There are very few factors more important than good visibility when you are driving your vehicle. Having a windshield wiper and washer system that is in good working order is the key to visibility, especially living and driving in the Pacific Northwest.
The windshield wiper mechanics consist of four basic parts – the wiper linkage that is under the cowl, the lower wiper arm that protrudes up from the cowl, the blade that attaches to the wiper arm, and the rubber refill that wipes the glass. The part that eventually breaks down from extreme weather conditions, dust and dirt is the rubber refill. The wiper blade itself can also wear at the pivot points causing chattering and poor swiping ability.
The windshield wiper electronics consist of two basic parts – the wiper motor and the wiper switch.
The windshield washer system consists of four basic parts – the windshield washer fluid reservoir, windshield washer pump, windshield washer lines and windshield washer nozzles.
The basics of preventative maintenance on your windshield wiper and washer system is to: replace the wiper blades with the rubber refill about every 6 months, or as needed if the rubber has deteriorated, or if they are not swiping the windshield properly. The windshield washer fluid should be topped off with each oil change and any leaks should be repaired, so that the washer fluid can stay at a level that is usable. Windshield washer fluid should also be changed out to a winterized fluid to reduce the chance of the fluid freezing if temperatures going to drop to a freezing level or below.
Steve and Karen Johnston are owners of All About Automotive in Historic Downtown Gresham. If you have questions or comments, call them at 503-465-2926 or email them at [email protected].
