Wiper Blades

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(F/W 2004)
Before you get caught up in the winter driving involved in shopping, visiting family and celebrating the holidays, make sure that your vehicle’s most important safety feature – fresh windshield wiper blades – are in place to keep you and your family safe.

Traction control, ABS, and dynamic stability control can greatly enhance vehicle response when emergency stopping or maneuvering is required, and safety features including anti-lock brakes, seat belts or air bags will help to protect you from injury…but the best way to get “Home For The Holidays” is to have a clear view of the road ahead in all types of weather and driving conditions.

How many times have you experienced a windshield that is crusted with ice and snow, or smeared with insects, bird droppings, road grime or other messy deposits? Removing them with worn wiper blades is nearly impossible. Usually, you wind up smearing the mess and obscuring your vision even more. “Changing your front blades (and rear blade too if your car, van or SUV has one) regularly with quality blades, can help you avoid these problems and keep your eyes on the road,” says Greg Palese, brand manager for Old World Industries, makers of PEAK Performance Products. “Just think of your wiper blades like you think of your brakes. You wouldn’t drive with worn out brakes and you shouldn’t drive around with worn out wiper blades, yet many people do,” he said. “Waiting until your wiper blades fail is dangerous and risky.”

Knowing When To Change Your Blades

Despite National Highway Transportation Board recommendations that drivers change their wiper blades every year, the average US vehicle owner replaces his/her wiper blades only once every 2.5 years. Typically, a worn blade shows physical wear signs like cracking. Also, streaking, noisy operation and unwiped areas are dead giveaways that your blades have reached the end of their useful life. Another option for knowing when your blades are worn out is to install SmartBLADES, which have an exclusive Wear Indicator that changes from black to yellow when your wiper blades wear out so you’ll know when they need to be replaced.

So if you’ve been procrastinating about changing your windshield wiper blades, take a few minutes to change them. It’s easy to do and will give you the peace of mind that when bad weather comes, you’ll be able to see where you’re going

Avoid Marital Stress. Replace Wiper Blades

Ladies, do the men in your life procrastinate when it’s time to replace windshield wiper blades? Are you tired of nagging about smearing, screeching and chattering wiper blades? Do you dread another rainy Sunday drive, feeling unsafe without the benefit of an unobstructed view of the road?

Don’t tolerate it any longer. Act now to preserve peace and promote safety. Buy a set of wiper blades and install them yourself. It takes only a few minutes, says the Car Care Council. Simple directions are right on the box. Before you begin, here are two suggestions from the council:

• You can make the wiper blade more accessible by stopping it in the most convenient location with the ignition key. Don’t use the wiper on-off switch, as it causes the wipers to stop in their parked position.
• Look for replacement rubber squeegees to avoid the cost of buying the entire blade and holder. They’re usually easily installed and can restore wiping action, as long as the rest of the components are OK.

Among vehicles passing through the check lanes during National Car Care Month 15 percent failed because of worn windshield wiper blades. The normal life expectancy of the rubber squeegee is six to 12 months. That’s reason enough to learn to do it yourself.

For a Dependable Motor Vehicle
visit us in the Redwood Auto Care Center
Across the street from the Skyview Drive-In

2335 Soquel Drive
Santa Cruz CA 95065
831-462-4436
Monday-Friday/8:00 am-5:00 pm