Wiper blade

In general, the normal service life of wiper blades is approximately 6-12 months, depending on the brand and type, as well as the quality of the wiper rubber. But most general car users tend to neglect to replace the wiper blades, even if they are worn out. Using worn wiper blades can cause damage to other parts, such as scratching the windshield. Moreover, using worn wiper blades during heavy rain will inhabit visibility and may lead to accidents.

Factors that cause wiper blade worn out are the heat from the sunlight accumulates on the windshield causing the wiper blades to dry out, lose the flexibility and gradually wear out. Another factor is caused by usage, for example, if the dust is stuck on the wiper rubbers, it can also cause wear and tear like using sandpaper to polish windshields and wiper rubbers.

For how to notice if it is time to replace the wiper blades, just simply check if the wiper blades can still wipe the windshield completely clean. The sign of unclean wiping due to the use of worn wiper blades or improperly installed are, there will be water spray in semicircles or lines and after wiping it still sticks and cause blurry lines on the windshield which is caused by using wiper rubbers that are dry out and unable to completely clean or remove the water from the windshield. Another sign of using worn wiper blades is that the chattering sounds while in use and stuttering or inconsistent movement which is caused by the friction between the wiper blades and the windshield. 

Aside from visible damage such as tearing or corrosion, there are also some warning signs while using indicate that the wiper blades should be replaced as follows.

• Stuttering and other irregular movement which is not smooth while using it.
• Chattering sounds while in use.
• Smudges or streaks appear when wiping the windshield. 
• Unable to wiped off completely water stains and there is a clear split while wiping. 

When the wiper blades have been used for a long time, either to wipe away water or to clean off the dirt on the windshield, the wiper rubbers often have various dirt stuck such as dust, mud or even bird droppings, which can cause the wiper blades to not work as efficiently as before. And it can also shorten the service life. Therefore, the wiper rubbers should be regularly cleaned by using a damp cloth to wipe along the rubber edge.

Regularly parking in the sun for a long time will cause the wiper rubbers to become dry and lack of flexibility because the rubbers are contacted with the heated windshield which make the wiper rubbers easily worn out and expire faster than it should be. Therefore, we should avoid parking in the sun or if it is necessary, we should not lift up the wiper blades because it will cause the spring on the wiper blade stalk to deteriorate which will reduce the pressure on the windshield and the efficiency of wiper control.

One thing that can help maintain wiper blades to have a long life is to regularly turn on the wiper blades to make sure they’re still in functional condition and spray the windshield before driving out. Because in addition to making the windshield have better visibility, it can also keep the wiper blades from drying out as well.

Checking the wiper rubbers is not only to see if there is dirt on it, but should also check if the rubber is dry, cracked, split, or broken. If it is so, it should be replaced. 

Apart from checking for dirt on the wiper blades, checking the windshield, including rear windshield if there are wiper blades installed, is another thing that should always be done. You should always check if there is dirt, stone chips or cracks that will cause damage to the wiper blades when in use.