On the driver's side, the winscreen wiper leaves a good 10 cm wide strip by the A pillar unwiped. It is parallel with the A pillar, if the parking position is low down by the windscreen edge.

Is this common with 200s? Or perhaps RHD 200s only? Has anyone fixed such a problem before? No, merely setting the arm higher is not enough, as then it leaves a dirty big triangular patch and sticks up in the parking position. I was thinking about a swing arm, something like older model Australian Ford Falcons had.

Thanks,
George Antony

This is caused by the lack of flexibility in the blade. Blades that are very flexible will hug the windsheild. I just changed to a set of winter blades, the kind with the rubber boot on them, they don't hug the windsheild as well and lift in the corner.
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Bruce S. near D.C.

Actually, the wiper is pretty well hugging the windscreen, there is no problem with lift.

The problem is caused by the wiper arm simply not reaching that section: the geometry is wrong. The wiper should have a longer throw and a different angle to be able to both park at the lower edge of the windscreen and reach up all the way parallel with the A pillar. The alternative is a swing arm that changes the angle of the wiper blade vis-a-vis the wiper arm as it gets closer to the A pillar, but even so a longer throw would be needed.

George Antony

I've noticed the same problem on my 240 (US spec LHD). I've used Rain-X on the perimeter of the windshield with some success. I think Windex also makes a product for glass that causes water to bead off. The nice thing about that is that when the wiper comes up towards the a-pillar, the water is pushed onto the slick spot and it slides right off. Don't use a product like Rain-X on the area of the windshield where the wipers pass over because the super slick surface will be wiped clean by the wiper the first time by, and on the return the blade will chatter. That's usually only a problem in light rain, but it can be annoying.
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Michael -- 1987 244 GT | Volvo 240 Links