twister

Just noticed something *painful* on my hood. Actually, its on the edge of the hood facing windshield right in front of the driver side wiper - a scratch!!! Its only 1/4", right on the edge and kind of deep. That is one weird place to have a scratch since its not facing the road, and it would be impossible to get to that spot unless someone intentionally tried it. I called my sales guy and even before I finished my sentence, he told me about this scratch. Apparently its very easy to get that spot if you improperly lift up drivers side windshield wiper - it hits the edge of the hood right away. The reason why he knew about this cause other people complained about it. Don't know how it is in other states, but here in Jersey when you park in the mall or any other populated parking lots (like our townhouse), we get tons of fliers put under the windshield wiper. So, one of those bastards scratched my hood. Similar thing happened to others who complained about that scratch.

I don't know how you can avoid this problem, unless if you are always parked in a private driveway or live in the area where this kind of advertisement is not allowed. Just want to let other ES350 owners to be aware of this. My dealership service just gave me a complimentary touch-up paint to cover up the scratch which I should apply 4 times one week apart. They also told me that a best way to avoid this when wiper needs to be replaced, just turn on the car, turn the wipers on and as soon as they are in the middle of the window, turn the car off.

I know, this is not such a big deal like a peeling paint, but still even a small scratch like this on a brand new car is not cool. Oh, and my color is Tungsten Pearl so you can see it better vs any darker color where it could be unnoticeable. Sorry, I already applied the touch up so there is no picture...

PaJaHa1

Damn, and I just lifted them up yesterday when I was washing the car like I usually do. I didn't feel anything rubbing, but now I'm nervous! Thanks for the heads-up.

twister

From what I understand, it can only happen if someone lifts up the whole windshield arm like in any other car. This one has to be lifted *properly* whatever that means, and when I asked the service guy to show me, he told me about that trick of turning the car and wipers on and than car off. Again, even if you get a scratch, its not the end of the world. Touch up paint does the trick with multiple layers over the time.

Just curious, isn't that common for homeless guys in CA to come to your car at the traffic light to wash your windshield? If so, it could be a trouble...

Celibon

Wow, thanks for the heads-up. I'll have to check if I unknowingly made a scratch myself.

PaJaHa1

I've always lifted mine up 90 degrees when I wash so that I could get the entire windshield. Also, in the winter I leave them up if there is going to be snow or ice so the wipers don't get stuck I'm going to be very careful going forward.


Ahh.... I remember the windex bums. Thanks again to Giuliani that we don't have to put up with that crap. And thank god that the cops look the other way when we suburban folks run red lights in Newark and other questionable locales here in NJ

Alien

Just ran across this myself. Didn't think about the shopping mall condition. Working with my dealership on what's going on. It's hard to believe that Lexus would design the wiper arm with a rotating joint that couldn't be used. Alien

Kaius88

some homeless guy tried to clean my old car's windshield but he didnt have a spray bottle....just newspaper. I asked what he was using, and he said SPIT. I said NO WAY YUCK.

dshahs420

^^^ please tell me this was a nightmare and not reality!!!!

wanderer99

I just remembered this thread and I've been thinking "there is no way my hood has any damage from this". I was wrong. I've got damage on both sides from lifting the wipers up when I washed the car. Passenger side damage is almost down to metal, drivers side not so bad but still has taken out some of the paint.

What is up with this? I don't remember reading the owners manual and it warning you not to lift the wiper blades. This is pretty crappy design! In Vancouver we have the homeless people who wait at the main intersections to ambush you and 'clean' your windshield.

Even though this really sucks, I still love my Lexus

twister

Should we run a poll to see how many people washed their car and got scratch marks on the hood?

I agree, this and center console door/flap covering the heat/cool control are the two biggest design flows... Other than that, the car is perfect inside out!!!!!!!!

qliu34

you can push the windshield wiper up (into the winter position), and then life it up. Don't tell me your dealer did not show you this.

qliu34

see thread
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=229556

TomsES350

When I took delivery of my ES-350 from Ken Shaw Motors in Toronto, the sales representative showed me during the delivery process that the wipers on this vehicle have a winter stand-off position. This position is activated with the vehicle off and the wipers in the standard parked position.
You simply take one of the wiper arms and pull it upward (with the blade remaining in its position on the glass). This changes the park position by a few inches which is the winter position. However, if parked and put in this position it should be able to be lifted off the glass without touching the paint on the hood.
Hope this helps!

twister

I'm not sure if you got my original message This was done by local vendors leaving their advertising fliers under the windshield wiper, not sure if I got it at the mall or in our parking lot. So, unless I will leave an instruction taped to my windshield for anybody who would like to leave a flyer in there to follow "winter position" directions, I don't think anything going to help