You might not think much about your windshield wipers, but they are a crucial part of your car’s safety. Windshield wipers should be replaced every six months or so to ensure that you can see out the front window of your car during rainstorms and snowstorms. It is a good idea to do this in the fall before winter weather begins for maximum visibility.
When to Replace Windshield Wiper Blades
Windshield wipers are also inexpensive, making them even more attractive as an essential part of any vehicle’s maintenance routine. The problem with windshield wipers is that they wear out over time. Which can be problematic if you don’t know when it is time for new blades or how to replace these blades properly. This article will provide step-by-step instructions for replacing wiper blades on an automobile.
How to change the wiper blades
There are two ways to change the wiper blades. The first way is to remove the head and blade assembly and replace it with a new one. Using this method only takes a couple of minutes, but is more expensive than just changing the wiper blades. I’m going to use the second method, which is to change the blades. I start on the passenger side of the car. Turn off the wipers. Take a flat blade screwdriver and pry up on the tab on the wiper head. When the tab is loose, I push the wiper head to aren’t the wiper arm until the hook of the wiper arm is forward enough that I can pull it out off the head assembly with a wiper removed.
I lay a towel against the windshield and the wiper arm doesn’t scratch it next. I take the wiper assembly to a workbench and I can remove the blade. This wiper head has two sets of curved feet that create a track. The bottom groove of the wiper blade runs along the track to remove the blade. I need to go to the bottom of the head assembly. Then pry each side of the notch in the blade, out of the curve in the foot. When the notch in the blade is out of the foot, I can slide the old blade out of the head assembly. The next step is to remove the two metal strips from the old blade and place them into the top grooves of the new blade.
Then I slide the bottom grooves of the new blade up through the curved feet of the head assembly. When the blade is fully installed, notice how the notches in the blade snap into the curved feet at the bottom of the head assembly. Next, we take the installed plate back to the car. Insert the wiper arm into the slot of the head assembly. Pull away from the wiper arm, and when the arm bottoms out, I snap the tap back into place.
One wiper blade has been done and wants to go on the driver’s side. I pivot the wiper arm towards me so I can get at the head assembly. I lift up on the tab with my screwdriver, push down with the wiper head, Then the assembly from the wiper arm. Next, they remove the notches in the old blade from the feet in the wiper head and pull the old blade from the head assembly. Then I remove the metal strips from the old blade, placed them in the top groove of the new blade, and slide the bottom groove of the blade into the curved feet of the head assembly.
The last step is to take the head assembly and snap it into the wiper arm. Changing just the blades does take a little more time than changing the whole head assembly, but it will save you some money.
Conclusion
Windshield wipers are a safety feature that should be replaced when they start to show signs of wear. If you notice streaks on the windshield, chattering noises from your wiper blades, or wiping unevenly across the glass, it’s time for new ones! Replacing these parts is cheap and easy with our step-by-step instructions. You can even do it yourself if you have basic knowledge about tools and cars – not to mention save money by avoiding an expensive service appointment at a dealership. Check out this blog post for more tips before heading out to pick up some replacement wiper blades today!