Wipers and visibility.
That should be enough motivation for you to be thorough when it comes to your windshield wiper maintenance. As a first-time car owner, especially one who has never been particularly savvy with cars, it’s important that you equate your wipers with road safety.
Here are 6 ways to ensure that your windshield wipers are always in tip-top shape:
1. Keep the windshield clean.
Dirty windshield glass will make your wipers wear more quickly. Make it a habit to clean your windshield during your gas station stops for fuel. It’s an easy habit to maintain too, as your go-to station, and most stations, will likely provide a squeegee for motorists to use.
If you do use gas station squeegees, check the sponge before use. You may have to wipe it with a paper towel at times to remove debris that can scratch your windshield. Of course, you can always choose to clean your windshield at home anytime it’s starting to look dirty.
2. Replace the blades on time.
Wiper blades generally perform their best for more or less six months. To avoid having to deal with poor visibility, replace them every six months. As squeegees get old, they will be less able to conform to the windshield’s shape and end up creating streaks.
Outside of their regular replacement schedule, it’s also smart to watch the blades for signs of premature wear—e.g., smearing, skipping, or squeaking across the glass.
When inspecting your blades for any premature issues, keep an eye out for the following:
- Broken frame or frame arm detachment at connection points
- Visible corrosion at metal joints and claws
- Visible tears and cracks
- Missing pieces of the rubber squeegee edge
While doing a random inspection, also ensure that the wiper blade is installed securely on the wiper arm by tugging it. The rubber squeegee should be secured in the wiper frame.
3. Don’t run your wipers on a dry windshield.
Windshield wipers are intended for wet windshields. If they are made to run on dry surface, they will wear out much more quickly. However, you do sometimes have to clean a dry windshield—for example, if there’s a buildup of pollen on the glass. If you do need to do this, press the washer button first. (Make sure you’ve topped up your wiper fluid—see below.)
4. Check and top off your wiper fluid.
The wipers need wiper fluid to work—which means you need to top off the windshield wiper fluid anywhere from every few weeks to every few months, depending on how often you’ve had to drive in the rain.
Wiper maintenance during the cold months
5. Keep the blades away from the windshield during the night in the cold months.
No one should be faced with frozen windshield wipers winter mornings before work. And the good news is you can avoid this scenario: Just remember to pull the wiper blades away from the windshield the previous night to keep the blades’ rubber squeegee part from freezing to the glass. With your blades away from your windshield, it will then be easier to scrape away any ice and snow.
6. Defrost and scrape before using the wipers.
Speaking of scraping away ice and snow, your wipers will tend to stick when if there’s heavy snow or ice. If you turn them on without defrosting them first and scraping away the snow and ice, they will likely snap. If the temperatures are freezing, make sure to run the defroster first and then scrape away any snow or ice, if necessary. If possible, warm up the car ahead of time with the defroster on high.
Never take your windshield wiper maintenance for granted. Visibility issues can cause a lot of headaches, if not a major or fatal accident. If ensuring that your windshield wipers are in good working condition does not require much effort, then there’s little reason not to develop the habit at the start of your car ownership experience.
Besides, keeping your wipers in great shape helps ensure that you keep your manufacturer’s warranty coverage, preferably all the way until it runs out.
Meanwhile, if there are ancillary products and services that don’t come with your warranty, check out what EverCare has to offer.