I just tried to change the wiper blades on my '99 a6 and the new ones wont install properly. The ones on the car are frameless michelins, and Im trying to install Rain-X weatherbeaters. They install in the hook perfectly and securely but stick up about an inch off the windshield on one side. I was alway under the impression that wiper blades were universal but Ive searched on here and everyone seems to say they use frameless models.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me with this silly dilemma.

 

Did you get the correct length? What do you mean "stick up about an inch off the windshield"? A picture would solve all these problems.

 

I got 22', when i say they stick up I mean they do not contour to the glass. The bottom makes contact but the top half of the blade stays raised off of the window. Its like the blade is not curving as much as the glass. I will post a pic if necessary.

 

Ah, gotcha. Sorry, I should have done a little research before jumping on that. I have a frame wiper blade on my car, so I really don't know why yours wouldn't be working properly. Either it's the wrong frame arms or you installed them in backwards (can you even do that?).

 

I installed them exactly as the diagram shows, I dont know whats wrong then, I am using the rain-x because I get them for free, I guess Ill just go pick up a different type to test them.

 

The Audi windshield is curved toward the edges (lateral sides), unlike most other cars that could take on a Rain-X without any problems.

At the same time, Bosch or whatever other brand wipers made to fit Audis are curved, so they follow the windshield's contour and wipe it. If you use any other type of wiper blades, no matter the manufacturer, you'll involuntarily have spots that don't get wiped. It's just basic geometry.



By the way, while your driver side blade sits on the flat surface of the windshield (middle of it) - so you don't see anything wrong with that one, the passenger side is the one that doesn't follow the windshield's contour and remains "raised" at the end, so to speak.
Is that a fair description of what you experience?

 

I just installed some Neoforms on my 2001 A6 and had problems with the center of the blade raising off the surface on the drivers side as it went up, leaving a nice triangle-shaped puddle right in my line of sight, so I had to switch it back up. Rain-X weatherbeaters seem to work fine for me, I have yet to try something nicer or more durable like the Bosch frameless, but I believe the Neoforms are supposed to be a cheaper clone of the Boschies.

 

You didn't listen to him. He installed RainX Weatherbeaters:


Audi's windshields aren't THAT different from other windshields, especially on the '99 A6 (of which i have); what car doesn't curve on the sides?? Nearly every sedan/coupe does. He should theoretically be able to use these wiper blades (cb2100 said his work), and I also have framed wipers. Since he is having problems, there is a chance that there is something wrong with his wiper assembly which is why he's asking us.