How To Replace Your Vehicle's Windshield Wiper Blades

Do you have trouble seeing through the windshield of your car during rainy conditions? Based on the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), approximately one-in-ten crashes happen during rainy weather. The chance of a crash obviously is higher when visibility is poor. If your car's windshield wiper blades are worn out and brittle, you could be experiencing poor visibility during rainy weather. However, the good news is that you can change damaged blades on your own without having to take your car to an expert mechanic.

STEP #1 PURCHASE REPLACEMENT BLADES

You'll have to buy new blades for your wipers that are compatible with your car. There are no universally sized wiper blades. Different vehicles require different blades. If you buy them at a local store or from an online retailer, you'll have to select replacement blades that will work with the car you're driving.

STEP #2 REMOVE THE OLD BLADES

It's time to take off the old wiper blades. Begin by raising each blade. Based on your vehicle, you'll be able to remove them using a tab that you can push toward your vehicle or away from it. Some vehicles also make use of pin-style blades. Pin-style blades are joined by pins. To take them off, you'll have to move the pin using the help of a screwdriver until it lets the blades go from the arms of the wiper.

STEP #3 ATTACH THE NEW BLADES

With the old blades, you can connect the new blades to the wiper arms. The new blades, by using the same procedure you did to take off the old blades, should be attached but in reverse. There are pin-style and tab-style blades. If your car has tab-style blades, you'll need to drag the blades onto the arm hook until they are able to snap into place. If you have a vehicle that uses pin-style blades, on the contrary, you'll need to place them on arms and then secure them to the arms using pins.

STEP #4 TEST

After you've finished, examine the new blades to make sure that they are working properly. It's not necessary to wait until it begins raining. Instead, sit in the driver's seat in your car and switch on the windshield wipers. For better performance, it is possible to spray a few blasts of wiper fluid onto your vehicle's windshield, too. The new blades should be able to move without a problem while taking the water away from your vehicle's windshield.

Wiper blades aren't expensive, and most are less than $20 per pair. If you replace worn wiper blades, it will allow you to see visibly in wet conditions while decreasing the risk of being involved in a crash.