Jump to content

Windshield Wiper Suggestions - Blades and Scratches


Recommended Posts

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new here. I recently purchased a 2011 Edge Sport with 11,000 miles. I love the car so far, but I have come upon one issue... During a recent snow storm, something go caught on my wipers and it scratched/smudged the windshield following the arch path of the wiper. Not sure if it was the dragging blade or something on the blade that scracthed it... Anyway, I've been trying to figure out how to attempt to remove the scratch/smudge. I tried toothpaste, diluted vinegar, Magic Eraser..nothing worked yet. I have read about trying either polishing compound or cerium oxide (jewelers rouge). Has anyone resolved an issue like this on their Edge? Is it just me or do our windshields seem a little soft?

 

 

Also, due to this situation, I have decided to replace the windshield wiper blades. I bought the Rain-X Latitude blades, and they do not "click" to lock in place. Has anyone experienced this? Does anyone have a suggestion on an aftermarket windshield wiper for our cars that click to lock in place?

 

 

Thanks for the help!

 

 

-Gene

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new here. I recently purchased a 2011 Edge Sport with 11,000 miles. I love the car so far, but I have come upon one issue... During a recent snow storm, something go caught on my wipers and it scratched/smudged the windshield following the arch path of the wiper. Not sure if it was the dragging blade or something on the blade that scracthed it... Anyway, I've been trying to figure out how to attempt to remove the scratch/smudge. I tried toothpaste, diluted vinegar, Magic Eraser..nothing worked yet. I have read about trying either polishing compound or cerium oxide (jewelers rouge). Has anyone resolved an issue like this on their Edge? Is it just me or do our windshields seem a little soft?

 

 

Also, due to this situation, I have decided to replace the windshield wiper blades. I bought the Rain-X Latitude blades, and they do not "click" to lock in place. Has anyone experienced this? Does anyone have a suggestion on an aftermarket windshield wiper for our cars that click to lock in place?

 

 

Thanks for the help!

 

 

-Gene

 

Sorry I cannot comment on other blades which work, however I have a 2011 Ford Edge, and I had a bird bomb on the windshield. In my haste to remove it, I sprayed the windshield with a hose, and used a car wash brush to remove the bomb, however it was stuck on pretty good, I figured it's glass and used the edge of the car wash brush to scrape it off, and while I got the stuff of, it left a whole wack of find scratches on the windshield around 8 inch's square... I've been living with it for a while, I guess it will take a windshield replacement to fix it..

 

Just wanted to comment your not the only one with windshield scratches, not sure if its soft or normal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't noticed any severe scratches, but I do recall seeing, in certain angles of sunlight, some streaks that follow the wiper path after a recent wash.

 

As for the wipers, I also bought the rain-x wiper blades; this is my second set and I also had an issue with one of them not clicking in place (the first set were fine so I figured it was just this one blade). Right side clicked in fine, but the left just wouldn't click, as hard as I tried, nothing. I put it on anyway and laid it down on the windshield and tried to see if it would slide off by sliding it toward the open end of the hook, and it wouldn't, and hasn't yet, and doesn't appear that it will as long as the arm remains against the windshield.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks Weezer... I actually ordered the CeriGlass kit the other day but i failed to mention that in my previous post...I ordered the hand kit which comes with the pads and microfiber towel...I will give it a whirl.

 

Carbonedge+ - what by chance do your streaks look like? Are they like a light gray in color and almost look similar to a scratch but more botchy? As I keep looking at mine I am thinking it is a combination of a sratch and a rubbing streak...maybe I can at least get the streak part off with the CeriGlass...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Carbonedge+ - what by chance do your streaks look like? Are they like a light gray in color and almost look similar to a scratch but more botchy? As I keep looking at mine I am thinking it is a combination of a sratch and a rubbing streak...maybe I can at least get the streak part off with the CeriGlass...

I'll try to get a good look tomorrow as I head into the sun during my morning commute. I also wear polarized sunglasses which may be reducing what I notice as well, but I will try to report back tomorrow.

 

Oh, and if Dingo recommends it, it has to be worthy of checking out...

Edited by carbonedge+
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Update - I picked up a set of the Motorcraft Premium blades with the wear indicator from the dealership. They were 9.98 each when I brought in a coupon from the owner.ford.com site. The coupon is here: http://owner.ford.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Owner/Page/ServiceCouponsPage I ran them, they seem legit, and I like the indicator. FYI - for some reason these didn't "click" when they locked in, however they are most certainly locked in place as I tugged and pulled on them to make sure they were secure. Anyone esle have this experience?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new here. I recently purchased a 2011 Edge Sport with 11,000 miles. I love the car so far, but I have come upon one issue... During a recent snow storm, something go caught on my wipers and it scratched/smudged the windshield following the arch path of the wiper. Not sure if it was the dragging blade or something on the blade that scracthed it... Anyway, I've been trying to figure out how to attempt to remove the scratch/smudge. I tried toothpaste, diluted vinegar, Magic Eraser..nothing worked yet. I have read about trying either polishing compound or cerium oxide (jewelers rouge). Has anyone resolved an issue like this on their Edge? Is it just me or do our windshields seem a little soft?

 

 

Also, due to this situation, I have decided to replace the windshield wiper blades. I bought the Rain-X Latitude blades, and they do not "click" to lock in place. Has anyone experienced this? Does anyone have a suggestion on an aftermarket windshield wiper for our cars that click to lock in place?

 

 

Thanks for the help!

 

 

-Gene

 

 

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new here. I recently purchased a 2011 Edge Sport with 11,000 miles. I love the car so far, but I have come upon one issue... During a recent snow storm, something go caught on my wipers and it scratched/smudged the windshield following the arch path of the wiper. Not sure if it was the dragging blade or something on the blade that scracthed it... Anyway, I've been trying to figure out how to attempt to remove the scratch/smudge. I tried toothpaste, diluted vinegar, Magic Eraser..nothing worked yet. I have read about trying either polishing compound or cerium oxide (jewelers rouge). Has anyone resolved an issue like this on their Edge? Is it just me or do our windshields seem a little soft?

 

 

Also, due to this situation, I have decided to replace the windshield wiper blades. I bought the Rain-X Latitude blades, and they do not "click" to lock in place. Has anyone experienced this? Does anyone have a suggestion on an aftermarket windshield wiper for our cars that click to lock in place?

 

 

Thanks for the help!

 

 

-Gene

I had the same problem with Michelin and Rain-X blades on the drivers side.

The Bosch Marathon blade locks in place nicely. All of the blades locked on the passenger side.

 

Don

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...

When I bought my used 2011 Limited, the windshield looked fine until the first rainy night. It was really a mess with areas that looked very hazy and small patches here and there that were clear. Upon closer examination in the daylight, I could see many many small fine scratches in the wiper paths but in those clear places there were no scratches. With the proper lighting and reflective angle, it appeared that there was some kind of coating on the windshield. I small magnifier showed scratches in the coated area.

 

I tried normal cleaning but as the wetness of the cleaner would evaporate under each wipe of the cleaning cloth, you could still see the scratches. Since I've used #0000 steel wool on my other car's windshields, I tried it again on this one.

 

As I scrubbed, the clear areas were getting larger but it was taking a lot of scrubbing and elbow grease using the steel wool. So I took out my rotary polisher and used Mequire's Ultimate polishing compound and it was making more of the windshield clear again. But there was a coating still left in many places. I have a 3" window razor that I then used very carefully. Surprisingly, large flakes of some substance was coming off in the hazy areas. I could easily see them again by wiping with a damp cloth.

 

I was very concerned that I was ruining the windshield, but I figured glass does not shave off like that. I removed all of it and I still don't know what it was (it looked like some kind of clear coat that got all scratched.)

 

Now my windshield has no wiper scratches at all and is super clean. I followed all that (4 hours over multiple days) with a coat of RainX. I then cleaned the interior meticulously first using 90% rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol, then invisible glass cleaner several times and the windshield finally looks great - except for one small issue...

 

When a light shines through it (oncoming headlights, or streetlamps, etc) you can see a thin halo around them like the moon on a misty night. It's the weirdest thing. It's not my eyes - other people see it too. I continued to clean it while shining a flashlight through it in a dark garage and no luck. It appears that it is in the laminate layers in the middle. I try to smear the halo with my finger - both inside or outside - but nothing smears. It squeaks on the inside, but the RainX doesn't squeak on the outside. I think I can live with it but I wish it were clearer. Last time I drove in the rain at night it looked pretty good.

 

So you might check a small area of your windshield to see if there is a coating on it like mine. I'd be interested to know and I wonder if all Edge windshields are like this.

 

See my other Windshield question here: http://www.fordedgeforum.com/topic/21635-2011-limited-windshield-not-soundscreen/as I was trying to figure out my options and if it was a special windshield.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...