Windshield Wipers Do Not Clean Entire Windshield

daisi145 · 04-15-2012, 04:09 AM

Does anyone else have this issue? When I clean my windshield with the wipers, the wipers leave about 3-4 inches of dirty space on the driver's side. The wipers are working properly, but they seem as though they should be adjusted to the left a bit so that they clean more of the windshield. The dirty part is right in my field of vision. I know there is always a little space on the driver's side in any car that doesn't get clean, but it's usually no more than about an inch. Is this just a 370z thing, or are my wipers mis-installed?

P.S. I just bought the car used - it's a 2009.

USMCASA · 04-15-2012, 08:16 AM

possibly incorrect length? think its 21" on ds and 19" on ps

onzedge · 04-15-2012, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USMCASA

possibly incorrect length? think its 21" on ds and 19" on ps

daisi145 · 04-15-2012, 08:25 AM

No, it's not length. If that were the case, they would go off the top of the windshield when they wiped. The 3-4 inch space is on the left side of the windshield going vertical, not across the top.

RandyD · 04-15-2012, 08:25 AM

mine were streaky, even new - I quickly replaced them with a nice multi-bladed RainX blafde.. they now work really well.

onzedge · 04-15-2012, 08:25 AM

Have you tried replacing the blades?

USMCASA · 04-15-2012, 09:08 AM

blade flat spots? dry rot?

UNKNOWN_370 · 04-15-2012, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daisi145

Does anyone else have this issue? When I clean my windshield with the wipers, the wipers leave about 3-4 inches of dirty space on the driver's side. The wipers are working properly, but they seem as though they should be adjusted to the left a bit so that they clean more of the windshield. The dirty part is right in my field of vision. I know there is always a little space on the driver's side in any car that doesn't get clean, but it's usually no more than about an inch. Is this just a 370z thing, or are my wipers mis-installed?

P.S. I just bought the car used - it's a 2009.

I can't picture what your saying. Where is the dirt being left exactly? Because wipers naturally don't clean the whole window. Are you speaking the center of your driver view?

kenchan · 04-15-2012, 11:29 AM

maybe you're not applying enough washer fluid? try spraying 5sec.

RiCharlie · 04-15-2012, 11:33 AM

Get rid of the car...

Trips · 04-15-2012, 11:45 AM

Take a picture of the wipers at rest and at the furthest position But if the rest position is normal? their is nothing wrong I also have a few inches of un-cleaned window.
The stroke of the window motor only goes so far You may try to align the wiper up a notch by loosening the nut that attaches it to the wiper motor? But that may make that wiper not look aligned like the passenger side but thats you're only alternative other than that its normal maybe sitting up-right and not doing the Gangsta lean would help. :shrug:

UNKNOWN_370 · 04-15-2012, 11:45 AM

All I know is I never seen a wiper clean a whole window. It only cleans the drivers forward wiew. To clean a whole window you need to manually wash it. If the dirt is in the driver view after washing the windows properly with the right amount of wiper fluid? Then it is probably a defective or worn wiper?

RunNgun · 04-15-2012, 11:51 AM

This is standard. Every car I've owned in the last 10 years has done this. What he's referring to is the fact that the drivers side blade does not make contact with the window pillar thus completely cleaning the entire surface of the glass. The blade usually stops about 1" or so from the edge of the glass, leaving that unsightly gap of dirty window where wiper fluid accumulates.

I mention the last 10 years because I feel certain all my older cars always cleaned near 100% of the surface area of the glass on the drivers side. I feel like I remember the first modern car I bought that didnt do this and I thought it was odd, like some sort of design flaw. Then I noticed every new car after that did the same thing, regardless of make/model. It's as if the industry just came out with a new way to wipe windows that results in an area that never gets touched.

daisi145 · 04-16-2012, 03:38 AM

See the pictures attached. Does everyone else's look like this? Notice how there's a huge gap on the side not getting cleaned...

daisi145 · 04-16-2012, 03:39 AM

Here is it not upside down...

04-15-2012, 04:09 AM	#1 (permalink)
daisi145 Base Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: US Posts: 29 Drives: 2009 Nissan 370z Rep Power: 14	Windshield Wipers Do Not Clean Entire Windshield Does anyone else have this issue? When I clean my windshield with the wipers, the wipers leave about 3-4 inches of dirty space on the driver's side. The wipers are working properly, but they seem as though they should be adjusted to the left a bit so that they clean more of the windshield. The dirty part is right in my field of vision. I know there is always a little space on the driver's side in any car that doesn't get clean, but it's usually no more than about an inch. Is this just a 370z thing, or are my wipers mis-installed? P.S. I just bought the car used - it's a 2009. Last edited by daisi145; 04-15-2012 at 04:12 AM.

04-15-2012, 08:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
onzedge A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Battle Lake MN Age: 64 Posts: 183,964 Drives: 370Z 240Z Rep Power: 2684736	Have you tried replacing the blades? __________________ Koni\|Swift\|Michelin\|Motordyne\|Berk\|RJM Performance\|Gates\|SPL\|Motul\|Technafit\|Ate Super Blue\|Hawk Tommy Kaira\|Momo\|Optima\|Hella\|Hotchkis\|Red Line\|ZSpeed\|Stillen\|B&M\|H&R

04-15-2012, 11:45 AM	#11 (permalink)
Trips Administrator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Disneyland, Ca Posts: 8,732 Drives: 🔰 Rep Power: 10	Take a picture of the wipers at rest and at the furthest position But if the rest position is normal? their is nothing wrong I also have a few inches of un-cleaned window. The stroke of the window motor only goes so far You may try to align the wiper up a notch by loosening the nut that attaches it to the wiper motor? But that may make that wiper not look aligned like the passenger side but thats you're only alternative other than that its normal maybe sitting up-right and not doing the Gangsta lean would help. :shrug: __________________ Last edited by Trips; 04-15-2012 at 11:48 AM.

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04-15-2012, 08:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
USMCASA A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: NC Posts: 1,152 Drives: 09 370z CY M6 Rep Power: 18	possibly incorrect length? think its 21" on ds and 19" on ps

04-15-2012, 08:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
daisi145 Base Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: US Posts: 29 Drives: 2009 Nissan 370z Rep Power: 14	No, it's not length. If that were the case, they would go off the top of the windshield when they wiped. The 3-4 inch space is on the left side of the windshield going vertical, not across the top.

04-15-2012, 08:25 AM	#5 (permalink)
RandyD A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Potomac Falls, VA Posts: 2,977 Drives: 2010 370z 7AT Roadst Rep Power: 20	mine were streaky, even new - I quickly replaced them with a nice multi-bladed RainX blafde.. they now work really well.

04-15-2012, 09:08 AM	#7 (permalink)
USMCASA A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: NC Posts: 1,152 Drives: 09 370z CY M6 Rep Power: 18	blade flat spots? dry rot?

04-15-2012, 11:29 AM	#9 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	maybe you're not applying enough washer fluid? try spraying 5sec.

04-15-2012, 11:33 AM	#10 (permalink)
RiCharlie Track Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Johnston RI Posts: 857 Drives: 370 Touring Spt A/t Rep Power: 16	Get rid of the car...

04-15-2012, 11:45 AM	#12 (permalink)
UNKNOWN_370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: ny'r livn in tx Posts: 8,687 Drives: well over 130m.p.h. Rep Power: 14858	All I know is I never seen a wiper clean a whole window. It only cleans the drivers forward wiew. To clean a whole window you need to manually wash it. If the dirt is in the driver view after washing the windows properly with the right amount of wiper fluid? Then it is probably a defective or worn wiper?

04-15-2012, 11:51 AM	#13 (permalink)
RunNgun Base Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: USA Posts: 80 Drives: 2011 370z black AT Rep Power: 14	This is standard. Every car I've owned in the last 10 years has done this. What he's referring to is the fact that the drivers side blade does not make contact with the window pillar thus completely cleaning the entire surface of the glass. The blade usually stops about 1" or so from the edge of the glass, leaving that unsightly gap of dirty window where wiper fluid accumulates. I mention the last 10 years because I feel certain all my older cars always cleaned near 100% of the surface area of the glass on the drivers side. I feel like I remember the first modern car I bought that didnt do this and I thought it was odd, like some sort of design flaw. Then I noticed every new car after that did the same thing, regardless of make/model. It's as if the industry just came out with a new way to wipe windows that results in an area that never gets touched.