Windshield Wiper Service
Windshield Wiper Service at Blake Fulenwider Ford of Andrews
Your windshield wipers are one of the most often used components of your vehicle, yet it is also one often taken for granted. Your wipers are important to your safety and the safety of those that travel with you. They keep your windshield clear of water, frost, mud, bugs, and other materials that can impair your vision when you drive, and it is crucial that you have a clear field of vision when you drive.Your wipers are composed of four components, wiper blades, wiper arms, wiper arm covers, and wiper cowls. Though not a complex component to your vehicle, it is nonetheless important that they are in good shape to keep your windshield free of debris which can affect your field of vision when you drive around Andrews, Odessa, and Midland. To ensure that your wipers are in good shape for your travels, bring your vehicle to Blake Fulenwider Ford of Andrews for our wiper service.
How Often Should Wipers be Changed?
Your vehicle’s owner’s manual has the manufacturer's recommendations for a maintenance schedule for all major systems like oil change, brake service, tire service, alignment service, air filter service, and wiper service. Most recommend getting new wipers every six to twelve months. However, there are other factors that may require replacement more frequently, which include:- Usage – How often you use your wipers influences their effectiveness, frequency of use wears wipers down faster.
- Storage – If you do not have a garage or carport and your car just sits in a driveway, the UV radiation from the sun will start breaking down the rubber on the blades, while storing your vehicle under cover will lengthen the life of the blades.
- Environment – Even though you may be in an area with low precipitation, things like heat can cause the blades to expand and cold causes blades to contract and can result in cracking.
How to Tell if Wipers need to be Replaced
Some signs that the wiper blades need to be replaced include the following:- Noises – unusual chattering noises, vibrations, or jerky motions. This can indicate the blades are uneven and there are gaps in the blade due to lack of contact with the windshield.
- Squeaking – The wiper blades should slide over the glass smoothly if it is wet, but if you hear squeaking it could be damage to the silicone or the rubber and metal may be scraping across the windshield.
- Streaking – When the wiper blades pass across the windshield, they should leave a smooth clean surface; streaking means wipers are worn down in those areas.
- Wetness – This is an extreme version of streaking, only instead of streaks there are swaths of moisture that remain on the windshield when the blades pass over the glass. The wipers are usually damaged in those spots when this happens.