Why Won’t My Wiper Blades Work in Cold Weather?

All car owners sooner or later encounter unsatisfactory quality of windshield cleaning. We have highlighted the main problems associated with the work of windshield wipers, because understanding their causes will allow you to extend the life of the “wipers”. Wiper blades are an expendable material and should be changed the same way as you change your brake pads. Don’t forget that working wipers are an element of your safety!

See our our reviews of the best wiper blades!

Stripes on the Windshield

This effect occurs when cracks form in the edge of the tape. Cracks occur when the wiper blades work on dry, dirty Windshield or on ice, as well as on Windshield with sticking insects or tree resin. To avoid such effects, do not operate the wipers when the windshield is dirty or frozen, but clean the windshield before driving. Heavy dirt should be removed with a cloth, there are special chemical compositions for cleaning of sticking insects and tree resin. Clean the Windshield from ice in winter with a scraper. Edge cracks are also caused by natural aging of the wiper blades- UV rays cause the rubber to soften and lose its elasticity. We recommend replacing the wiper kit.

Uncleaned Areas of the Windshield

Uncleaned areas of the windshield appear when the rubber wiper band deforms. This is usually caused by contamination of the wiper blade tips or by temperature deformation. If your wipers are dirty, the free movement of the rubber belt in the rocker arms mounts is impaired (the belt “runs in waves”) or the rocker arm joints lose mobility. In this case, it is usually enough to remove the wipers and wash them in warm water. Irreversible deformation of the rubber band usually occurs with prolonged exposure to high temperatures, such as when you leave the car under the scorching sun for several days. To avoid this effect, you can lift the wiper blades to keep them from touching the Windshield. If the deformation is irreversible, the only way out is to replace the wipers.

Wiper Blades Bouncing across the Windshield

It is common for a wiper blade to start jumping around on the Windshield, leaving radial streaks, in two cases. The windshield wiper increases at high speed and is pressed off the windshield – this effect is typical for windshield wipers without a spoiler. If you find yourself in this situation, it is recommended to change the wipers with a spoiler or get a frameless kit, with good aerodynamics. The second reason is a loose rocker mechanism of classic wiper blades, attachment unit or wiper arms of the wiper system. In this situation, you need to check the backlash levers and rocker arms, the correctness of the attachment of the wiper blades to the lever. If necessary, replace the wiper blades. The third reason – bent wiper lever. In this case, usually one side of the wiperс cleans satisfactorily, and the other – poorly. In this case, there is a possibility that the lever is a little twisted “screwed”. In this case, you need to fix or replace the wiper blade so that the wiper blade fin is at right angles to the Windshield surface.

Cloudy Windshield

In a situation where the Windshield is not cleared by the wipers and remains cloudy, there are two possible reasons. The first is to check what kind of contamination is on the Windshield. It might be some kind of viscous chemical compound or resin, then the Windshield and wipers should be washed thoroughly. The second option is a longitudinal rupture of the rubber band at the movable joint – the cleaning element is not able to withstand the specified working angle. This is an extreme variant of the “Uncleaned Area” problem.