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In an area such as Phoenix, where we can often go weeks at a time without seeing a drop of rain, we’re prone to overlook the health and effectiveness of our windshield wipers. This will become a problem when they’re called upon to wipe rain away, which is why we’re here to help you diagnose and fix some common windshield wiper issues.

Diagnose and Fix Common Windshield Wiper Issues

The Problem: Water Beads Won’t Wipe Away

The Solution: In an area such as Phoenix, where air pollution is a tangible problem, a residue may form on windshields. When it rains, the water will attach to this residue, and the beads won’t easily wipe away. To fix this problem, give your windshield a thorough cleaning using a strong glass cleaner or a wax remover, being careful not to get any of the liquid on your paint.

The Problem: Water is Smearing in Both Directions

The Solution: If water is smearing in both directions, it generally means that you’ve either got worn blades, a dirty windshield, sub-par washer fluid, or some combination of all three. To fix this problem, change your wiper fluid, clean your blades with hot, soapy water, and wipe the edges of the blades with rubbing alcohol.
Read More: What the Arizona Heat Does to Your Car

The Problem: Water is Smearing in One Direction

The Solution: If this is happening to you, it usually means that your blades are either old and hard, or that they’re the wrong size. (It can happen when it’s cold outside as well, although there isn’t much you can do to fix the weather, right?) In either case, you’ll need to buy yourself some new wiper blades.

The Problem: Your Wipers are Noisy

The Solution: This is referred to as “chattering,” where your windshield wipers slide along the glass, leaving streaks and not doing a very good job of wiping away the rain. This an either be the result of a buildup of residue on the glass, or a bent wiper arm. In the first case, give your wipers and glass a thorough cleaning, or take some pliers and straighten the wiper arm so that the blade runs flush along the glass.
As you can see, there are many potential issues that can arise when your windshield wipers are concerned. If you’d like to bring your vehicle to Avondale Nissan, we’d be happy to have a member of our service department take a look at them!