When Should You Replace Your Honda Windshield Wipers?

Although wiper blades prove to be an inexpensive replacement, they are often overlooked when it comes to regular vehicle maintenance. When the blades wear out, they can start to negatively affect your driving ability and overall safety in adverse weather conditions, especially rain storms. Your wiper blades will fade slowly over time, which in turn may not present any glaring issues that the blades need to be replaced. With that in mind, how do you know when to replace your wiper blades?

A good rule of thumb is to replace your wiper blades every 6 months, especially if you live in a city or town with a high chance of rain on most days. If your wiper blades leave behind any water, dirt, or residue on the windshield as they swipe, they are not working as effectively as they should. Additionally, it’s time for a new set if they are making any wobbling movement or screeching noise instead of quietly gliding over your windshield.

How to Change Windshield Wipers on Your Honda

For inspection, purchase, and installation, we recommend coming into our Honda service center to change your windshield wipers because in most cases, the wiper arm base will be tucked under the edge of the hood, preventing you from pulling it up and away from your vehicle. Here are some simple steps you can take if you’re more of a do-it-yourself kind of person:

1. To make the wiper blade replacement process easier, we suggest turning your vehicle’s ignition on and briefly running your wipers. When the blades are sweeping across your windshield, quickly turn your ignition off, stopping them mid-swipe. You should be able to now pull the wiper arms vertically away from your windshield, allowing you to easily access the blades.
2. Look for a release tab or button where the arm meets the blade and press or release it. You should be able to now gently pull on the wiper blade, sliding it away from the arm. Most wiper arms use a hook-shaped mechanism to keep the wiper blades attached, while on many newer vehicles you’ll find a simple adapter system.
3. With the old wiper blade removed from the arm, simply slide the new blade on and listen for an audible click sound, or if necessary, close the supplied release tab. You may now place the wiper blade back down onto the windshield and turn your ignition back on so the wiper blade returns to its off position.
4. When replacing wiper blades, though it is a simple task, remember to never force anything to move or eject. If something seems unreasonably difficult to remove or replace, take it to your local mechanic to see if they can help!