Summer isn’t all sunshine and warm weather. From time to time, you’ll hit a rainy day, which is a good opportunity to make sure the wiper blades on your car are functioning correctly. Spending an afternoon in the garage working on your car, especially when it’s raining outside, can be tremendously fun and satisfying. If you’re interested in auto careers or taking auto mechanic courses, this is a great way to become more familiar with the way a car is put together.
Removing an old wiper
Wipers that need to be replaced will show signs of malfunction before eventually breaking down. Problems related to old wipers can include smearing due to worn blades or water beads that won’t go away. To remove an old wiper, you’ll need to pull the wiper arm away from the windshield, then add pressure to the small tab underneath the wiper. You should then be able to slide the wiper off. Without the soft wiper, the metal arm can do damage to your windshield, so you should be careful in your manipulations to avoid the wiper snapping back into position and hitting the windshield.
To add a new wiper, you’ll need to line up the new piece with the metal arm. You’ll find a plastic clip on the new part, which will be matched by a hook-shaped curve in the metal arm. With everything lined up, you can move the hook over the plastic clip, then pull the new wiper upwards. Make sure all the pieces have clicked into place, and there you go! A brand new wiper!
Chattering
The sound of a wiper chattering on your windshield while driving can indicate a different problem. This is often due to an accumulation of wax, oil or grease preventing the wiper blade from removing the water in full. Cleaning your windshield and wipers thoroughly, including scrubbing the blades and replacing your old wiper fluid with new liquid, can sometimes fix this problem. If you still have issues with chattering, the problem can be due to a slightly bent wiper arm. You should be able to determine whether or not this is the case by examining the wiper. If the blade isn’t parallel to the glass, the arm is bent. To fix this issue, use some pliers to carefully apply pressure and twist the arm back into position.
Windshield Washer Fluid Troubleshooting
Lastly, if you’re having problems with your washer fluid spray, leaving your windshield dirty and hindering your visibility, it may be a good idea to check your washer fluid pump and look for leaks in the fluid tank. You can verify that the pump is working properly by popping open the hood, then activating the washer fluid switch. If the pump is fine, you should hear it make some noise. If it’s silent, you’ll need to replace the part. Replacing the pump isn’t too hard, though if you don’t have training from auto mechanic schools yourself, it may be preferable to hire a professional.
Here’s a video for more good tips:
