UK Borns. Faulty windscreen wiper design?

[Electricmike]

Has anyone noticed that the windscreen wipers on UK, right-hand drive, Cupra Borns appear to be designed for left hand drive cars? The layout leaves a wide unswept area on the right of the screen, adding to the area already obstructed by the wide roof support. I see this as a safety issue and would hope that Cupra could be persuaded to fit wipers designed for right hand drive cars.

To expand, the wipers are designed to sweep outward, pausing vertically, parallel to the vertical edge of the screen. The left hand wiper comes to rest, horizontal and above the right hand wiper. To ensure that they can rest parallel to one another the lower ends of the wiper arms are slightly bent. This means that when vertical the unswept area between the blade and the edge of the screen is roughly twice as wide on the drivers side as on the left. Also, because the left hand wiper comes down on top of the right, the wipers wipe the left side of the screen well but often leave a trail of water droplets in front of the driver as the left wiper finally descends.

To me, the current arrangement wipes the screen in front of the passenger, well. But does a poorer job in front of the driver. I therefore believe that Cupra should change the design of the wipers on UK cars to better wipe the screen in front of the right hand side driver.

Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

 

[SRGTD]

I think it’s unlikely Cupra will change the wiper design - they’d probably say the outward sweeping wipers are designed to suit markets for both right and left hand drive vehicles, although I understand where you’re coming from. Presumably the same wiper set up is used on VW’s ID.3? Isn’t there also to be a Seat branded equivalent vehicle - the el Born? Presumably that’ll also use the same universal one size fits all (RHD and LHD) wiper set up.

Not sure about the latest model, but the previous generation of Vauxhall’s Astra also used outward sweeping wipers. I think some MPV’s / people carriers also use the same windscreen wiper design (first generation VW Sharan and Seat Alhambra did - not sure about later generation models) - presumably to eliminate the need for RHD and LHD versions. It would be interesting to see if those vehicles have separate right and left hand drive versions (i.e. the driver’s side wiper is above the passenger side wiper when in the ‘parked‘ position at the bottom of the screen); somehow I doubt it.

With car manufacturers always looking at ways to reduce costs, it wouldn’t surprise me to see more manufacturers adopting outward sweeping wipers to avoid the need for different set-ups for right and left hand drive vehicles. However, they might not be appropriate for all models - e.g. vehicles with sensors mounted on the windscreen in the rear view mirror housing. Many of those sensors rely on the upper central section of the screen being kept clean for the sensors to work, and maybe outward sweeping wipers would leave that section of the screen unswept.

 

[martin j.]

A picture would help us non Born drivers?

 

[UnrepentantN00b]

A picture would help us non Born drivers?

For non us non Borners... watched this the Long Term Review from Electrifying yesterday which raised the same point... This could be a elaborate ruse to get people linking to the Review... but either way some good points raised.

4:38 is the time stamp doesn't work.

 

[Bear]

A picture would help us non Born drivers?

For non us non Borners... watched this the Long Term Review from Electrifying yesterday which raised the same point... This could be a elaborate ruse to get people linking to the Review... but either way some good points raised.

4:38 is the time stamp doesn't work.

Ahhh...

 

[martin j.]

Could the wiper be adjusted slightly to sweep further into the edge? I agree it’s a lazy design with left hand wiper getting the better sweep, no problems on the Leon2.

 

[Seastormer]

Glad my Cupra leon 300 has normal wipers as that would really p*** me off.

 

[Electricmike]

Thanks for all your comments and for the excellent explanation of the issue (combined with the wide roof supports) in the review.

My view is that this is a safety issue with UK drivers (and other road users) being put more at risk due to lazy design and penny pinching by CUPRA/VW. Do any of you (apart from the reviewer) agree? And have you any suggestions as to the best way to take this forward other than suing Cupra after the next accident?

 

[Savage]

Having picked mine up yesterday and driven home in the rain, I cant see an issue TBH.
Yes the last wiper being the passenger side isn't ideal, but mine clears fine and there is only an inch or so near the door pillar side left unswept, no more than most cars I have driven.
I do plan to swap the blades for Bosch Aerotwins in due course, but I do that on all my cars.
I would suggest the op has the dealer check adjustments etc. and maybe uses a bit of Rain-x or similar down the right hand side unswept area.

 

[Electricmike]

Thanks for your comment Savage. Maybe I am being over critical. Possibly it is the visual obstruction of a wide roof pillar that has caused me to be more sensitive to this. I will continue to mull it over.

Hope you are enjoying your new car. Happy Christmas.

 

[Savage]

Hi, I stand corrected, actually 2 inches ish at the side.
I agree, could be better but it didn't bother me, but we all perceive things differently.
I would try some Rain-X though, even if just on the un-swept area.
I use it on the entire screen (not yet done the Born) you have to put up with some short term (a few seconds) minor smearing on the wiper area for a couple of days but it soon sorts itself

You have a good one too

 

[JerryHawkins]

I agree, it is very annoying. When just 'cleaning' the screen, you need to do three or four extra wipes to clear the trail of drops left by the left-hand wiper right across your field of view