It seems “Mother Nature” is trying to make up for the five-inch rainfall deficit we are experiencing around here in 2009. It seems to be raining a lot lately, and wet snow will soon follow.... which makes this a good time to check your vehicle’s wiper blades.

I had the wiper blades replaced on my WCCO news car recently, because they were leaving big streaks on the windshield. Wiper blades deteriorate gradually, so they usually get pretty bad before you realize it.

This car (2006 Toyota RAV4) takes two different size wiper blades, which surprised me. In fact, I had been driving this car for three years and never knew this little detail.

As you can see in the photo ...

 

... the blade for the driver’s side is 24 inches long, and the passenger’s side takes a 17-inch blade.

Car makers do this so the driver’s side of the windshield gets a bigger “sweep”... but when you see the wipers working, it appears they are the same length.

If you need new wiper blades, and you plan to replace them yourself, be sure to bring BOTH the old wipers into the parts store to get exact replacements.

Do not try to get the cheapest blades.

As you can see from the photo ...

 

... of this receipt, a pair of good wiper blades will cost at least 30 bucks. Beware of stores that will try to sell you the entire WIPER ARM assembly. This will be really expensive, and usually a waste of money. After many years, the spring in the wiper arm that holds the rubber blades snuggly to the windshield can wear out... but this is really rare.

Our last photo ...



... is from a blog in 2007, but the information is still good:  before you get new wiper blades, try cleaning the ones you have with alcohol prep pads from a first aid kit.  You could also use rubbing alcohol on a paper towel.  Either way, you may be surprised how much better the wipers work with the “glaze” of dirt and road grime removed.

Got a question about your car?  We can probably get you an answer here at The Garage.