Wipers/Washers - Wiper Blade Maintenance/Cleaning
L-SB-0060-09May 14, 2009
Wiper Blade Maintenance and Cleaning
Service Category
Vehicle Exterior
Section
Wiper/Washer
Market
USA
Applicability
Introduction
The following procedures are recommended to maintain wiper blade performance.
These procedures apply to the windshield and back glass (if the vehicle is equipped with a back glass wiper assembly).
Warranty Information
Maintenance, Cleaning & Use
Recommendations for Wiper Maintenance, Cleaning, and Use:
1. Scheduled Maintenance
^ Check rubber inserts every 4 - 6 months or 7,500 miles for wear cracking and contamination.
^ Clean glass and rubber inserts if blades are not clearing glass adequately. If this does not correct the problem replace the rubber inserts.
2. Cleaning Procedure
^ Rubber inserts: Bugs dirt sap and road grime on rubber inserts will cause streaking. Clean road and environmental debris from the rubber inserts by using a cloth or paper towel soaked with windshield washer fluid or a mixture of mild detergent and water.
^ DO NOT USE fuel kerosene or petroleum based products to clean rubber inserts.
^ Windshield: Bugs sap road grime and car wax treatments decrease rubber insert performance.
^ Rinse the glass with water and apply non-abrasive cleaner such as Bon-Ami or equivalent with a sponge.
Make sure to use plenty of water with all powder based cleaners to avoid scratching the glass surface.
3. Contributors to Poor Performance/Decreased Rubber Blade Life (requiring rubber replacement)
^ Dust or dirt on the glass surface causes the rubber edge to wear quickly.
^ Sand and salt used for road conditioning during Winter months causes the edge to wear quickly so geographical locations with significant snowfall require more frequent wiper replacement.
^ Heat and length of time in service can cause the rubber to become hard and brittle causing the rubber to not turn over resulting in streaking and/or unwiped areas on the glass.
^ The use of an ice scraper near the blades can easily damage the rubber insert.
^ Pulling blades oft a frozen windshield can cause the rubber insert to tear.
^ Using wipers instead of an ice scraper to remove frost and ice from the glass can dull nick or tear the rubber.
^ Slamming the wiper on the glass to remove ice & snow can cause the blade to bend and the rubber to come out of the blade increasing the potential to scratch the glass.
^ When ice forms in wiper blade pin joints it may cause streaking and unwiped areas. To remove ice from pin joints compress the blade and rubber with your hand to loosen the frozen joints.