Wiper Blades: When Should I Replace Them? - Torque

Wiper blades should be one of the things you take care of on your car.

Wiper blades are one of those things on a car that typically receive the least care.

They do one of the most important things on a car (clean the windscreen), but people typically don’t lavish much care on them.

That’s because we tend to think of wiper blades as commodity items, easy to obtain at gas stations.

However, getting the correct size of wiper blades is crucial for getting maximum coverage of your windscreen.

This is essential especially in the torrential downpours we frequently have in Singapore.

Harsh sunlight in our climate is also especially bad for wiper blades, and can degrade them quickly if your car is parked outside.

You should replace your wiper blades in these instances:

1. When smudges start to appear on your windscreen when the wipers are working, even though there’s plenty of rain/water.
2. When your wipers start to judder when you use them. This typically means your wiper blades have deteriorated, and can no longer wipe effectively.
3. When they start to come loose and flop about.
4. When the rubber strip (the part that actually does the wiping) starts to peel off.
5. Around every six months, maybe even shorter if you park outside. Harsh sunlight degrades rubber quickly, and hurts wiping effectiveness.

There are many different types of wiper blades in the market.

For Japanese and Korean cars, this is usually a J-hook. On Continental makes, it will be either the side post or bayonet style, so do check your owner’s manual to be sure.

If you wish for your blades to last longer, consider investing in silicon blades. They last twice as long as rubber ones, and make less noise. You can find them in specialist auto stores.

In addition, consider adding an additive to your washer fluid to make wiping smoother. These typically come in small bottles and are blue. Adding them to your washer reservoir won’t harm your car, but they will help get dirt and grime off your car easier.

Wiper blades: How to make them last longer