Wiper blades are what keep your windshield working the way it’s supposed to work - which is to say, it’s supposed to let you see the road. When your windshield wipers are working properly, this is what happens! When they’re broken, however, you don’t get what you need out of your wipers, which is vision. So, how do you take care of your wipers? First, you need to know when they’re broken and what the signs of broken or worn wipers are. When you check your wiper blades (which should ideally be every month or so), check for:
- Broken frame – you’ll see this manifest as the frame arms are disconnected at the joints or connection points.
- Metal Corrosion – take a close look at the joints and claws of the wiper frame.
- Tears, cracks, and chunks missing out of the edge of the squeegee.
In order to check on the health of your wipers themselves, do these things:
- Flex the squeegee back and forth to make sure it’s flexible. If the squeegee is too old, it won’t conform to your windshield and it won’t bend as easily.
- Make sure the edges of the squeegee are sharp and not rounded. If the edges are rounded, they are too worn down and won’t make good contact with the windshield or wipe correctly.
- Give the wiper a little tug to make sure that it’s firmly attached to the wiper arm.
- Make sure the squeegee is tightly fitted in the wiper frame.
Wiper blades deteriorate just like everything else in our cars. Things they’re exposed to every day can destroy them over time, such as:
- The sun can break down your wipers through ultraviolet light and even ozone exposure.
- The oils in car waxes and exhaust can deteriorate the rubber of your wipers.
- Things like dust, sand, salt, mud, and any other kind of airborne particles can stick to your wipers and break them down.
- Saltwater and acid rain can break down your wipers - no matter if you’re on the coast or inland.
Make sure that you’re cleaning your wipers every time you fill up your gas tank with the solution in the things at the station and a clean paper towel. This will keep them clean of the aforementioned dust and grit and will let them live even longer.
When it’s time to replace your wipers, don’t put it off. Just take care of it, and your windshield will stay clear and you’ll know that you’re seeing the road as clearly as possible. If you want help with wipers and finding out which are right for your vehicle, come see us here at King Kia!
Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.