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Thread: Rant: Noisy Windshield Wipers

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2003
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    Texas, USA
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    '01 740i, '99 528iT

    Rant: Noisy Windshield Wipers

    My windshield wipers are typically noisy, but I think I've isolated the worst combination of conditions. Whenever the outside temperature is in the low-50's and the rain is light to misty -- watch out! My wipers will make enough noise to frighten you, or even wake a sleeping passenger from a drunken stupor. Wait a minute! I may have discovered a new form of alarm clock. Maybe I could record that sound and sell it as an alarm for your phone. Or the world's most annoying ring tone.

    With the rain sensor operating the wipers in intermittent mode, the unpredictable random wiper activation and ensuing noise is enough to make you jump out of your skin. The chatter from my wipers is beyond obnoxious. Sometimes I think it may shatter my windshield. I must conclude that with all the technology BMW has at their disposal, they still have not learned how to silence wipers. It may not even be humanly possible, sort of like the wistful hope for human fraternity.

    Before you recommend the obvious, be forewarned I've tried it all: new blades, RainX, glass polish, and so on. None of it makes any difference. The odd thing is, the wipers on my E39 are gloriously silent. How did they do that? BMW seems to have screwed up and installed a superior wiper system on a car that wasn't their flagship!

    My remaining thought is to somehow play with wiper spring tension -- if that's even possible. I can see there's a big spring under the wiper arms. Maybe I can remove the arms and replace them with air horns to blow water off my windshield. It would probably be quieter.

    It is indeed a shame that knowledge to silence wipers is so elusive. A new windshield is likely in my future. I hope it's made with sufficient material to withstand E38 wiper chatter.

    Frankie
    Texas, USA
    frankies-bmw.com

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2013
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    Rochester, NY
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    2001 740i Sport
    What blades are you using? It's also possible that either your windshield needs a thorough cleaning (scrub it with something like Barkeeper's friend) or the springs on your wiper arms are getting weak.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    2001 525it
    I've been in the BMW business for years and I have yet to figure out why my wipers make so much noise on a dry wipe or lightly damp windshield. They are fine when it's raining.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    E30 E38 E46 E85 F150 GTI
    Count me as also have damn noisy wipers. Plus the rain sensing feature does not work - put it on rain sensor and they wipe one time and that's it.

    I was considering pulling it all apart and replacing bushings in the linkage. Not sure if that's possible or not. Also would love to switch to just plain intermittent wipers. Must be a way to swap in some module from an E39.
    2000 740i Sport | 2004 330xi | 1988 325i Vert | 2003 Z4 2.5 | 1995 Ford F150 | 2018 GTI

  5. #5
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    98 740il, 00 540i,04 ZHP
    Mine chatter sometimes, but usually its at lower speeds with low water when my window and blades are dirty and/or the blades are old. When the blades are new and the glass is clean, no chatter. Also, use rubber conditioner on older blades and your chatter will reduce/disappear.

    However, if you don't have the factory arm with the air dam on it, then they can lift when driving. (I'm talking about the metal arm the refill slips into). Also, there is a plastic guide on the metal arm for the rubber blades on the passenger arm that I imagine most people don't have anymore because the plastic as fallen apart.

    See #16 realOEM here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=61_0104

    #7 and #17 are for Euro arms only: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...wiper-parts-go
    Last edited by racer2086; 01-18-2019 at 12:20 PM.
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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
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    E30 E38 E46 E85 F150 GTI
    There's chatter but also lots of clunking, and I can't help but wonder if there are bushings in there that are worn out, causing clunking, and also the wipers to be misaligned on the windshield resulting in chatter.
    2000 740i Sport | 2004 330xi | 1988 325i Vert | 2003 Z4 2.5 | 1995 Ford F150 | 2018 GTI

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    E38, b4 tdi
    Maybe you have one of these fine repairs?

    Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Frankie,
    Since you tried all the usual things, I am inclined to think that the contact angle of your wipers is off.
    The new part number for the contact test gauge is 83300490513. The old part is 90886009230.
    The procedure is located at https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...wipers/2gjjmmf

    If you need to remove the wipers, I recommend this tool.
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/273556692047?


    Now for the disclaimer. I have not dealt with the windshield chatter so I can't guarantee it will work but since you tried everything else, it might just give you your peace and quiet back.

    -Messan
    The above is my 2 cents. Take it or leave it.
    01 Shorty Sporty BLK/BLK

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    99 840ci Sport Indv
    Yes, certainly if the chatter is only in one direction then the contact angle is offset. I have had this problem on my E38 and my E31 and both were cured by the very robust method of altering the angle.

    The method I used was to clamp two adjustable spanners near the start of the wiper arm - one to hold the arm still and the other to impart a very slight twist in the opposite direction to the chatter (so that the blade is at 90 degrees to the glass).

    It takes a couple of tries if you just impart a tiny twist, and if you go too far it will chatter in the opposite direction! I believe that there is actually a BMW procedure that does the same thing but uses special tools and gauges....
    Last edited by Timm; 01-21-2019 at 03:30 PM.
    Timm..2007 E64 650i Individual Sport..1999 E31 840ci Individual Sport..ex owner of 2000 E38 740..1999 E38 740i V8 M62..1998 E38 735i V8..1993 E32 730i V8..1988 E28 518i


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  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by 01740ISP View Post
    ...I am inclined to think that the contact angle of your wipers is off...
    Now this is a possibility I have not yet considered -- a ray of shining hope.

    Quote Originally Posted by Timm View Post
    ...the goal is to make sure the blade is at right angles to the glass...
    Ah ha.

    Frankie
    Texas, USA
    frankies-bmw.com

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