What wiper?

[Steve Earwig]

Hi folks, it's been a long time (in fact so long I had to create another account🙄)

I now have a 2008 RAV4.3 petrol left-hooker, which is actually doing quite well. The only issues have been the regulator in the alternator blowing up and the air conditioning venting to atmosphere and the front end almost falling off due to poor accident repair (done at Toyota's, according to the service history.) Oh, and the wiper saga...

5 years ago when I first got the car and gave it a full service I put some Bosch wipers on it, the driver's side of which (the big one, if it matters) managed to miss a 6" space right in front of my face. Tried a cheapy from the supermarket, exactly the same (it looked very similar to the Bosch as well🤨). Ok, OEM it is. I was surprised that the dealer would only sell me the rubbers but ok, fair enough. These were fine until I changed the windscreen for an after-market at the start of the year, I wanted to buy some more OEM wipers (because new windscreen) but my mate the motor factor who supplied the windscreen gave me some Valeos to try, saying if they don't work I could bring them back. The trouble was it didn't rain for a couple of weeks, they seemed fine with screenwash, but by the time it did rain and I found out they were also rubbish, I didn't think it would be polite to return them. Ok, more OEM it is. Except this time they wouldn't sell me the rubbers, I had to buy the whole thing. And they're rubbish: clonk, clatter, clonk, clatter... so bad in fact I've replaced the passenger side (the short one, if it matters) with the Valeo. Hey, it's rubbish but at least it doesn't sound like the mechanism is goosed. The driver's side is still noisy but at least it clears the screen. However, with winter fast approaching, I'm hoping to sort things without a whole load of trial and error.

I'm looking at the passenger side wiper in its box here ('cos it's not on the car...), it's got Toyota written all over the box, part number 85212-yzztc (which brings up nothing on toyodiy) and there's a code on the wiper 1021219 (date code?) but nothing else. I can't pull the blade out of it because it's clipped in somehow and I don't even think it'll fit in the original holders.

I have also greased the mechanism, before anyone suggests it.

So, anyone got any ideas? What do you use on yours?

 

[Terry10]

Hi

Have you tried setting the wipers?
Put a cloth around the wiper arm about a third of the way up and with a pair of grips or pliers twist to alter the way the blade lays.

The rubber should flip over each time it changes direction and makes a huge difference to wipe and noise level.

You may find that the wiper arms are knackered possibly.

Apologies if you already know that.

Terry

[flash22]

85212-yzztc will be on the dealer's system as it's an optifit part, be aware LHD wiper spec can be different to RHD

not had a problem with Bosch wipers apart from some iffy ones off eBay from a big Jersey seller (i suspect the where fake or rejects)

i do like the aero twin blades i have had them on a lot of cars over the years

ps. did you clean the blades with glass cleaner or screen wash before fitting ?

[flash22]

A quick look the drivers is 600mm (24") and the passengers is 400 (16")

Aero twin retro

AR601S - Set

or

AR600U

AR400U

[Steve Earwig]

Thanks for the replies.

"Setting" (mangling?) the arms was my dad's suggestion, however they worked fine before I put these blades on so I'm reluctant to start bending the arms about in case I end up having to put them back...

I've never cleaned new Wiper Blades before fitting them, just the screen - is this mandatory? AR601S - that would be Bosch again, I've no idea what was on it before (long since binned) but I think they were aeros so I'd be reluctant to try them again. As I can't find the code here AR601S comes out as SKU 3397118907, I'm finding 3397118907, 3397118907 T and 3397118907 B - no idea what this means.

 

 

 

[Stivino]

Don’t start messing about with the arms, twisting etc.

[flash22]

AR601S - 3397118907  i don't recognize the B or T

looking at  an older Bosch pdf

AR139S - 3397014139

the only difference is one is metric and the other imperial

[Steve Earwig]

I can't find those letters on a search either, I'd think they were the same thing but the prices differ greatly.

Does anyone have access to a current Toyota part's catalogue? Maybe these rubbish ones were just a brief aberration due to supply chain issues [/clutching at straws].

 

[flash22]

Optifit are on the dealers local systems if you google the number it brings up plenty of links it's a bit pointless giving you uk links if you are not in the UK

but hay ho............

Passenger

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Toyota-RAV4-RHD-2008-12-Optifit-Passenger-Side-Wiper-Blade-85222-YZZTC-/362623402096

 

Drivers side - 85212-YZZTH

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Toyota-RAV4-RHD-2008-12-Optifit-Drivers-Side-Wiper-Blade-85212-YZZTH/352643971356?hash=item521b37f91c:g:R~YAAOSwFdZctvUX

[Steve Earwig]

I can still do eBay (or similar) here, for a limited time only... Other than that I'm stuck, you know what I got from Toyota and my mate in the factor's is only looking at the same information I am 😞

eBay link - Ah yes, that's the one I have here - DO NOT BUY THESE WIPERS!

[Kos_ta]

I personally found Bosch worse than useless on my RAV (always used Bosch on my previous cars without any isssues). For Rav I now buy DENSO wipers (which is OEM for Toyota) and they are pretty good.

Part number for left hand drive are: DUR-060L (driver side) and DUR-043L (passenger side).

Here is the link for DENSO catalogue: https://www.denso-am.eu/media/1463212/2020_dewb_eu_web.pdf

I tend to replace wipers every year, not like it's necessary, I'm obsessed with windscreen cleanliness, last few years was buying wipers from Eurocarparts, about £20 for a pair (I think it's a good price), not sure if they would have wipers for LHD though. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

The Optifit range is Toyota's lower priced range of Wiper Blades, and are made by Trico. Not the same as the original factory fit.

[Steve Earwig]

Ah, the cheapo alternative - when I drove Peugeots I asked about their "second line" stuff and was shown the flimsiest pollen filter you ever did see and the parts manager there (Ivan, splendid fellow) showed me what he thought of it by scrunching it up and throwing it in a bin. Nuff said really.

Kosta, many many thanks for the link, I thought it might be Denso but I couldn't see anything about buying just the rubber. Searching those part numbers does indeed bring up my original wipers. Sadly the only factors here with a useful website (i.e. not just one page with a phone number😴) has no stock. eBay, well, I could get them from Poland, but I should really try the dealer's again first, maybe I was fobbed off with the cheapos due to supply chain issues as I suspected.

When I drove bangers about I never bothered with wipers until they started disintegrating but since moving to Croatia I've been driving decent motors and I too swap mine every autumn, partly because the weather here tends to be a bit more, er, interesting, but mainly because I've seen how much damage the wiper frame can do once the rubber drops to bits...

 

 

[Parts-King]

To be fair I never get any problems with the Optifit blades, cheap as you like as well which is a bonus. I buy in thousands every year! 

[Steve Earwig]

Dry in Cheshire is it? 😛 Maybe they're fine on other Toyotas but I can only say anything other than Denso OEM on my 4.3 seems to be a mistake (ok, I've only tried 4 sets but...)

 

[flash22]

Cleaning before fitting is a must with any blade, they are coated to preserve them in storage

[Parts-King]

17 minutes ago, Steve Earwig said:

Dry in Cheshire is it? 😛 Maybe they're fine on other Toyotas but I can only say anything other than Denso OEM on my 4.3 seems to be a mistake (ok, I've only tried 4 sets but...)

 

Can only speak as I find, with the amount we get through, if they were carp, we would get loads coming back, we don't

[Tomfromfife]

 

[Steve Earwig]

9 hours ago, flash22 said:

Cleaning before fitting is a must with any blade, they are coated to preserve them in storage

I've never bothered but I guess it makes sense, it's not like I don't have glass cleaner about while I'm fitting them (or screen wash at a push).

 

9 hours ago, Parts-King said:

Can only speak as I find, with the amount we get through, if they were carp, we would get loads coming back, we don't

I didn't take these ones back either, I got the impression it was these or nothing and, apart from the clatter clonk thing, they do clean the screen better than Bosch, Valeo or the supermarket specials.

I'll probably try the factors here (support your local business) to see if he can get the Densos, failing that I'll go to the dealers next time I'm in Zagreb and report back in either case if/when I get any sort of result.

Thanks for your help people!

[Steve Earwig]

Hi folks, it's been a while - the Valeo driver's blade actually wore in after a couple of MONTHS so I wasn't that worried. I left it until last week when the car had a service and inspection, so I while I was in the factor's I also ordered up the Denso fronts. They were a bit pricey but I figured it would be worth it if they worked. He couldn't get the rear (it's tough getting stuff here on this tiny landlocked island🙄) so he ordered up a Bosch. I changed them last Friday but it wasn't until this evening when I was arriving home in the pouring rain that it occurred to me that I was using them for the first time. I hadn't noticed them before because they're perfect, no smears, no chatter, no missed bits. I don't know about the rear because I didn't try it yet, I'm not that worried tbh.

Denso ftw! Anything else, in the bin.