Having installed thousands of wipers blades and trying out many brands and models of wiper blades on our customers' vehicles, I had concluded very common issues faced by many drivers.
This juddering problem on the windscreen is usually related to the windshield glass or the wiper blades themselves. Either of these could be dirty, sticky or in need of repair or replacement.
Windshield wiper juddering or chattering is the result of too much friction between the rubber blade and the windshield. Essentially, the wiper’s rubber blade is sticking to the windshield causing it to “jump” across the windshield.
If you are dealing with this irritating and annoying issues, below are three basic checks that can help reduce this annoying shuddering sound and prevent it from returning.
1. Inspect & Clean the Wiper Blades
In majority of windscreen wiper juddering cases, it is the wiper blades causing the issue. So the first step is to inspect them and make sure they are not damaged or broken.
If the wipers seem in good condition, make sure the rubber blade of each wiper is flexible and can flip over in both directions. To allow proper wiping action, the wiper blade should be able to move across the windshield easily and freely.
A normal windshield wiper should be flexible enough to always sweep water off the windscreen and if this isn’t the case, you should check to see what is preventing it from doing so.
Sometimes a simple wipe with a wet sponge or cloth as part of your regular car cleaning routine is enough to removes contaminants from the wiper blade which solves the juddering problem.
2. Properly Clean the Windscreen
Cleaning your windows is the best place to start. It is most likely the culprit if your windshield wipers are juddering while they are running. Make sure you wash the outside of the windscreen as part of your regular car washing process to remove any debris and dirt.
The windscreen should be free from waxes and oils as this can cause the glass and the rubber of the wipers to stick which causes the problem.
Some vehicle owner like to coat the screen with water-repellent coating which makes the windscreen sticky, although it may be able to give your screen water-repellent effect. Not many wiper blades can solve this issue, other than to remove the coating totally. It will be costly to restore the screen to its original condition.
After washing the whole car, use our Oil Film Glass Cleaner and glass cleaning wiper to finish off the windscreen and window glass leaving it crystal clear. Not only does this remove finger marks from your windows but it will leave the windscreen in the best possible condition to allow free movement from the wiper blades.
3. Regularly Replace Wiper Blades
It is advisable to replace wiper blades every 12 months due to general wear and tear. However, this is just a guide. Depending on the brand of wipers and your vehicle usage you may find that you get more or less use than this before replacement is required. Our Silicone Wiper Blade had been designed to last 2 to 3 times longer than normal rubber wipers. Exposure to extreme weather and climate also warrants a frequent replacement, especially for cheaper rubber wipers.
However, the last thing you want to do is wait for your wipers to deteriorate from the weather and have the metal of the wipers scratch your windscreen.
When installing the wiper blades, check the tightness level. Too little or too much tension between the glass and wiper can cause the shuddering or squeaking. Check that the wipers sit properly against the glass. If the wiper is not perpendicular or wiper arm does not apply enough pressure to the glass, the wiper can judders.
It is also essential that you get blades that are designed for your vehicle.
Often choosing a cheaper quality wiper blade or one that is not properly designed for your vehicle will result in juddering even when new blades are replaced and you may find the cheaper models are the reason for the juddering.
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