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Wiper
blades are usually packaged with the rubber wiper
as well as its support structure.
Things you’ll
need from your garage or your local NAPA AUTO PARTS
Store:
Tape measure
Small pocket screwdriver
Needle-nose pliers
Anti-seize compound (Optional)
New wiper blades
Step 1:
Visit your
local NAPA AUTO PARTS for the correct wiper blade
replacement.
Either look up your vehicles’ model and year
in the wiper blade catalogs or see the NAPA AUTO
PARTS Store sales associate. You can also take in
one of your old blades to match up in the store.
Some vehicles use different length wiper blades
on the drivers and passenger side. Open the package
containing the new windshield wiper blade. The package
should include up to three or four different styles
of blade attachments that secure the new blade to
the wiper arm.
Step 2:
Pull the wiper arm up and away from the
car.
The blade and arm should now be sticking out perpendicular
to the window. Some wiper arms will only come up
two or three inches from the windshield. If you
raise the wiper arm and it only comes up a small
amount, don't force it. There should be a locking
tab at the base of the wiper that will lock it in
the raised position.
Step 3:
Examine the existing attachment (where the
arm and the blade meet) and match it to one of the
attachments included with the new wiper blades.
There are several styles: hook-slot connector, pin-type
arm, wide-straight end, narrow-straight end, side
saddle, pin-type blade, narrow-dead locker, flat
hook and rock to lock. The three most common are
the hook-slot connector, straight-end connector
and pin-type arm.
Hook-slot connector: Swing the blade perpendicular
to the arm so that you can see the connector. You'll
find some sort of tab at the connector that either
needs to be lifted or pushed to release the lock
that holds the blade pivot in the hook slot. Once
the tab is released, a firm shove toward the base
of the arm will slide the blade right out of the
hook slot.
Pin-type arm: Raise the arm and take a close look
at the type of locking tab that holds the blade
onto the pin. You'll either have to push the tab
up from underneath the blade or lift the tab from
the top with a screwdriver. Once the tab unlocks
the pin, pull the blade assembly with a sideways
motion away from the arm. The new unit may simply
lock onto the pin. Sometimes, the box will contain
an adapter that locks into the blade opening and
accepts pins in different sizes.
Straight-end connector: The straight-end connector
can be tricky. Sometimes you need to lift a tab
on top of the existing blade with a screwdriver
to clear the locking nub on the arm. You may also
need to cock the old blade a few degrees out-of-parallel
with the arm to slide it off the arm's end.
Step 4:
Remove the windshield wiper blade from the
arm at the attachment.
There will usually be a small tab you can depress
with a screwdriver that will allow you to pull the
blade from the arm. Some attachments have a small
metal bump and two tabs on either side; depress
the tabs and pull hard to remove the blade. Some
just snap onto the blade. Once the old blade is
off, apply a little anti-seize compound to the arm.
Step 5:
Install the correct attachment to the new
blades, then install the new blades onto the windshield
wiper arm.
Test by turning on the wipers. If the blades slip,
turn off the wipers and seat the attachments more
firmly.
Important Tips:
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It
is better to replace the whole wiper blade,
not just the rubber part. |
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The
new wiper blades will come in a package with
up to three or four attachments for each blade.
One of these is the correct one for your car. |
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Changing
wiper blades for the first time has been known
to cause extreme frustration- contact your
local NAPA AutoCare Center if you are having
trouble. |
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Do
not let the windshield wiper arm snap back
against the windshield when there is no blade
attached; this can crack the windshield. Lay
a clean rag on top of the windshield to protect
the glass in case the bare-metal wiper arm
suddenly snaps down on the windshield's glass. |
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If
your car has wipers that park behind the lip
of the hood, turn on the ignition, turn on
the wipers and then shut off the ignition
when the wipers are in midstroke so you can
have access to them. |
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