“Wiper blades should be changed every 6 to 10,000 miles,” according to Perry Guttman, Manager of the Liberty Honda Hartford Service Department.
Wiper blades can be a safety hazard if they become damaged or worn. They impair your visibility and consequently reduce your reaction time to avoid an accident. But “wiper blades deteriorate so gradually that it is often difficult to notice,” said Jason Secor, Service Manager at Hartford Mazda Service at Liberty Mazda.
So how can you tell if our blades need replacing? Service Manager Todd DiBiasi, a New Haven area Honda Service dealership, Executive Honda in Wallingford suggested 11 signs to look in determining if you need new wipers, starting with the windshield!
Inspect Your Windshield for These Signs:
- Oil like Film
- Missed Sections
- Blades lifting off the Windshield
- Beading after the Blade Passes
- Blades chattering across the glass
- Cracked, Split or Slashed Rubber
- Worn or Ragged Edges
- Road Grime, Chemical-causing Film or other Contamination
- Torn Rubber Pulling Away from the Blade
- Bent or Cracked Wiper Arm or Blade
- Lost Flexibility in Rubber
Steps to Replace Your Wiper Blades:
- Gently lift the wiper arm and rotate the blade at the pivot
- Pull the spring loaded wiper arm up away from the windshield. Continue pulling up until the arm is perpendicular to the windshield. At this point, the arm will stay up without your support. Tip: On some vehicles, it may be easier to run the wipers to a more convenient location, then turn the ignition switch off.
- Pinch the release tab on the wiper blade and slide the blade assembly out from the hook and out of the wiper arm
- Slide on a replacement blade of the same length
- Gently push until locking tab clicks into place
- Check and fill the windshield washer reservoir. Test the new wiper blade for proper operation.
How to Care for Your Wiper Blades
Wipe off any buildup of road grime, chemicals and salt from the rubber edges of the blade with a sponge or a soft cloth and a mild cleaner and remember, every time you clean your windshield, quickly clean your wiper blades too.
If you don’t feel comfortable evaluating the condition of, or changing your own wiper blades, stop into any Executive Auto Group Express service center for a free consultation.
If you mention this post to your Service Advisor at time of writeup, but before the end of this month, get 50% off with your “Buy 1 Wiper, Get 1 Free” at any Executive Auto Group vehicle repair center near you where we fix your vehicle right the first time.
For a complimentary evaluation of your windshield wipers, visit Liberty Mazda or Liberty Honda in the Hartford area, Executive Honda, Executive KIA, Executive Dodge JEEP RAM or The Executive Auto Center Used Car Center in Walling ford and Acura by Executive, Executive JEEP or Executive Nissan in North Haven.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I just signed up to your blogs rss feed. Will you post more on this subject?