Windshield Wipers: Blade Streaking & Winter Wiper Blades
Posted by carsandtrucks on Wednesday, January 16 @ 05:21:20 PST
There is nothing more disturbing to me when driving in the snow or rain than windshield wipers that will not clear my windshield. When the wipers are new they are free of dirt, chips, and cracks so they seal tightly against the windshield. As the wipers move back and forth they squeege away the water. As wipers wear out, the seal against the windshield decreases causing the wipers to streak. Even if the rain or snow has stopped, the water being thrown at you from the car or truck you are following will leave you without any visibility if your wipers are worn out. There are different
types of wipers for different weather conditions. In snow and ice areas you can buy “winter wiper blades”. These wipers have the frame work of the wiper enclosed in rubber. This prevents the snow and ice from building up and turning the wiper into useless pieces of frozen rubber. When using your wipers in the winter, make sure you turn them off before shutting the vehicle down. Why? Because if you just let them stop when the engine shuts off, they will freeze to the windshield where they stopped. When you start the engine the next day, the wipers will try to move. This can cause damage to the wiper motor or the linkage that moves the wipers back and forth. Make sure you keep your windshield washer bottle full. In the winter, use washer fluid that has antifreeze in it. A frozen washer reservoir won’t be of any help when you are trying to clear the windshield. It is a good idea to have extra washer fluid in the trunk so you can replenish the washer bottle when needed. Wipers should be replaced once a year.
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