How do I remove the glass rear wiper delete insert again?

Hello support team,

I have a question about removing a glass rear wiper delete insert that’s already bonded in place (Golf VI GTI).

I installed your insert a few years ago using the supplied adhesive. I’d now like to return the car to standard. I’ve already tried cutting between the insert and the glass with a wire, but the insert sits flush with no gap, so I can’t get anything between them.

Do you have any tips for removing it? Is there a way to dissolve the adhesive chemically?

Many thanks for your reply!

Best regards,
Patrick

We get a lot of enquiries like this. The short answer is: we advise against ever removing the rear wiper delete insert once it has been installed.

The adhesive and the design of the glass insert for the rear-wiper hole are specifically intended to provide a long-lasting seal while remaining flexible through temperature changes. Once the rear has been de-wipered, the insert normally stays installed. In practice, that means returning the car fully to standard is difficult.

We advise against trying to remove the insert again. If you still want or need to do so, you should know the following:

  1. There is a risk of shattering the window.
  2. There is a risk of injuring yourself or others.
  3. There is a risk of damaging or scratching the window.

If you want to remove the rear wiper delete insert from the rear-window wiper hole, this is the only method we can suggest:

  1. Cover the painted area around the insert with heavy-duty duct tape.
  2. Wear cut-resistant gloves and safety glasses.
  3. Make sure nothing and nobody nearby can be hit by falling or flying glass. For example, nobody should be sitting in the car below the window while you’re working on the insert from outside.
  4. Cut away as much of the adhesive as possible. Razor blades work quite well because they’re flexible and can reach into the gap; utility knives are generally less suitable because they’re too thick and rigid.
  5. Do the same from outside in the gap between the insert and the rear window, cutting as deeply into the adhesive as possible.
  6. Carefully warm the adhesive with a heat gun (CAREFULLY! Don’t overdo it or the window may crack).
  7. Take a pair of water-pump pliers, place them flat against the duct tape and try to twist the insert. The edge will almost certainly break, but if you’ve cut through the adhesive properly, that should be enough to break out the rest.
  8. Under no circumstances try to push the insert inward or hammer on it. Any hard or impact force can cause the window to shatter into thousands of small pieces.
  9. Never work without protective equipment. The insert is made of glass and can cause serious injuries!

STILL: if you’re planning from the outset to remove the rear wiper delete insert again later, choose one made from plastic or acrylic, or a screw-in blanking plug instead. That’s our genuine recommendation.

 

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