Anyone replace their wipers as yet?

I bought my car in Oct last year, so went through the winter and spring fine. Now that we're into fall, the wipers seem to be not so good. Had a helluva time driving in this morning, in the DRIZZLE!

Is it normal to have to replace after a year? I was wondering if there may be something on my windshield (some grease or something ...) maybe the blades need cleaning.

Any comments / advice would be welcomed.

 

I've found using Rainx on the winshield works better than new wipers, but doing both would probably net the best results

 

I use RainX on my windshield too, so I don't have any problems with the stock blades either.

Did you do a search and find this thread: Bosch Microedge wipers

 

A year is pretty good to get out of the stock wipers. The UV light from the sun gradually breaks down the rubber and causes it to leave streaks. Just go to your dealer to pick up some replacement inserts for the wiper. I find they work a lot better than aftermarket replacement arms.

 

I've found a year in a polluted, dusty city environment is pretty much tops - the embedded oil-saturated grime attacks the integrity of the rubber and makes them streak. And Dan is right - the UV waves in sunlight will attack wipers with particular vengeance since they are so exposed to direct contact. I would also hazard a guess that the fact that they nestle up next to glass that heats and cools with extreme rapidity may also help in breaking them down, but I suspect that some chemE on the site will be able to speak to that....The other thing that is fatal is the drivetthrough carwash where water, soap and wax are dumped on your car indiscriminately................ I just get the blades replaced every time I get the car serviced.

 

I haven't replaced the wipers myself, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been done. Maybe the dealer did during one scheduled maintenance, but if they did, I wouldn't have noticed.

They still wipe correctly. It's actually the windshield I'll have to have replaced next spring, it's becoming so speckled.

 

I'll be doing that this week. My stock wipers seem to be breaking down rather quickly and need to be replaced. There is entirely too much streaking going on.

 

MIne are breaking down also..it rained here yesterday, and i noticed that the wipers were not holding up as good as they used to.
on my previous car, i used rainx on the windsheild, and i also used the rainx wiper blades..they worked really well. IN fact, they worked so well, i think ill pick up another pair sometime today.

 

I have always replaced wipers every 6 months. They probably could go a bit longer, but I've always treated it as routine maintenance to be done in much the same way as an oil change -- before problems start developing. (Given my driving patterns, replacing the blades at every oil change actually works out pretty well.)

 

Wow!
Thanks for the great info guys.

I'll buy the RainX and have the dealership replace the blades when I take it in for it's 24K service.

I believe the carwash may have been why I started noticing it recently too .. I normally only do soap and water, but the last 2 times I've done the "Ultra" with wax ... that was probably a no-no.

Thanks again!

 

What do you mean by your windshield being speckled?

 

Hi, New Guy here...

I think you should replace wiper blades every 6 months max. If you are a person that gets a wax job on your car every time you wash, then you might want to consider every 4 months or so.
The spray-on wax builds up and hardens the rubber compound faster.

Most of the auto supply places like NAPA or Pep Boys carry a good variety. Wiper blades are pretty low-tech, so finding replacement blades is pretty easy

 

Yup, my wipers need changin as well. Dan, any idea of the cost of replacement inserts at the dealer?

 

It is "peppered" with small sand/gravel/salt impacts, making it harder to see through, especially when facing the sunlight.

 

I bought it last October as well and went through winter and spring just like you..

but mine's still in near-perfect condition. Funny..

 

mine squeaked and squealed right after i got the car. how that happened but dealer replaced. it's still holding up.

 

I've had my tsx since april 03 and get my wiper blades replaced every other oil change (every 6k). I don't need to but it keeps them working like new.

 

...But you don't have 75,000 miles on it do you...

 

Which Rainx do you guys use, they seem to have a few products? I never heard of this thing before...

 

I usually replace the wipers every year but on my TSX the Acura dealer service has been changing them as part of the scheduled service (10k, 20k, 30k).

 

My spray doesn't work right it just shoots like 1/3....matter of fact its always been like this....?

 

I tried rain-x last year and other than the cool foaming action I didnt find it all that special.

 

I actually found it to be a nuisance once the windshield gets dirty. You then start the wipers and washer, and here you have all the little beads of water not being swept by the wipers, remaining on the windshield to become an even dirtier windshield once it all dries out.

I quit RainX a long time ago...

 

$4.88 at Erin Mills Acura.