So we replaced the stock wiper blades with RainX blades, the ones that are curved when lifted so they sit great on the glass. These have worked excellent on all of our vehicles. We replaced them because on the driver side I always had an annoying streak, within a couple weeks the Rain-x blades were doing the same thing in the same place. I just had my 25k maintenance and brought that up and was told it was because I didn't have the Toyota wiper blades but could buy them for nearly $40. I'm sure they knew from my face that I didn't believe a word of that. Any one else have any recurring issues? I plan to pick up a new Rain-X blade for the driver side this week but it's definitely going to suck if it does the same thing shortly. While I'm on wiper blades...anyone elses rear washer fluid sprayer just suck? It sounds as terrible as it bubbles fluids out. It's been that way since we bought it but I just never remember except for the 5ish times I've used it.
It's not the quality of the blade but the blade position is bent. Find videos on YouTube about streaking windshield and you should find a good video on it. You basically have to bend the blade to sit properly on the Windshield glass. Right now it's sitting on the wrong angle thus pushing the blade and causing the streaking sound
I'm not sure how I could bend the RainX blades...they are flimsy and the force against the windshield holds them flat. I'm not finding any videos...but I am very tired... They don't make noise when they
You use a little wrench and bend the metal bracket the blade mounts to. Bend it up slightly so the blade is not pushing up the glass, so it'll glide up I'll try to find the video. You can search it on this forum too. It's been posted before Here's a video on how to fix the problem with wiper blades
My Prius is a 2010 from the early batches manufactured in 2009. I have both the problems described by the OP - the driver side wiper leaves streaks (does not chatter), and the rear washer sputters and bubbles, and barely sprays. For the first 3 years, I went through several new blades from Toyota (replacement rubber inserts, and then full blades) - the result was always the same within days. A few months ago, I bought Bosch blades from Walmart, and they have lasted the longest so far (though still had some minor streaking). Got through a whole 4 months this time before the streaking became significant! From all other cars we have owned in the past, the blades have always lasted a year on average, and when they are done, the rubber blades normally just tear and you know the blade is done...no pesky streaks. I will take a look at the 'fixing chatter' video later today, but as mentioned, this is not a case of chattering...just a 2-3 inch wide streak we always get in the middle of the driver side blade, not matter whether original Toyota or not, and the blades move smoothly overall. As for the rear washer....no idea....
I have an early model 2010 (2009). I haven't had either problem but have some ideas. Is the streak happening where the drivers side downstroke overlaps the passenger side upstroke? What I think is happening is one of two things. When cleaning your windows with the wipers the dirt is concentrated in this area, builds up and drys causing a hard spot on that area of the blade. Try cleaning the blade very thoroughly. Also clean your window thoroughly to see if it goes away. If you get a tree sap mist or fallout from the environment (I live near an airport and get this) then that will cause this. Get a clay bar used for cleaning contaminants from auto paint to clean the window every time you wash the car. I use an old one that isn't good enough for paint anymore. The other thing that might be happening is something that happened to me on my last 4Runner. When down in Baja one year we hit a pretty good sand storm. That and years of off reading put micro pits in my window (paint was always great though). This would cause the passenger wiper to deposit it's rubber on the up stroke to the drivers side and after a few weeks in winter weather the drivers side wiper would be ruined. The only solution (which I didn't do) was to replace the front glass. As for the rear washer. You probably have wax stuck in it. Use a very small needle to clean it. Be aware that if you move it around while cleaning you will move the aim of the nozzle.
First, this is a streak, not a squeak. Second, because you replace the WHOLE blade, mount and all, it is highly unlikely that the new mount is bent in the same place as the old one. (That is assuming that they did not manage to find only the rubber inserts, which are almost impossible to get these days.) The bad news might be that there is a chip in the glass somewhere and the sharp edges of the chip are "eating" away the rubber wiper.......or a tiny rock or grain of sand is stuck to the glass. Note: This does not address a problem with overall poor wiping/cleaning or with chattering or with cocked blade angle.......but based on the limited information so far, I bet those kinds of problems are NOT a factor.......and thus they should NOT be bending any part of the wiper assembly. The comments in other posts about the width of the streak and being sure that the streak isn't from the tip of the OTHER blade are good things to consider too. Duplicate post deleted.
