Streak/scratch marks on the windshield from wiper

[AnDYy187]

On my drivers side wiper, there has been a few different lines going in the direction of the the wiper goes, it seems to be scratching the windshield. I just replaced these and they're brand new. I don't know why this would be doing this, but I also notice that in between the two wipers it doesn't quite remove all of the water as some of it is left behind. I was wondering what is causing this? and if someone has had this happen to them as well, is there any product to help remove or buff out the small scratches or whatever they might be called.

[keefy6]

same thing happened to my car and they are still a little visible but clay works magic on more things than just paint. try that first.

[AnDYy187]

How did you stop it from happening? Are both wipers the same size? I went to autozone and he told me the size I needed, if they're wrong I'll blame them and make them fix it!

[keefy6]

well actually because of the SD weather, no rain, the rubber cracks and gets brittle because of the dry air all year around. when i do use them they crumble. but yeah i use oem now just so i won't scratch again. i used another brand and it just didn't quite fit properly. same here - autozone FTL

[Bhead]

Buy a new windshield, not a big deal.

[AnDYy187]

is it because they dont fit correctly? so now I have to replace the windshield? are you kidding me?

[SilverThing]

is it because they dont fit correctly? so now I have to replace the windshield? are you kidding me?

Yes, I'd say he is just kidding...try the clay bar - should remove all/most of what's interfering w/ your wipers. Be sure to use plenty of lubricant (detail spray, car wash soapy water, etc.) when you clay.

[AnDYy187]

Yes, I'd say he is just kidding...try the clay bar - should remove all/most of what's interfering w/ your wipers. Be sure to use plenty of lubricant (detail spray, car wash soapy water, etc.) when you clay.

but its actually scratching the window... thats why I have no idea why this is happening.

[AnDYy187]

Has anyone has this happen to them? I am very angry, I am not sure if it was because of the wiper blade type or what not, but I am going to replace the wiper arms and try to take it to a glass shop to remove the scratches somehow and get some OEM blades to make sure propper fitment. Advance Auto Parts noobs FTL!

[manithemoneyman]

do you have pics of the scratches?

[MJFX328]

Buy new wipers. And wipe some conditioner on them from time to time (like 303).

And buff the windshield

[joe91985]

Lets think about this for a minute....
The scratches go in the direction of the wiper travel...
Something on the wiper blade itself or stuck to the wiper blade is causing this to happen. Now do you think a manufacture of wiper blades is going to make a compound that could damage glass? I don't think so. I would say it's most likely dirt that rests on the wiper when not in use and is ground across the windshield when used. Now also think about this, rubber is a very soft material, and glass can withstand most other materials except for a diamond. In this case we have microscopic stones being dragged across the surface and it woulden't surprise me that it is the whole reason for this.

I have heard alot of people discussing buffing windshields, in this thread the clay bar is brought up....
I don't see how buffing or using the clay bar are going to help glass that has been etched without an extreme amount of work that will be very difficult to make even (meaning the swirls that are going to be developed from polishing). I have not tried this yet, and I do have scratches in my windshield also. I will try both methods so I can demonstrate to myself if it works or not, but I highly doubt it will make a difference based on my efforts trying to remove etching in glass in the past.

You have to replace your windshield...

If you can live with it then no you dont, if you can't stand it or it's soooo bad you can't see out of the window driving into the sun then yes you need to have it replaced. Odds are if the glass is scratched bad enough to drive you crazy then you probally have a chip somewhere and a bunch of pitting in the glass too. Most windshields can be replaced for under $700.00 now which isn't all that bad, and that would be for a piece of glass from BMW (excluding if you have a rain sensor or some other unnessasary(sp?) technology). After the windshield is replaced apply rain-x to it to protect it from the wiper blades and dirt. Or you can spend another $100-200 on a clear film like they use in nascar and other auto racing circuits (they peal it off when the glass gets dirty, far faster than wiping windshield down) to protect the glass from the small pin hole marks and ultimately the scratches from the wipers. Not saying damage won't show up on the clear film, but the more exspensive glass is protected. Most window tinting shops will have this film, just call and ask them. If you live in Maryland "Winner's window tint" has it for sale and installs it too.

I do know that Mercedes-Benz had been using a "softer" glass in there vehicles, for what reason I have no idea (maby better resistance to stones and other road debris). This makes the glass more prone to creating these marks and may very well be 50% of the answer to the problem.

The next thing is that most manufactures recommend that wipers be replaced every 6 months due to the rubber getting harder as it's exposed to the elements and from the precision edge wearing down from the dirt that gets trapped on the top side of the wiper edge. I would assume most people don't replace them that often, which I understand with the price of wiper blades now a days.

Thats about all I got guys, think about it though. The "noobs" at autozone definitly don't know everything about cars but you would be surprised with how much they do know about the cars they own or are intrested in, just like us. And the person that said they are the wrong size... well they need their head scanned because the only differences are the style arm they wil fit in, and the length. Sure their are probally rubber composition differences but how much of a difference do you think it would make and the many companies competing for business that make them research new technologys every day, so we all have close to the best we can get.

Thanks for reading, any thing you want to add please do, anything you want to challenge please do, I love thinking and researching!

[MJFX328]

Claybar does nothing for scratches, but can remove dirt that is stuck on the windshield.

Buffing with a proper glass pad and polish should make things nicer. But I doubt it will make the marks go away completely.

For waterspots in glass mothers chrome polish worked when nothing else would (for my situation)

[Seankf1105]

replace your windshield and clean your car more often.


you should also designate a few cloths for wiping your winshield and leave them in your trunk and maybe 1 or 2 inside your car. whenever its raining or starts raining wipe down your glass quickly but thoroughly with the wipers up. make sure to wipe the area of the glass clean where the wipers sit and with a damp cloth carefully wipe the dirt and grime off the blades. obviously there will still be streaks of water but since it is raining you dont need to worry about that.

i got my windshield replaced 2 years ago because it got cracked and my insurance covered it. i wipe my winsheild down everytime it rains even if it doesnt look that dirty. also i use my wipers very sparingly. if it is just drizzling i keep my wipers off until the windshield needs to be wiped once, then i turn them back off. if im on the highway no matter how bad the rain is i do the same thing, as the beads of water just glide up and over the windshield.

my entire windshield still beads up like freshly waxed paint. it is only very lightly sratched where the wipers reach the top but it is impossible to keep the glass clean 100% of the time. i also use the top of the line Bosch wipers (the single peice ones).

if you get a brand new windsheild do not use crap like RainX on it! the windsheild should already bead perfectly and wipe perfectly. the RainX will only cause your wipers to sqeek and jump IMO. it will also make it a lot harder to dry the glass after washing your car or while cleaning your windsheild. if you notice while you are trying to dry a windsheild with rainx on it it will make a sqeeky sound. IME sqeeks lead to streaks. just try doing what i do and you will not need any type of protectant on your glass.

edit: one last thing i wanna stress... never use your wipers if your windshield and wipers are dirty!!