Wiper blades are consumables. The rubber hardens in sunlight, wears against grit and eventually stops making even contact with the glass. Because the decline is gradual, most people accept steadily worse visibility without noticing — until the first heavy downpour makes it obvious.
When to replace them
- Streaks or smears left behind after a wipe
- Patches the blade skips entirely
- Juddering or chattering across the screen
- Squeaking that a clean does not fix
- Visible splits, hardening or a rubber edge that has gone shiny
- Rubber lifting away from the frame
As a rough habit, blades are worth replacing every six to twelve months. Sun and dust shorten that considerably, so in hot climates the shorter end of the range is realistic.
Before you buy, try cleaning them. Wipe the rubber edge with a cloth and some screen wash. A surprising number of smearing blades are simply dirty, and a clean windscreen makes a real difference too.
Buying the right blades
Two things have to match: length and fitting type.
- Length. The driver’s side and passenger’s side are often different lengths on the same car, so check both. Your owner’s manual lists the sizes, and retailers keep lookup tables by registration or model.
- Fitting type. The connector where the blade meets the arm varies. A hook shape, a push-button, a side pin, a bayonet and several others are all in use. The quickest way to be sure is to look at what is already fitted before you buy.
- The rear wiper, if your car has one, is usually a different length and often a different fitting again.
Replace blades in pairs. A new blade alongside a worn one just makes the worn one obvious.
Removing the old blade
- Park with room in front of the car and switch the ignition off. Some cars park their wipers under the bonnet lip, and there is usually a service position in the menus or a specific ignition action to raise them — the manual explains it.
- Lift the wiper arm away from the glass until it locks upright.
- Lay a folded towel over the windscreen underneath the arm. If the arm slips, the towel is what saves your screen.
- Turn the blade across the arm so you can see the connector.
- Press the release tab, button or clip and slide the blade off the arm. It usually needs a firm, deliberate pull rather than force.
Fitting the new one
- Line the new blade up with the arm in the same orientation as the old one.
- Slide or press it on until you hear or feel it click. Give it a gentle tug — it should not come free.
- Turn the blade back so it is parallel with the arm.
- Lower the arm onto the glass slowly, under control, with your hand on it the whole way.
- Remove the towel.
- Repeat on the other side, then the rear if fitted.
Test before you need them
Spray washer fluid and run the wipers through a full cycle on the wet screen. Look for clean, quiet, complete sweeps with no missed strip at the top or bottom and no contact with the trim at either end of the travel. Dry-wiping a screen to test damages the new rubber and scratches the glass, so always wet it first.
If the new blades chatter, the arm itself may be bent or its spring tired, which is a different fix. If they miss a strip at the edge, check the blade is fully seated and the right length.
Making them last
- Clear snow, ice and leaves from the screen before running the wipers rather than using the blades to do it
- Lift the arms away from the glass if you park in strong sun for long periods
- Keep the washer bottle topped up, so you are never dry-wiping grit across the screen
- Clean the rubber edge whenever you clean the windscreen
Your manual has the final word
Blade sizes, the fitting type, the service position for the arms and the location of the rear wiper all vary between models. Where this guide and your owner’s manual disagree, follow the manual.
