C3 Aircross wipers

[the2ems]

Anyone recommend where to get front wiper blades please? Citroen shop is quite expensive.

[Juan Sheet]

From personal experience I would stick to the official blades.

Reason: I have used just about every wiper brand under the sun in the past for all my Citroens and each one failed dismally, through streaking, screeching, groaning and whining. Total torture - so I realised 12 years ago to stop wasting money on Bosch Aero and all the other wipers out there and just pay to get a set from the dealer. Never failed me and they last for years with careful regular wiping of the blade.

[Beanee687]

I use Bosch aerotwin. I have used other brands but find Bosch to be good for me.
If you have a noise from the wipers when they travel across the screen then my guess would be that one or both of them are being pushed across the screen not pulled.
As the wiper travels up the screen from the parked position the arm leads the blades edge and pulls it across the screen. The wiper reaches the top of the stroke and the arm changes direction and the blade flips over and is pulled back down the screen, trailing the arm and so on. However if the blade doesn't flip then it is pushed up or down the screen and it will judder on the glass, makeing a noise.
So how do you cure this.
First check that the blades are grease free along the edge. Many people clean the windscreen but never clean the blades. Has that cured the problem. If yes good, if no, then we will go to step two.
This next bit takes a bit of practise. You need to get the wiper arm to stop half way thru the stroke. Half way up or down the screen. In the old days when you switched the ignition off the wipers stopped where they were, these days the park switch makes them return to the bottom of the screen. So how do you do this.
The wipers have a blade change position, which you activate by moving the wiper control stalk down, after you switch the ign off. If you turn the ign ON then OFF very quickly and move the stalk down the wiper will only go approximately ½ way. With practise you can get it just about ½ way. Now remove the blades and gently place the tips of the arms on the screen. Now look at the tip of the arm where it rests on the screen. The whole of the end should be resting on the screen not just one side or the other. If the tips are not flat on the screen then the arm is twisted and it is this that causes the judder. It may be one or both. Even the smallest error will give rise to judder.
Now to correct it.
You have to twist the arm to make the tip rest on the screen. The easiest way, is with two adjustable spanners. Put some cloth between the jaws and the arm. Place one spanner down the arm towards the spindle and the other towards the tip, but both on the flat section. Now hold the lower spanner still and twist the upper one, until the tip is flat on the screen.
Refit blades, wet the screen and test.
This has worked for me over the years.
Sorry this is lengthy.
Diagram shows the points mentioned in narrative.

[Juan Sheet]

I admire your patience Beanee!

I do recall we had a stubborn left hand wiper arm on the C3 years ago and with a bit of twisting that got resolved. But talking about wiper blades in general with no arm issues, I just couldn't get on with aftermarket ones. Bosch were the most expensive and the worst for squeaking. I think I tried these on 3 cars and always the same. Once I fitted the OEM blades, it was bliss.

[the2ems]

I use Bosch aerotwin. I have used other brands but find Bosch to be good for me.
If you have a noise from the wipers when they travel across the screen then my guess would be that one or both of them are being pushed across the screen not pulled.
As the wiper travels up the screen from the parked position the arm leads the blades edge and pulls it across the screen. The wiper reaches the top of the stroke and the arm changes direction and the blade flips over and is pulled back down the screen, trailing the arm and so on. However if the blade doesn't flip then it is pushed up or down the screen and it will judder on the glass, makeing a noise.
So how do you cure this.
First check that the blades are grease free along the edge. Many people clean the windscreen but never clean the blades. Has that cured the problem. If yes good, if no, then we will go to step two.
This next bit takes a bit of practise. You need to get the wiper arm to stop half way thru the stroke. Half way up or down the screen. In the old days when you switched the ignition off the wipers stopped where they were, these days the park switch makes them return to the bottom of the screen. So how do you do this.
The wipers have a blade change position, which you activate by moving the wiper control stalk down, after you switch the ign off. If you turn the ign ON then OFF very quickly and move the stalk down the wiper will only go approximately ½ way. With practise you can get it just about ½ way. Now remove the blades and gently place the tips of the arms on the screen. Now look at the tip of the arm where it rests on the screen. The whole of the end should be resting on the screen not just one side or the other. If the tips are not flat on the screen then the arm is twisted and it is this that causes the judder. It may be one or both. Even the smallest error will give rise to judder.
Now to correct it.
You have to twist the arm to make the tip rest on the screen. The easiest way, is with two adjustable spanners. Put some cloth between the jaws and the arm. Place one spanner down the arm towards the spindle and the other towards the tip, but both on the flat section. Now hold the lower spanner still and twist the upper one, until the tip is flat on the screen.
Refit blades, wet the screen and test.
This has worked for me over the years.
Sorry this is lengthy.
Diagram shows the points mentioned in narrative.
IMG_20220201_200727246~3.jpg

Very informative thank you, but I don’t have any of those problems. Just had my first MOT and got an advisory on front wiper blades.

[Airtool]

Beenee i have also done that for years, twisting the arm to ensure the wiper rubber flip/ flops when going up/down screen.

[Beanee687]

Good to know that someone else knows the trick.