A windshield wiper is almost self-evident, but it has to endure a lot: snow, frost, leaves and possibly dust and sand… and so wears out. How do you replace a windshield wiper yourself if you have to do it between turns or don’t want to have it done at a garage?
You can easily check whether a windshield wiper is worn out. You will find an article about the self-check about this. If it is worn out, how do you replace a windshield wiper yourself? It’s basically simple. The mode of operation is the same for the windshield as it is for the rear wiper if there is one.
Release windshield wiper
You have to remove the old windshield wiper first. You do this by lifting the wiper arm. Then tilt the wiper relative to the arm, so that you can unclip with the clip that ensures the lock. Then you simply slide the wiper off the arm.
Newer wipers are all rubber. The older types have a metal holder with a pressing mechanism. When tilting the last type of wiper, make sure that the metal does not scratch the window. This can happen if the wiper blade is torn and released.
Install windshield wiper
You have a new windshield wiper blade. When buying them, keep in mind that these differ per type of car, so make sure you have the right types. Attaching the new windshield wiper is done exactly in the reverse order to removing it. So you slide the wiper blade onto the wiper arm, click the lock and tilt the wiper into the right position. Then place the wiper arm with the new wiper blade back on the window. Take it easy and don’t let the wiper fall on the windshield.
Tips for a longer life for the windshield wiper
A windshield wiper lasts a long time, but you can easily extend the life of the wipers. It is important to keep the windshield wipers clean. You do this by making water with a solution of green soap or white vinegar and wiping it over the windshield wiper with a soft cloth. If you have been to a car wash, you may have to do this yourself. Many car washes put a plastic cover over the windshield wipers as protection. And that doesn’t clean the windshield wipers.
As an extension of this: use sufficient windshield washer fluid if you want to clean the windshield during a ride. And don’t let them work too much over a dry window. Then you often hear them chafing and they wear faster. Although you can easily replace a windshield wiper yourself from time to time, you don’t want to do it too often!
Then watch for leaves on the window. Remove that before you drive. Is it snowing? Then clean the window, because the pressure of the snow can become too heavy. That causes extra wear. And if it freezes, also make sure that the windshield is free of ice and that you have loosened the wipers. If they are frozen, in an extreme case you can damage the wipers and even burn out the wiper motor.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl