My windshield wipers suck

[LAYota]

Does anybody else feel the same way? My 4Rnr is 2013 and only has 17k miles. The wipers are in good shape, but I just feel like they don’t do a good job. To be fair, I do live in south Louisiana and it’s only a problem during a torrential downpour. They work fine the majority of the time, but during extremely hard rain it feels like they are not moving enough water off of the windshield. It seems to be a poor design as though there should be another, faster setting or maybe the windshield wipers themselves should be longer or something. This morning I drove my 4Rnr in one of these south Louisiana monsoons and the wipers could not keep up. Later, I drove my work vehicle (2014 Ford Explorer) in the same weather and it was MUCH better. I certainly wouldn’t debate the quality of overall vehicle (Explorer vs 4Rnr) as the one I spent my own money on was the Yota, but in this one area the 4Rnr seems inadequate. Has anybody else experienced this????

 

[Antman]

Does anybody else feel the same way? My 4Rnr is 2013 and only has 17k miles. The wipers are in good shape, but I just feel like they don’t do a good job. To be fair, I do live in south Louisiana and it’s only a problem during a torrential downpour. They work fine the majority of the time, but during extremely hard rain it feels like they are not moving enough water off of the windshield. It seems to be a poor design as though there should be another, faster setting or maybe the windshield wipers themselves should be longer or something. This morning I drove my 4Rnr in one of these south Louisiana monsoons and the wipers could not keep up. Later, I drove my work vehicle (2014 Ford Explorer) in the same weather and it was MUCH better. I certainly wouldn’t debate the quality of overall vehicle (Explorer vs 4Rnr) as the one I spent my own money on was the Yota, but in this one area the 4Rnr seems inadequate. Has anybody else experienced this????

Exactly the opposite for me.

Mine are quite possibly the best wipers I've ever had on any vehicle- in fact, I replaced the blades with the factory inserts. I have NEVER, EVER purchased factory wiper inserts prior to this vehicle.

Try some Rain-X, or the Rain-X washer fluid and you should see some improvement though. With Rain-X alone, in a torrential downpour, you can get by with NO wipers whatsoever and see fine. Try it.

 

[Eagle62]

X2 on Rain-X, that stuff is great. I've used it on all my vehicles and I plan on using it on the 4R as well. As for the stock wipers, I think they do a great job and we do get frequent torrential downpours here in NY during summer months. BTW, there is a second, faster setting which I've rarely used.

 

[K9trainer]

I'd read up on the rain x washer fluid, I sure wouldn't use it

 

[Eagle62]

I'd read up on the rain x washer fluid, I sure wouldn't use it

never had a problem with the pink stuff I used.

 

[manofsteele2003]

I use rain-x and the washer fluid , no problems here.

 

[K9trainer]

The green stuff stained my white Tahoe

 

[marshal]

been using the pink rain-x fluid for years, wouldn't buy anything else, also use Rain-x latitude blades

 

[Buckles]

Bosch Icon blades are the best I have found. Walmart has them cheaper than anywhere else.

 

[jicko]

Move here to San Diego, we don't have a need for windshield wipers.

 

[Friggin Idiot]

Another +1 for Rain-X coating - a good coat of Rain-X and you don't need wiper blades above 50mph, it all just runs right off!
It's one thing to apply it manually, another to go shooting it all over the place like some horny teenager. I don't use the washer fluid, it seems to wear away the nice coats of wax I work so hard to put on by hand.

I've never liked those fancy one piece wiper blades or the factory ones. The Okie sun and heat is hard on wiper blades. I usually favor winter blades (the ones with the rubber boot over the entire arms), or the Michelin Stealth blades. Everyone simply wants too much money for those fancy one piece blades that go flapping about uselessly if you try to use them above 70mph.

 

[LAYota]

I’ll give the Rain-X coating a try. I’ve used it on other vehicles in the past and it is a good product

 

[dhylander]

I’ll give the Rain-X coating a try. I’ve used it on other vehicles in the past and it is a good product

Aquapel is another good coating. Lasts longer than Rain-x in my experience.

 

[Diver Deuce]

:deadhorse: RAIN-X homie

 

[Antman]

It's one thing to apply it manually, another to go shooting it all over the place like some horny teenager.

LMAO!

I will probably laugh every time I use my windshield washers for quite a while now....

 

[MSinDC]

I've used the orange rainx washer fluid for years and love it (some say I act like a teenager so I guess it's fitting).

As for the wipers, I specifically remember in the first rain I went through with the 2014 being impressed with not only the coverage, but the smoothness of the wipers. I was coming from a 3rd gen and the wipers were really the only thing I HATED about that truck, though.

 

[INSW20]

make sure your windshield is clean!!

Here's How To Clean and Restore A Dangerously Dirty Windshield


:toilet:

 

[Saker]

[MENTION=98891]LAYota[/MENTION],

Just a suggestion, wiper blades on my vehicles are changed once a year due to the heat we have here. Some may think it is overkill, but they aren't expensive so I do it so they will function fine year round. Don't want to be caught in one of our torrential rainstorms and have marginal blades.
You also stated you have approx 17000 miles on your T4R. They need to be replaced.

I use RainX washer fluid (orange stuff) in my wife's car. It is as good as everyone is saying!

 

[MSinDC]

make sure your windshield is clean!!

Here's How To Clean and Restore A Dangerously Dirty Windshield

hahaha WHOA. no idea why i watched all of that.

 

[desertred]

Does anybody else feel the same way? My 4Rnr is 2013 and only has 17k miles. The wipers are in good shape, but I just feel like they don’t do a good job. To be fair, I do live in south Louisiana and it’s only a problem during a torrential downpour. They work fine the majority of the time, but during extremely hard rain it feels like they are not moving enough water off of the windshield. It seems to be a poor design as though there should be another, faster setting or maybe the windshield wipers themselves should be longer or something. This morning I drove my 4Rnr in one of these south Louisiana monsoons and the wipers could not keep up. Later, I drove my work vehicle (2014 Ford Explorer) in the same weather and it was MUCH better. I certainly wouldn’t debate the quality of overall vehicle (Explorer vs 4Rnr) as the one I spent my own money on was the Yota, but in this one area the 4Rnr seems inadequate. Has anybody else experienced this????

It's probably not an issue that the 4Runner's wipers suck; your experience more likely has to do with the rake of the 4Runner's windshield. The Explorer's windshield is raked so that rain will more readily flow up and over the windshield. The 4Runner has a very steeply angled windshield so that rain isn't shed as easily. This is the same reason why many 4Runner owners complain about cracked windshields; the rocks and debris don't deflect off of a more vertically designed windshield. A windshield treatment like Rain-X may help, but you may still find your wipers can't clear your windshield as readily as you'd like during torrential rains. But, I don't think it's the wipers.