While they may not seem like something to be overly concerned about, wipers are the things that make it possible to see clearly on rainy days. While they haven’t changed a lot in the last 50 years, they are a simple way to make driving safer.
Seeing as many wiper blades are a silicone or rubber strip, they are also incredibly easy to inspect and change though, today, we are only going to look at how to check your wipers and, much like checking your oil level, this is a simple check that will only take 30 seconds extra whenever you check your tyres.
First, we need to lift the blade up just a little to look at the rubber part of the blade, looking for any cracking or separation. We need to run our fingers along the rubber and twist a little side to side to find where it might be torn. If the rubber is torn or cracking, it might be a good idea to replace the rubber.
Next, we want to lift the wiper arm so the whole blade is off of the windscreen. By giving the whole assembly a small twist to the left and right, we can see if the arm is worn which can cause it to knock or even fall off.
The final step in checking your wipers is likely one you do anyway without realising. We need to use the windscreen washers and look and listen for streaks, lines, smearing or squeaking. If this is happening, take a clean paper towel or rag with window cleaner and wipe the blade before trying again. If the streaking or smearing continues, it’s time for some new wiper blades.
Remember, If you have any questions, feel free to contact one of our Kashy mechanics at any time!