# Odd windshield wiper resting position? Hitting cowl when in use...



## derekjl (Jun 24, 2006)

Just noticed this on our '19 Atlas with only 140 miles on it. Had to use the wipers on high due to heavy rain, they seem to make a "thunk" sound when coming down to the lowest position. I was looking at the operation and it looks like the edge of the passenger's side wiper is either hitting or coming very close to hitting the plastic cowling at the side of the windshield. Additionally, both wipers sit below the windshield when in the resting position. So every time they wipe they actually slide below the windshield onto the cowl and then back up, causing a weird rubbing sound. Anyone else have this issue or is it actually considered normal? The noise is loudest when the wipers are in the high setting. I can take pictures if necessary. Would be cool if someone could compared theirs as well.


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

They should rest on the windshield, not the cowl. There are actually marks on the glass denoting the resting position for the wipers.


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

derekjl said:


> Just noticed this on our '19 Atlas with only 140 miles on it. Had to use the wipers on high due to heavy rain, they seem to make a "thunk" sound when coming down to the lowest position. I was looking at the operation and it looks like the edge of the passenger's side wiper is either hitting or coming very close to hitting the plastic cowling at the side of the windshield. Additionally, both wipers sit below the windshield when in the resting position. So every time they wipe they actually slide below the windshield onto the cowl and then back up, causing a weird rubbing sound. Anyone else have this issue or is it actually considered normal? The noise is loudest when the wipers are in the high setting. I can take pictures if necessary. Would be cool if someone could compared theirs as well.


They just need adjusted on the drive shaft spline.


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## derekjl (Jun 24, 2006)

mhjett said:


> They should rest on the windshield, not the cowl. There are actually marks on the glass denoting the resting position for the wipers.


Yeah, they are nowhere near the glass. Either someone at the factory royally screwed up the installation of the wiper arms or there is a bigger issue like the motor, linkage, etc.


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## derekjl (Jun 24, 2006)

Just an update here. I have an appointment to get this looked at on Saturday AM. As far as I know, there is a "special" tool that is used to remove the wiper arms from the car. I'm kind of timid on taking it in on a weekend, sometimes that's when the rookies are working. Not sure if this is more of a body shop issue (the dealership has one of those but closed on weekends). I'm hoping they can just be adjusted and there isn't a bigger issue. Just don't want to risk something being damaged because I picked the wrong day to bring it in.


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

derekjl said:


> Just an update here. I have an appointment to get this looked at on Saturday AM. As far as I know, there is a "special" tool that is used to remove the wiper arms from the car. I'm kind of timid on taking it in on a weekend, sometimes that's when the rookies are working. Not sure if this is more of a body shop issue (the dealership has one of those but closed on weekends). I'm hoping they can just be adjusted and there isn't a bigger issue. Just don't want to risk something being damaged because I picked the wrong day to bring it in.


The wiper arms adjust just like every vehicle for decades and don't require any "special tool". It is a very easy DIY.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

derekjl said:


> Just an update here. I have an appointment to get this looked at on Saturday AM. As far as I know, there is a "special" tool that is used to remove the wiper arms from the car. I'm kind of timid on taking it in on a weekend, sometimes that's when the rookies are working. Not sure if this is more of a body shop issue (the dealership has one of those but closed on weekends). I'm hoping they can just be adjusted and there isn't a bigger issue. Just don't want to risk something being damaged because I picked the wrong day to bring it in.


Nothing to worry about. As far as I know they should be using a puller that pulls them out then they reseat them properly. You can do it yourself if you have the tool. I have don’t it to my previous cars an Audi A4 a Nissan Murano. I have done that as on them as a time in the fast speed they were actually going over the end of the windshield 


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## derekjl (Jun 24, 2006)

Hfqkhal said:


> Nothing to worry about. As far as I know they should be using a puller that pulls them out then they reseat them properly. You can do it yourself if you have the tool. I have don’t it to my previous cars an Audi A4 a Nissan Murano. I have done that as on them as a time in the fast speed they were actually going over the end of the windshield
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Welp, good news and bad news. The good news is that the wipers are now adjusted properly. The bad news is that the tech managed to scratch one of the wiper arms in the process, most likely from the puller tool.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

derekjl said:


> Welp, good news and bad news. The good news is that the wipers are now adjusted properly. The bad news is that the tech managed to scratch one of the wiper arms in the process, most likely from the puller tool.


Ouch hopefully it is just a nick. If so just dap some paint on the spot. This is my method as I have done that many times while scraping ice from the car and hitting the wipers arms with it. Even worse at one time the snow removal guy took a shovel and removed the snow from my car (he was even asked to touch it and my guess trying to be nice. He left in the process put a nice deep scratch in the hood paint and the wiper arm 


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## derekjl (Jun 24, 2006)

Hfqkhal said:


> Ouch hopefully it is just a nick. If so just dap some paint on the spot. This is my method as I have done that many times while scraping ice from the car and hitting the wipers arms with it. Even worse at one time the snow removal guy took a shovel and removed the snow from my car (he was even asked to touch it and my guess trying to be nice. He left in the process put a nice deep scratch in the hood paint and the wiper arm
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


It seems the paint on the wiper arms is SUPER easy to mark up and scratch. If your fingernail was sharp enough it could even do some damage. Not terribly upset about it and I'm not sure I could prove that they did it. I did show the advisor ahead of time and made sure they'd be using the tool.


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

derekjl said:


> It seems the paint on the wiper arms is SUPER easy to mark up and scratch. If your fingernail was sharp enough it could even do some damage......


And how does this compare to the matte/semigloss finish used by any other maker? BTW, a mark on the finish that can be removed with wax is not a "scratch".


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## derekjl (Jun 24, 2006)

I did leave a voicemail explaining my concern and asked if they'd be willing to replace the arm. I'm honestly not sure how avoidable a scratch or two is when using that tool. The thing is essentially a claw. Good thing is I could always buy the arm myself, found it for $35 online. I thought it would be a $200+ part. One thing I've learned since getting my first new car (a GTI) back in 2006 is that these things can happen, fault or no fault. It just sucks that the car is only a few weeks old.


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

derekjl said:


> I did leave a voicemail explaining my concern and asked if they'd be willing to replace the arm. I'm honestly not sure how avoidable a scratch or two is when using that tool. The thing is essentially a claw. Good thing is I could always buy the arm myself, found it for $35 online. I thought it would be a $200+ part. One thing I've learned since getting my first new car (a GTI) back in 2006 is that these things can happen, fault or no fault. It just sucks that the car is only a few weeks old.


If the franchise VW dealer damaged it, they pay to replace it.


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## derekjl (Jun 24, 2006)

UPDATE #2: So now, not only do I have damage to one of my wiper arms, they STILL aren't adjusted properly. Tonight I had to use them in high and the driver's side wiper SMACKS the side pillar of the windshield because now that one is adjusted too high. There are clearly marks in the glass where the wipers are supposed to sit. I don't know why this is so hard to get right. My voicemail to the dealership has fallen on deaf ears. So, I'm kind of at a loss of what to do. If I complain to VW, I'll have to drag myself back to that dealership and be "that guy" that complained. This sucks.


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## KarstGeo (Jan 19, 2018)

Not sure why you aren't just taking it back and telling them to correct it? Not really a big deal.

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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

derekjl said:


> UPDATE #2: So now, not only do I have damage to one of my wiper arms, they STILL aren't adjusted properly. Tonight I had to use them in high and the driver's side wiper SMACKS the side pillar of the windshield because now that one is adjusted too high. There are clearly marks in the glass where the wipers are supposed to sit. I don't know why this is so hard to get right. My voicemail to the dealership has fallen on deaf ears. So, I'm kind of at a loss of what to do. If I complain to VW, I'll have to drag myself back to that dealership and be "that guy" that complained. This sucks.


Are you a moron? Why bellyache about it rather than just adjust them yourself? It would take you 10 minutes max.


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## derekjl (Jun 24, 2006)

KarstGeo said:


> Not sure why you aren't just taking it back and telling them to correct it? Not really a big deal.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


Going to get VW involved first. We'll see what they say. It just unacceptable, plain and simple.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

derekjl said:


> Going to get VW involved first. We'll see what they say. It just unacceptable, plain and simple.


If it was me I wouldn’t involve them yet. Just do a nice talk with the service manager and I am sure they will correct it. I don’t think they are out to mess you up. Just give them a chance before you go the higher rout 


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## derekjl (Jun 24, 2006)

Hfqkhal said:


> If it was me I wouldn’t involve them yet. Just do a nice talk with the service manager and I am sure they will correct it. I don’t think they are out to mess you up. Just give them a chance before you go the higher rout
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


After leaving a voicemail for not one but two people and zero response, I'd like to let VW know. This isn't the first time this has happened with this dealership. If you compliment them, they are sure to take it all in and post it everywhere. When there is an issue, it's ignored until you "forget" about it.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

derekjl said:


> After leaving a voicemail for not one but two people and zero response, I'd like to let VW know. This isn't the first time this has happened with this dealership. If you compliment them, they are sure to take it all in and post it everywhere. When there is an issue, it's ignored until you "forget" about it.


Wow. At my dealer never had the issue with that every time I called and if I had to leave a message they call back. LOL I can even send my service advisor a text message to his direct and I get a response. They are pretty well setup 


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## derekjl (Jun 24, 2006)

Hfqkhal said:


> Wow. At my dealer never had the issue with that every time I called and if I had to leave a message they call back. LOL I can even send my service advisor a text message to his direct and I get a response. They are pretty well setup
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Unfortunately it seems it is hit or miss with dealerships. Just got pretty upset with it today having to listen to the wiper smacking the pillar for an hour. I shouldn't have to go more than once for such a simple fix, let alone get any kind of damage done to the car.


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## derekjl (Jun 24, 2006)

Hfqkhal said:


> Wow. At my dealer never had the issue with that every time I called and if I had to leave a message they call back. LOL I can even send my service advisor a text message to his direct and I get a response. They are pretty well setup
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Unfortunately it seems it is hit or miss with dealerships. Just got pretty upset with it today having to listen to the wiper smacking the pillar for an hour. I shouldn't have to go more than once for such a simple fix, let alone get any kind of damage done to the car AND have it ignored by not the service advisor, the director! He's the one that is supposed to fix stuff like this.


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

derekjl said:


> Unfortunately it seems it is hit or miss with dealerships. Just got pretty upset with it today having to listen to the wiper smacking the pillar for an hour. I shouldn't have to go more than once for such a simple fix, let alone get any kind of damage done to the car.


All this fuss about something you could fix yourself in 10 minutes tops......


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