Wiper blade contact

[Bourbonator]

When my driver's side wiper is about 60% of the way up to its apex, the last 2-3" lose contact with the windshield. I replaced the blades with OEM about four months ago, and this problem has just presented itself. When the wipers are at the bottom of the windshield, everything contacts. When the wipers are all the way extended, the tip of the driver's side blade sits about 5mm off the windshield.

I'll take pics when it stops raining, and probably start by disassembling and reassembling the wiper/blade, to see if anything looks unusual. Anyone else deal with this, or know anything I should look for?

 

[(none)]

Its probably the wiper arm. It isn't moving down towards the windshield, keeping constant pressure.

 

[Bourbonator]

Bump with pics

The issue remains unresolved. Pushing down more on the arm where it contacts the blade does nothing. Relieving a bit of pressure from the arm on the blade only lifts more of the wiper off the windshield.

The wiper arm at rest:

The wiper arm near its apex:

From a bit further back:

 

[philsey]

Are those OEM arms? They don't look like mine.

 

[1jzgte]

those are definitely not OEMs..

 

[purplehippo]

It looks like you're missing the whole upper plastic piece of the wiper arm.

 

[Bourbonator]

It looks like you're missing the whole upper plastic piece of the wiper arm.

It's the most obvious things than evade me. Looks like I need to find a replacement part now, and see if that fixes the problem. Thanks for reminding me to look at the big picture.

Passenger side:

vs Driver side:

ETA: Can anyone confirm that what I need is part 85222A? I can't find the plastic trim sold individually.

 

[enapa]

Weird. How would you have gotten 2 so clearly different blades from a dealer?

 

[Ryan1975]

Should come with a replacement set of blades, right?

 

[Bourbonator]

Should come with a replacement set of blades, right?

Weird. How would you have gotten 2 so clearly different blades from a dealer?

I just got refills. The plastic part broke off a few weeks ago, I imagine.

ETA: To clarify, when I replaced the wiper blades last spring, I just took the old wiper blades out and installed the new OEM wiper blades. They're like $4 each. The plastic part of the blade assembly must have broken off a few weeks ago.

 

[Ryan1975]

I just got refills. The plastic part broke off a few weeks ago, I imagine.

ETA: To clarify, when I replaced the wiper blades last spring, I just took the old wiper blades out and installed the new OEM wiper blades. They're like $4 each. The plastic part of the blade assembly must have broken off a few weeks ago.

I replaced all of mine with Bosch and replaced it at the Hook - so the whole assembly. Significantly more, I know but I too was trying to rid myself of some areas that were getting missed. (Lower right windshield) ...still doing it though.

 

[Bourbonator]

As an update, I took my 4R into the stealership for the airbag TSB. Their barcode scanner wouldn't work (they couldn't scan the barcode of the replacement airbag) so they couldn't install the new airbag (at least that was their excuse) so they decided to do me a favor for waiting there for two hours and replace the entire blade assembly at no cost to me.

Except they replaced it with a blade assembly meant for a different vehicle. It looked like crap, so I assumed camry. My original wiper problem persisted, and when the OEM part I ordered arrived, I installed that one, after nearly breaking the wiper arm and smashing my windshield trying to dismount the one the dealer installed/jammed on. It literally did not fit, and they had jammed it on as well as they could and left it. I hate the dealership.

 

[Tisoy281]

As an update, I took my 4R into the stealership for the airbag TSB. Their barcode scanner wouldn't work (they couldn't scan the barcode of the replacement airbag) so they couldn't install the new airbag (at least that was their excuse) so they decided to do me a favor for waiting there for two hours and replace the entire blade assembly at no cost to me.

Except they replaced it with a blade assembly meant for a different vehicle. It looked like crap, so I assumed camry. My original wiper problem persisted, and when the OEM part I ordered arrived, I installed that one, after nearly breaking the wiper arm and smashing my windshield trying to dismount the one the dealer installed/jammed on. It literally did not fit, and they had jammed it on as well as they could and left it. I hate the dealership.

That's not an airbag "TSB". That's a full blown "recall". Just like relating HIV to AIDS. Anyways, back on subject. How much does the whole blade assembly cost? I was stupid and yanked off the OEM ones and trashed them when I replaced them with Rain X blades. Didn't think about it until after I drove off and looked at the blades from the outside when I parked.

 

[KP Texan]

That's not an airbag "TSB". That's a full blown "recall". Just like relating HIV to AIDS. Anyways, back on subject. How much does the whole blade assembly cost? I was stupid and yanked off the OEM ones and trashed them when I replaced them with Rain X blades. Didn't think about it until after I drove off and looked at the blades from the outside when I parked.

Should be 85212-53081 for right and 85222-52180 for left. One will probably run you about $25 and the other $35.

 

[Tisoy281]

Should be 85212-53081 for right and 85222-52180 for left. One will probably run you about $25 and the other $35.

Thanks! Will the OEM arms work with aftermarket blades (Rain X)? Or only with OEM inserts?

 

[KP Texan]

Thanks! Will the OEM arms work with aftermarket blades (Rain X)? Or only with OEM inserts?

I’d assume just the OEM inserts work, but it looks like that blade assembly is complete and comes with them. Then you could use the OEM inserts whenever you needed to replace. They’re actually better than most aftermarket options and quite cheap (there was a recent thread on it).

 

[WCVanHorne]

Most Aftermarket Have This Contact/Curvature Problem

So I spent some time perusing threads and lo and behold found almost my exact issue. However I have this problem with brand new wipers: they lose contact with the windshield at the top for about the last inch or so (on both sides).

I've tried the Michelin Stealth from our Costcos and didn't notice this until winter hit a few years ago. Thought they were just weak or bad but when I replaced them with the same model (after the rubber was starting to harden/streak) the new ones still had the same issue. This time around I decided to try a set of "beam" style to help with winter icing and the Bosch Icons seemed to have the most aggressive curvature.

Well still no dice. See these photos of the brand new Icons (no comments on my messy garage!) .

Does any recommend any aftermarket that conform to the windshield curvature properly? I'm about to go back to OEM and then just do the insert replacement as required.

 

[Photogr]

Are those factory length blades? The gap from the end of the blade to the edge of the windshield looks small.

 

[KP Texan]

So I spent some time perusing threads and lo and behold found almost my exact issue. However I have this problem with brand new wipers: they lose contact with the windshield at the top for about the last inch or so (on both sides).

I've tried the Michelin Stealth from our Costcos and didn't notice this until winter hit a few years ago. Thought they were just weak or bad but when I replaced them with the same model (after the rubber was starting to harden/streak) the new ones still had the same issue. This time around I decided to try a set of "beam" style to help with winter icing and the Bosch Icons seemed to have the most aggressive curvature.

Well still no dice. See these photos of the brand new Icons (no comments on my messy garage!) .

Does any recommend any aftermarket that conform to the windshield curvature properly? I'm about to go back to OEM and then just do the insert replacement as required.

If you kept your factory blades, you're luckier than many people who have decided to go the aftermarket route. Just grab some inexpensive refills from the Toyota dealership or eBay and fix it for good!

 

[badattitude]

Buy shorter wipers.