Stupid windshield wiper.....
06-07-2005, 02:15 PM
#23
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Originally Posted by Joehnn
Thanks for the warning guys. You may have saved others from the same
crap you went through.
I may have to look into after market blades.
crap you went through.
I may have to look into after market blades.Understatement: every xB driver for SURE should get some non-Toyota blade-sets on his/her car ASAP
It is real risk to ignore.
Needs to be a temporary sticky OR thread author could re-title this thread to read:
!!! WIPER WILL FAIL and DAMAGE you xb paint!!!
in big, shouting letters. why not?
06-07-2005, 05:06 PM
#24
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if its that bad they should recall them and have new wipers put on. I just replaced mine cause of the look.. didnt know about the damage the old ones could do til this post was up. wow did I luck out.
06-07-2005, 06:21 PM
#26
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repeat of the picture from previous page
In the picture the rubber is not actually -torn-. It got turned aside by itself, in service and unhooked/uncovered one of the twin steel spines inside the blade. This is squarepant's actual wiper, passenger side, which we swapped out on Sunday night. This is just how it -was-. It is not manipulated this way. It's in failure mode and was about to begin raking at the paint atop the windshield.
you guys can go look real close at your Scion blades to see what I mean-
It would not take much for this to happen: the rubber snags or dry-grips to the glass.... the steel get un-capped and there... the process of damage may then begin.
Wellies' steel above was -out- and was not "loose" to the touch to either go back in, or to slide further out by my pulling on it. It was dry and sticky in the rubber owing to what reason? Perhaps because it's about a year old.
I think it was free to gradually work out further and further
When I checked my own, very new RS2 blades I found that once I manually release the spine, that it can be withdrawn dry, even by hand. (!) That owes to the new rubber's lubricant.
Will do a destructive test on my own blades today.
Meanwhile go look at your own blades and go get Trico or Anco or whatever...
BE REAL SURE that the stainless strip is -notched- in such a way that a claw posititively captures the strip so it can never ever waltz out.
The few aftermarkets I 've looked at have this basic safety feature and Sciont/Toyota OEM blade -does not-. All that holds the steel spine in is a molded bit of soft, fragile rubber.
In the picture the rubber is not actually -torn-. It got turned aside by itself, in service and unhooked/uncovered one of the twin steel spines inside the blade. This is squarepant's actual wiper, passenger side, which we swapped out on Sunday night. This is just how it -was-. It is not manipulated this way. It's in failure mode and was about to begin raking at the paint atop the windshield.
you guys can go look real close at your Scion blades to see what I mean-
It would not take much for this to happen: the rubber snags or dry-grips to the glass.... the steel get un-capped and there... the process of damage may then begin.
Wellies' steel above was -out- and was not "loose" to the touch to either go back in, or to slide further out by my pulling on it. It was dry and sticky in the rubber owing to what reason? Perhaps because it's about a year old.
I think it was free to gradually work out further and further
When I checked my own, very new RS2 blades I found that once I manually release the spine, that it can be withdrawn dry, even by hand. (!) That owes to the new rubber's lubricant.
Will do a destructive test on my own blades today.
Meanwhile go look at your own blades and go get Trico or Anco or whatever...
BE REAL SURE that the stainless strip is -notched- in such a way that a claw posititively captures the strip so it can never ever waltz out.
The few aftermarkets I 've looked at have this basic safety feature and Sciont/Toyota OEM blade -does not-. All that holds the steel spine in is a molded bit of soft, fragile rubber.
06-07-2005, 06:28 PM
#27
i haven't had my factory scion blades long enough to see that. i have a 2004 xB. production 11/03 what is the production date of the xB with problems? have you all had any toyota replacement wipers yet? or are these the same inserts that came with the car new?
06-07-2005, 06:50 PM
#28
SciFly, the pic of the stainless steel rib escaping from the wiper insert could have been taken of mine. (Front passenger side.)
My dealer's response was to replace it with an identical part.
MY response is to replace it with something without this problem.
Speaking as an engineer, this is a design failure.
My dealer's response was to replace it with an identical part.
MY response is to replace it with something without this problem.
Speaking as an engineer, this is a design failure.
06-07-2005, 07:22 PM
#31
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Originally Posted by Tomas
SciFly, the pic of the stainless steel rib escaping from the wiper insert could have been taken of mine. (Front passenger side.)
My dealer's response was to replace it with an identical part.
MY response is to replace it with something without this problem.
Speaking as an engineer, this is a design failure.
My dealer's response was to replace it with an identical part.
MY response is to replace it with something without this problem.
Speaking as an engineer, this is a design failure.
I have reason to presume that almost all cases of rib-slide will occur
on the passenger side wiper, even though the L and R are identical assemblies,
the failure will be on the passenger side
why?
my name is Sherlock Scion.
And yes, Dr. Watson, I could be mistaken about this passenger side deduction.... We shall see what the fellows up at the Yard say . 
06-07-2005, 07:43 PM
#33
BUT... the spline that slipped out on the original blade inserts on my xB had the notches facing outward toward the 'claw' ...
I believe you may be correct that the Toyota inserts are assembled both ways, almost at random, but that there may indeed be a more basic problem than this random assembly: There is no reliable retention mechanism within the insert itself - it depends on something external (the 'claw') to retain the metal rib.
The passenger side blade flexes more at it's tip than does the driver's side blade (due to window shape), possibly leading to the 'escape' of the metal rib on the passenger side more often. (Just curious - is it usually the 'top' rib that escapes? It was on mine, and appears to be in the one in the picture...)
In any case, I'm replacing my inserts with another design.
I believe you may be correct that the Toyota inserts are assembled both ways, almost at random, but that there may indeed be a more basic problem than this random assembly: There is no reliable retention mechanism within the insert itself - it depends on something external (the 'claw') to retain the metal rib.
The passenger side blade flexes more at it's tip than does the driver's side blade (due to window shape), possibly leading to the 'escape' of the metal rib on the passenger side more often. (Just curious - is it usually the 'top' rib that escapes? It was on mine, and appears to be in the one in the picture...)
In any case, I'm replacing my inserts with another design.
06-07-2005, 08:17 PM
#34
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The passenger side blade flexes more at it's tip than does the driver's side blade (due to window shape), possibly leading to the 'escape' of the metal rib on the passenger side more often.
That's exactly my logic, too! And.. (wait a moment)
06-07-2005, 08:23 PM
#35
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Tom writes:
I believe you may be correct that the Toyota inserts are assembled both ways, almost at random, but that there may indeed be a more basic problem than this random assembly: There is no reliable retention mechanism within the insert itself - it depends on something external (the 'claw') to retain the metal rib.
So, it is confirmed, here, too.
I just slipped out a spine strip. Even if I flip it over the notch in the strip is too short to be captured/retained by the claw.
Scionlifers:
early indications hint this much is likely to hold true for many if not all xB blades:
The notch just does not fit. The blade is not not safe either way.
Consider them all suspect
and if you don't change out right now, be very wary of the risk during this interim period while the causes are being investigated.
I believe you may be correct that the Toyota inserts are assembled both ways, almost at random, but that there may indeed be a more basic problem than this random assembly: There is no reliable retention mechanism within the insert itself - it depends on something external (the 'claw') to retain the metal rib.
So, it is confirmed, here, too.
I just slipped out a spine strip. Even if I flip it over the notch in the strip is too short to be captured/retained by the claw.
Scionlifers:
early indications hint this much is likely to hold true for many if not all xB blades:
The notch just does not fit. The blade is not not safe either way.
Consider them all suspect
and if you don't change out right now, be very wary of the risk during this interim period while the causes are being investigated.
06-07-2005, 08:39 PM
#36
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Originally Posted by SciFly
-If your spine notches are facing away from each other like this :
] [
OK! GOOD! safe!
but if like this:
[ ]
DANGER! DEFECTIVE Do not use!
because there's not a blessed thing to keep the spines, either or both, from running out the end of the wiper and whipping a scractch into your roofline paint. Nothing to prevent that but a nib of molded rubber.
So everybody in any Scion model may be wanting to quick-check their wipers to be sure they are safe and not
a time bomb
] [
OK! GOOD! safe!
but if like this:
[ ]
DANGER! DEFECTIVE Do not use!
because there's not a blessed thing to keep the spines, either or both, from running out the end of the wiper and whipping a scractch into your roofline paint. Nothing to prevent that but a nib of molded rubber.
So everybody in any Scion model may be wanting to quick-check their wipers to be sure they are safe and not
a time bomb
I'm checking mine tonight.
06-07-2005, 08:50 PM
#37
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alert again
Read the blue box just above J's post
It appears that, possibly, none may be safe.
we are the best as a group
but nearly invisible as individuals
witness today the great value of the internet
and remember the old adage
"KWYADAWYADI" (ka-why-a-da-why-a-di)
know what you are doing and why you are doing it
Read the blue box just above J's post
It appears that, possibly, none may be safe.
You guys are the best.
we are the best as a group
but nearly invisible as individuals
witness today the great value of the internet
and remember the old adage
"KWYADAWYADI" (ka-why-a-da-why-a-di)
know what you are doing and why you are doing it
06-07-2005, 09:09 PM
#38
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Alpharetta Georgia
Posts: 25
Alright,today i replaced the wipers with some Bousch blades,which I will test out innna bout 20 minutes since there's some crazy thunderstorms heading towards Atlanta. dealer took care of the scratches above the windshield which was cool. I'm glad my "selfish venting rant" actually helped people out. I actually thought it was just my bad luck! I'm gonna flag down every XB owner and let 'em know ...lol
actually helped people out. I actually thought it was just my bad luck! I'm gonna flag down every XB owner and let 'em know ...lol
06-07-2005, 09:20 PM
#39
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Location: Rolling Meadows, IL
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Originally Posted by SciFly
alert again
Read the blue box just above J's post
It appears that, possibly, none may be safe.
we are the best as a group
but nearly invisible as individuals
witness today the great value of the internet
and remember the old adage
"KWYADAWYADI" (ka-why-a-da-why-a-di)
know what you are doing and why you are doing it
Read the blue box just above J's post
It appears that, possibly, none may be safe.
You guys are the best.
we are the best as a group
but nearly invisible as individuals
witness today the great value of the internet
and remember the old adage
"KWYADAWYADI" (ka-why-a-da-why-a-di)
know what you are doing and why you are doing it
I've learned so much about my
xB from everone on this forum. From fog lights to tailights
and now wiper blades.
This still surprises me. But I guess even Toyota Fsup every once in awhile.
06-07-2005, 10:12 PM
#40
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Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 1,834
Originally Posted by Great Mazinga
Alright,today i replaced the wipers with some Bousch blades,which I will test out innna bout 20 minutes since there's some crazy thunderstorms heading towards Atlanta. dealer took care of the scratches above the windshield which was cool. I'm glad my "selfish venting rant" actually helped people out. I actually thought it was just my bad luck! I'm gonna flag down every XB owner and let 'em know ...lol
actually helped people out. I actually thought it was just my bad luck! I'm gonna flag down every XB owner and let 'em know ...lolYes, do that in good ways: have some slips of paper to tuck under the guy's wiper blade... "check out the wiper threat at scionlife.com. danger of paint damage, bro"
I've got a test brewing right now, by which we can tell if our blades are at risk of shedding a spline. Will try this out shortly. You guys with OEM blades can try it out now and report back the answer to your own car's risk. It is an easy test to make: less than a minute. Nothing to take apart. Nothing gets damaged.