Wiper blades are important because they allow us to see clearly, especially in rainy, foggy weather.

Keep yourself and your passengers safe by making sure your wipers are in good condition and filling up your wiper fluid tank.

How to tell your wiper blades need replacement:

There are several common symptoms of worn or damaged wiper blades. These include:

  • Loud squeaking noise when wipers are in use.
  • Smearing on the windscreen.
  • Noticeable physical wear and tear.

1. Buy new wiper blades.

Go to your nearest auto parts store to find wiper blade replacements for your vehicle. Be sure to give the staff your car’s correct details so that they can source the right parts for you.

There will usually be several different options ranging in price. Buy what suits your budget but consider that cheaper wiper blades will wear out quicker.

 

2. Remove your old wiper blades.

  1. Firstly, lift the blades upwards from the windscreen.
  2. Find the clip that is attached to one end of the blade. Squeeze this clip together in order to release the wiper blade. Some wipers may feature a small tab that needs to be pushed down rather than a clip.
  3. You should now be able to easily remove the wiper blade from the assembly.

 

3. Add the new blades into the assembly.

  1. Insert the new blade where the old one was, using the clip to lock it back in place.
  2. Cut off any excess rubber so that the new wiper blade fits the vehicle correctly. Some blades may feature a small piece of metal that can be cut or snapped off so that the blade can fit your car.
  3. Place the windscreen wipers back into place.
  4. Test your wiper configuration to ensure it works correctly. Make sure that both arms extend correctly. Apply water to the windscreen in order to test their effectiveness.

 

Always keep your wiper fluid topped up.

To allow maximum wiper efficiency, you should use wiper fluid rather than just water to clean your windscreen. Topping up your wiper fluid is simple if you follow these steps:

Checking your fluid levels:

Before you check your wiper fluid (or any type of fluid), make sure that your vehicle is parked on level terrain. This will give you a much more accurate idea of how much wiper fluid is remaining.

Locate the wiper fluid reservoir in your vehicle. It will usually be marked with a symbol that looks like a windscreen with wipers moving. Remove the cap and ensure that the vehicle does need its wiper fluid topped up (overfilling can cause problems).

Most cars will have minimum and maximum markings on the side of the tank. Use these markings to determine how much wiper fluid is needed.

Topping up the wiper fluid:

Use a funnel to pour wiper fluid into the tank until it reaches the full mark. Once you are done, screw the cap into place, making sure the cap does not have any dirt on it (this can cause clogging).

Do not overfill the tank:

Your wiper fluid solution will expand when it is heated. Therefore, It is important that your tank has free space in it. If not, the expansion can cause cracks in the tank.

Testing your fluid sprayer:

It is now time to make sure your fluids are reaching the windscreen properly. Use your fluid sprayer and windscreen wipers to test this. If you are still having problems, you may have a blockage in the hoses or wiper spray nozzles. If you are rapidly losing fluid, this could be caused by a crack in the tank.