Until experiencing an obvious issue or malfunction with your windshield wipers, maintenance is probably one of the last things to come to mind.
However, maintenance of your windshield wipers is an important part of your overall car maintenance routine.
Here are a few reasons why.
Overall Driving Ability
When your windshield is dirty with grime, debris, bird droppings, pollen or covered with dried water marks from a rainstorm, it seriously impairs your vision and driving ability.
There’s nothing worse than driving with wipers that don’t do a good job of cleaning a dirty windshield, especially in the dark or during a heavy rain, which also makes it hard to see.
Safety
It goes without saying that if your windshield wipers aren’t working properly and this is creating a poor visibility issue, you risk your own safety in addition to the safety of your passengers.
Windshield wipers that don’t do their job prevent your line of vision, in addition to spotting debris in the road or pedestrians.
Windshield Damage
Windshield wipers break down due to age, sun damage or wear causing cracks or tears.
If you try to get by with old or worn wipers with cracked or missing protective rubber or silicone, the wiper blades are exposed.
The exposed metal of the wiper blades runs across the windshield which may cause streaks, scratches, or other permanent damage.
Time for a Change
You’ll know it’s time to change the wiper blades when you notice:
- Visible signs of damage like tears, cracks stiffness, or missing pieces of the protective rubber coating on the wiper blades
- Squeaking or squealing sound as the wiper blades move across the windshield
- Blades skip across the windshield
- Uneven moisture removal from your windshield
Maintenance Tips
- For maintenance, even if seldomly used, windshield wipers should be replaced every 6 to 12 months, or if you notice visible signs of damage or wear and tear.
- Keep windshield wipers clean. Using warm water, a small amount of gentle soap and a clean cloth. After washing and to get your wipers squeaky clean, pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a clean rag and run along the length of the blades to remove all remaining dirt or grime.
- Check your windshield wash fluid level and top off as needed. It’s never a good idea to run your blades over a dry windshield as this can cause permanent damage to the blades and wipers.
Conclusion
Taking good care of your windshield wiper blades makes them last longer and, in the meantime, keeps you safer on the road.
To take care of all your auto body needs from weather related damage to collision repair, head over to Downtown Auto Body in Rohnert Park.