[gene godefroid]

What is the normal resting position for the wiper blade. Mine is in the vertical position, should it be horizontal?

Thanks

Geno

 

[efusco]

Nope, upright is correct...I'm pretty sure that improves the aerodynamics.
--evan

 

[gene godefroid]

Thanks Evan, I knew you'd have an answer. The dealership called this morning for a follow up survey. I asked him if he knew the correct position, he said he'd check with the service people and get back to me. I was on a Toyota website this morning looking for a Prius picture showing the backside of the car. The one picture I found wasn't that clear, but it looked like it was in the horizonal position, which made me wonder even more. It seems like the final resting position on mine was vertical when it was turned on and off, but now I know for certain.

Geno

 

[efusco]

Here's a picture showing mine...

 

[patrickg]

In the olden days you used to be able to pull the wiper arm off and reposition as you like. Not sure if the Prius arm is indexed to a specific rotation on the shaft. The shafts themselves usually oscillate back and forth between two electrical limit switches built in so you can't arbitrarily change the number of degrees the wiper rotates through but you might be able to change the location of the pattern.

They might not ship the car with the wiper arm assembled and let the dealer stick it on. If so, maybe someone stuck it on wrong. If for some reason the wipers were ON but the car was OFF it is conceivable the installer just put it where he always does and didn't know the shaft was not in the REST position.

At any rate it is unlikely anything was damaged even if positioned incorectly but I'd run the wiper to make sure the limits of its travel were correct. If they are then you will most likely have to acccept whatever position it is in when switched off unless the assembly is defective.

Pat

 

[efusco]

Ah, Patrick, that picture I posted is of the wiper arm just off the truck...the dealer hasn't touched my car yet in the photo...close inspection will reveal the lack of the lower trim, the wheel rims aren't on yet, in fact, the battery wasn't even connected yet. Plus the protective plastic wasn't even torn off. I shot this photo less than an hour after my car came off the truck.

I really don't think the arm can be reinstalled in a different position and by all appearances it is in the upright position to optimize/minimize aerodynamic drag.
--evan

 

[Behmon]

What is the normal resting position for the wiper blade. Mine is in the vertical position, should it be horizontal?

Thanks

Geno

The rear wiper's normal resting position is vertical. http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/Toyo ... os2004.htm

 

[patrickg]

behmon/Gene,

Thanks for the link to the photo galery, some really good pix. I was quite impressed with the cleverness of the picture where the car was parked in front of a "Hobbit House."

The obvious comparison by juxtapositioning the car with the earth sheltered and earth friendly "underground habitat" was a clever if subtle statement.

Again, thanks for the great link.

Pat