cmartin

The wipers on my E500 need to be replaced. The blade is attached to a rubber arm. Anyone had any luck sliding new blades into the rubber arm? The dealer wants to sell me a new arm for $50.

konigstiger

You might have a shot at getting them replaced for free?

TSB P-B-82.30/254 – JUN03 Windshield Wiper Blade Noisy; Model 211.065/070/076 up to VIN A218290 If you receive reports of rattling or rubbing from the wiper blades, replace both wiper blades.

marcos

Yeah but they just replace them with the same crappy blades that judder after 6-months and tell you that all the S-Class wipers have the same problem so you feel better

Barry45RPM

Actually, mine were replaced under warranty at 11 months, and they are as quiet as new again. I guess they last only 11 months.

BudC

Bosch replacement blades go for about $32 USD from Intenet sources but there are apparently no refills available for these blades.

F1Fan

The first time I used the wipers, I was not impressed. The blades were really noisy. First chance I got, I took both wipers off the car and washed them with dishwashing soap. A thorough cleaning was all I needed and now the wipers work much better.

However now my issue is that the "auto" mode of wiper seems to think that the windshield is wet all the time. I'm not sure if it is a defective sensor or not.

rickyfanmdr

Mine were replaced for free at 12 months.

onpaws

I wonder if this would work also:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1118806

rayray64105

I've had problems with my blades skipping and making godawful noises when the wipers are set to rain sensing mode. I followed pretty much the same steps as those in the link you posted to replace my inserts with those from a set of Michelin replacement blades. Only thing the writeup didn't mention is I found that the new inserts fit much tighter in the aero blade frame than the originals. So I spread a silicone lubricant in the grooves of the new inserts to get them to slide into the aero frames without binding.

Now my wipers are whisper quiet even when the windshield is bone dry. Total cost $14 + less than an hour of my time.

X72

I learned how to take apart the wiper blade when I saw the post on the clubb5 forum a while back. Thanks to whoever originally posted the pictures; I can't find them now though. I will take a picture next time I take it apart.

I used Lexor Type A inserts I got a Wal-Mart for very little money. These inserts are very narrow at the top and slide easily into the blade assembly. I doubt they are the greatest rubber, but for a few bucks, I can easily change them often.

I haven't even bothered asking at the dealership how much they want for the wiper blades. I saw some at Discount Auto parts once that are a Bosch replacement for the aero blades, and they wanted approx. $60 for the set of two blades. Anyone know how much the dealer is asking?
William
2003 E320

X72

Just like rayray said, the wiper blade can be taken apart and new inserts can be fitted. I am pretty sure that they are not selling us inserts because they make more money selling us the whole blade. I realized this problem when I got the car and saw the wipers and was happy to see the clubb5 post showing me how to circumvent having to buy the whole blade. The dealer did bend my wiper arm, and that did take care of my chattering problem, because my wipers would chatter even with the Lexor inserts. My results may have been different if I had gotten the Michelin or some other silicone rubber insert to fit by lubing up the track like rayray did. So thanks for the idea rayray!
I wrote a description of how to take apart the blade in the following post
http://www.mbnz.org/forums/forums/th...osts=11&fid=18

BudC

Bosch Aerotwin's list for just under $75 and sells on the Internet for $36.72. http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com...rt=Wiper+Blade

Before you want a dealer to change inserts for you instead of a set of blades, remember that they charge about $100/labor. The next time I order parts from Rusty, I'll get a set of the Bosch Aerotwin's.

X72

Thanks BudC! At that price, it falls within the realm of reasonable for me. I was wondering how much the 2 wiper blades cost from the dealership parts department without labor. I got the impression if was around $90 for the set, but maybe they have dropped their prices.
I actually am more inclined to use a silicone rubber insert if I can get one to fit. I really wish I could use the Bosch Micro Edge Excel. I love those blades. I think that they have way better rubber than what comes in the Aero blades.

rayray64105

I was told close to $100 plus the labor by the dealer, and didn't have any luck finding them online. So ... I thought if I could replace the inserts for a few bucks and have something at least as good as stock, it was the way to go.

$36 for a set isn't bad if they're good blades. Or are they just the same as the originals?

nantucketsleigh

thanks for post. 1000 miles on my E500 and wipers judder. cleaned the windshield with alcohol several times. tried diswashing liquid on wipers. tried formula 303 as well to no avail. will return to dealer for replacement when I have some time.