Why might two sets of new wiper blades smear the screen on my wife's Focus ? Anything to do with the Ford "Quick-clear" screen with de-frost elements ? By the end of one wipe, the smear appears to evaporate, only to be replaced by another.
Any ideas ?
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Could be a number of causes. Do you use a carwash or jet wash and use the 'wax' cycle at the end? Do you handwash the car using a proprietry wax shampoo like Turtle wax? Are your roads heavily salted during winter?
Try cleaning the screen when bone dry with some vinegar dribbled onto newspaper, then dry off with newspaper as well. Dribble some more vinegar onto an old (clean) rag and wipe the surface of the wiper blades too.
Good luck!!
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If it is very new, I would go back to the dealer and ask them to investigate the finish of the windscreen itself. I bought a Fiat Panda new some years ago during the summer. It didn't go out in the rain for about a month and then we discovered that we had exactly what you have described. The dealer changed the blades at the first service free of charge but it made no difference then or when I bought a set of better quality replacements. The problem appeared to be with an unevenly made windscreen (theoretically flat in the case of the Panda) and was never solved mainly due to inertia on my part when the dealer was 25 miles away and the problem was one we could live with. On reflection, it was probably during one of those rare long dry droughts so wiper blades weren't an issue.
You could check the tension on the spring on the wiper arm but the only other thought is to spend yet more money on those wiper blades with a built-in deflector (aerofoil?) which are supposed to apply a little extra cleaning pressure, or perhaps a double or triple blade. Very subjectively, I seem to remember clip-on deflectors (free with one of the motoring mags) seeming to make a difference on an old SAAB I had.
David
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It is probably just a greasy screen, clean it as suggested with vinegar, then perhaps use stronger concentration of screen wash fluid. I've had it time & time again over the years, but it often seems to go away of it's own accord, but probably due to washing, screenwash etc. Do you drive in town a lot (traffic fumes?) I had a mOndeo with a quick-clear screen & had no probs.
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It might be worth using a propriety windscreen polish. This is mildly abrasive and helps to remove fine scratches as well as general grease and grime.
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What do you guys think of the stuff sold as Rainoff (or similar)? Seems to cause the water to run off in globules. Something to do with surface tension I suppose.
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Ed,
I had the same problem as you describe. A very helpful independent windscreen dude gave me some 'jewellers rouge' a red powder which they use to mechanically polish out scratches in windscreens.
Dampen a cloth, dip it into the powder and rub away with your finger in a circular motion (hard) and it cleans the screen a treat.
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Had this experience several times due variously "proffessional" clean and polish, tree deposits, something unspeakable that drizzled on the car in the workshop and oily spray from the road. Only answer is to start with mild cleaning and escalate to more abrasive cleaners such as rouge.
Find many proprietary screenwash additives are short on detergent action and that a drop or two (no more) of washing up liquid in 5 litres of pre mix helps.
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Just because no-one's mentioned my favourite remedy - try cleaning the blades with meths then add some to the wash bottle.
Just don't try drinking it...
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Its Crap - you get the same problem you mention only worse - best thing I have tried is Window polish from Comma - very good results and no smearing - RainX works to some extent for about a week on side windows.
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Get the screen clean,alchohol or spirit;nothing else will take 100% of the grease off.
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If you go to France, get a litre of acetone at the supermarket. It will shift practically anything, but avoid paintwork and polystyrene (which it melts).
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Brian wrote:
>
> If you go to France, get a litre of acetone at the
> supermarket.
Never ceases to amaze what you can get in french supermarkets. My partner swears the Hydrochloric Acid is of a concentration she is not allowed to use as a secondary science teacher.
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I've had this problem and it seems mainly to do with 'Wax'n Wash type shampoos. If its not too thick a deposit you can actually shift it by rubbing the dry screen very hard with a bit of stockinette which will rub off the wax. Not much else works effectively to remove the stuff from the glass other than giving the screen a quick spray with Holts MIXRA, which works like magic for a while.
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