Car 101: how to stop squeaking wipers
Tuesday, 7 June 2022
Car 101 is a regular feature in which we take a look at the basic stuff that us ‘petrolheads’ (and ‘voltheads’ now too!) take for granted, but normal people who aren’t obsessed with cars might be confused about – and we want your questions!
Remember, there are no silly questions, and no question is too basic for us to tackle – if there is anything you have always wanted to know about cars, driving or anything related, but have been too embarrassed to ask, then fire an email to motoring@stuff.co.nz.
Picture this: it’s pouring with rain and you just got drenched making a mad dash for the car. You get in and crank up the heater and heated seats (if you have them, and you really should because they are one of humanity’s greatest achievements) to dry out.
After a while you start to feel warmer, dryer and a bit better, so you ready yourself to move off. Then the wipers kick in and let out a brain-creasing screech that puts you in a bad mood all over again.
**READ MORE:
* Car 101: what do HEV, MHEV, PHEV, BEV and FCEV mean?
* Tips for driving in bad weather
* Tesla wants to replace windscreen wipers with laser beams
* What's the best way to defrost your windscreen?
**
What is the first thing you think? Let’s be honest, it is almost certainly “they did this the last dozen times I used them. Why haven’t I done anything about it?!”
And, let’s face it, it’s because every time you hear it, you are in no mood to get out and get wet to do something about it. But next time it is dry, here are a few simple things you can do to stop the squeal.
Clean the blades
Cleaning your wiper blades is a good place to start tackling squeaks, as well as being the easiest.
After all, your wiper blades are not just wiping water off your windscreen, they also wipe off all the grit and dust that get spread on your glass during everyday motoring, and that builds up on them. It not only can make them squeak, it also leads to those annoying streaks across the windscreen.
You can use alcohol wipes, or simply wet a piece of paper towel with a small amount of hot, soapy water or rubbing alcohol and wipe the blades with the towel until the paper towel comes away clean. You may have to go through a few paper towels until your blades are finally clean though.
Top tip: leaving a pack of alcohol wipes in your car can come in handy for stopping squeaks when you are on the road.
Clean the windscreen
Cleaning your blades is completely pointless if you don't clean the windscreen too, so spray the glass with a generous amount of ammonia-free glass cleaner and wipe it clean with a soft, lint-free cloth.
Baking soda on a clean paper towel can be used for a very dirty windscreen.
Adjust the arms
Wiper blades are designed to trail after the wiper arm, switching sides as the arms move back and forth across the windscreen.
The blades should never dig into the windscreen or drag across it vertically - if they do, you can adjust the arms by gently twisting them so that the blade doesn't sit flat on the glass.
But be gentle, only a slight angle is needed and you don't want to break the arm.
Soften the blades
The blades may be stiff because they are new and haven't bedded in properly yet, or because they are old and have hardened up from exposure to the elements.
If a blade is over a year old and has hardened up, it should be replaced, but newer stiff blades can be softened by putting some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel and rubbing it along the blade.
Replace the blades
If your blades are split, worn or just too stiff, then they will need replacing.
The method for doing this varies from car to car, but it is generally a pretty simple process that involves releasing a small clip or tab at one end of the arm (or, increasingly, in the middle where the arm attaches) and simply sliding the old one out and the new one back in.
Don't cheap out on new blades though - low quality aftermarket blades can sometimes be even noisier than worn good quality blades.