably the arm has twisted which causes the angle to be increased on upswing and becomes easy on the downswing.

Check if there is any "camber" while the blade rests on the windscreen. It should be 90 degrees and the arm must be parallel to the windshield.

[girimajiananth]

did you get the wiper motor checked ? could it be the cause of the judder ?

[Ice]

Originally Posted by akshay1234

Try getting the windshield polished, the car is 6 years old and its possible the windsheild has got scratched, etc till now.

Will get it done soon.

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Yup change the arm. Probably the arm has twisted which causes the angle to be increased on upswing and becomes easy on the downswing.
Check if there is any "camber" while the blade rests on the windscreen. It should be 90 degrees and the arm must be parallel to the windshield.

There is some camber. The arm is not parallel to the windshield. I think the car cleaner is responsible for this - he keeps lifting the arm and leaves it lifted when he cleans the car every morning

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Try this:

Switch on the wiper, and while it's going upwards, switch off the car causing the wiper to stall midway. Then inspect the blade as is on the glass. The blade should "trail" downwards. If not, it's a blade / arm issue. If its fine, then it's a glass issue.

[Ice]

Originally Posted by girimajiananth

How do you clean the glass initially ?

Do you just spray the fluid using the spray and use the wiper ? (like those mechanics do at the service centers ? )

IMHO , clean the glass using the good old bucket and cloth method before you use the wiper straight away .

I use water and a cloth. Bangalore deposits a lot of dust on cars, and this scares me into dousing the windshield with plain water and wiping it down with a cloth.

Originally Posted by girimajiananth

A friend of mine pulled the wiper stalk without cleaning the wind shield initially , as a result there is a nice big scratch not visible but can be felt easily. A dry leaf which had fallen on the wind shield caused it .

Any chance that such a thing could have occured without your knowledge ?

Don't think so. I am very particular about taking care of the windshield and know for a fact that there are no scratches on it.

Originally Posted by girimajiananth

Do you clean the wiper rubber regularly ?

once a week, with a soft cloth

[rajeev k]

Since you are confident that the glass is fine check the wiper arm mount for looseness and also the drive spindle if it is having free play inside the bush. The problem and the solution would be there. See the picture below.

picture source: http://www.sw-em.com/Windshield%20Wiper%20Systems.htm

[girimajiananth]

hmmm , cant seem to understand what could have gone wrong !

Do keep us posted if the problem is fixed . Where do you buy the wiper blades from ?

[parsh]

The problem is most likely due to
1. wiper blade having micro cuts, uneven wear - needs replacement
2. wiper assembly having play - most probably the cause as it may have gone rusty and lot of play must have come into it. I had to replace it after about 6 years. Yours could be due.

Windshield glass can hardly be the cause of the shudder since you say it is absolutely clean and you yourself keep it so. Also, since you clean the glass daily anyway, better clean the wiper blades too to keep them clean and avoid any undue scratches on glass due to dust accumulation and also hardening due to deposits on the rubber.

[genesis]

It is the wiper arm assembly and not the wiper. as Rajeev k said it is most likely in the spindle assembly below the ball joint. I have the same issue, the blade is not parallel to the glass even after you bend the arm.
Root cause has been diagnosed correctly, it is the cleaner who keeps it raised for hours at end
The arm assembly has to be replaced/repaired.

[Ice]

Thank you all. Trying to procure a wiper arm for the Innova. Also, threaded the arm on the spindle to eliminate even any tiny bit of play. No play at all. Tight as a drum.

Just to quell all doubts, I gave the windshield the old 1-2-3. 1. Pril + Water + old newspaper . 2. Windshield spray + regular cotton cloth . 3. Microfibre cloth to dry it all up

IT.STILL.JUDDERRRRRRRSSSSS.

Anyone in Bangalore know where I can pick up a new arm? I work in Koramangala and live in Indira Nagar and am dreading a trip to JC Road.

[ilangop]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Yup change the arm. Probably the arm has twisted which causes the angle to be increased on upswing and becomes easy on the downswing.

Check if there is any "camber" while the blade rests on the windscreen. It should be 90 degrees and the arm must be parallel to the windshield.

- Spot On. This is a common issue which can be rectified with a pair of pliers.

Originally Posted by Ice

So my 2006 Innova has seen 4 new wiper blades over the past 2 months, on the driver's (right) side. The wiper judders on the upswing, and clears up ok on the downswing. The juddering makes it impossible to drive during the rains, especially with the lights on.

I have tried the following blades:
1. Hella Full-rubber - started juddering after a day
2. Hella regular - started juddering on the 3rd or 4th use
3. Bosch - Full-rubber - cleaned smoothly for 2 days and then started juddering
4. Hella Full-rubber - started juddering almost immediately.

What could the problem be?

Ice, even after changing 10 wiper blades / brands your problem will not be solved because the problem is not with the blade, It is at the arm. You had confirmed that there is a camber at the arm, but you haven't taken the efforts to fix it. That is where is the problem lies. Leave the wiper in home position itself and see if the rubber edge of the blade is exactly perpendicular to the surface of the windshield. If not, you will have to grab a piece of cloth and a pair of pliers. Wrap the mid of the wiper arm with 2 or 3 rounds of the waste cloth. And grab the arm by the pliers over the cloth. The cloth is only to protect the paint on the arm while the plier bites the arm. Slowly twist the arm little in the direction where the blade will be perpendicular to the surface of the windshield. And you are done. All the best.
Note: Try this before investing on new blades.