Windshield wipers get too busy during rainy or stormy weather. What if it all kicked off when the wiper arms aren’t on the song? Here we are going to discuss some common problems of windshield wiper arms which will make your day smoother.
You need to know about adjusting the arm tension, setting up the park position, arm alignment, and wiper chatter. These are the most common problems of a wiper arm. With a bit of knowledge, these problems are really easy to fix. Here we are going to discuss what causes them and how to fix these problems.
How to Adjust Windshield Wiper Arm Tension?
Sometimes due to weather the windshield wiper arms lift from the windshield a bit which can cause it to not wipe the windshield properly. In order to fix it–
- First, you have to set your windshield wiper to park position.
- Follow the wiper arm to its base to find and open the cover that is covering the nut of the wiper arm (In some cases the hood needs to be opened).
- Tighten the nut with the proper tool.
- Now manually lift the wiper arm from the windshield and release it and let it hit the windshield.
This will adjust your car’s windshield arm tension. Now start the engine and check if the wipers are working properly.
How to Adjust Windshield Wipers to Park Position?
You would want to adjust your wiper arms to park position before doing any kind of maintenance to it. Here’s how to do it–
- Turn your car ignition on without starting the engine or in accessory mode.
- Turn on the wipers
- Stop the wipers to the most bottom position of the wiping pattern.
- Now turn off the wiper switch.
With this process, you have just set your wiper arms to the park position. Sometimes it happens to stop before reaching the most bottom position. In that case, you have to adjust the arm alignment.
How to Adjust Windshield Wiper Arm Alignment?
Sometimes the wipers do not go all the way down. It stays a bit up and it often causes problems to see or just becomes annoying to look at. To fix it, you have to adjust the alignment of wiper arms. Here’s how to do it—
Setting up
First, set your windshield wiper to park position (In this case the bottom-most part it goes to).
Find and Remove the Nut
Follow the wiper arm to its base and open the cover that is covering the nut of the arm (In some cases the hood needs to be opened). After removing the nut, use a flathead screwdriver to pry off the arm from the base. Be careful not to harm the wiper arm.
Align Wiper Arm
Once the arm is off from its base, align the arm to its proper bottom position and slide it back to its base. Then tighten the nut again.
Check If Working Properly
Now turn the ignition on and test the wipers if it works properly and goes back to its aligning position.
With this, you should be able to align your car’s wiper arm to make your journey more pleasant. But sometimes while wiping the windshield, the wipers make a squeaking or chattering sound. It is very annoying for everyone in the car and the worst part, it doesn’t even clean the windshield properly.
How to Adjust the Windshield Wiper to Fix the Chatter?
Chattering can happen because of many reasons. It can be a manufacturing problem. But it can also be because of the dust, dry glass or glass cleaner or even because of the rubber of the windshield arm.
If it is a manufacturing problem then all you can do is complain to the retailer. But if it’s anything else you should be able to fix it by yourself with a little knowledge. Let’s look at some of these problems and try to fix them,
Problem With Rubber
Sometimes new wiper arm rubbers come covered with a misty powder which reduces friction with the windshield glass thus reducing the noise. If it wears off the chattering begins.
But you could always try the other ways to fix it instead of buying a new pair.
Dry Glass
The chattering sometimes happens because of dry glass. All of the wipers are made with rubber which is flexible enough to wipe a convex surface such as the windshield. But if the windshield glass is too dry it will cause friction and make chattering or squeaking sound.
You can just avoid wiping dry glass for this one.
Glass Cleaner
Glass cleaner often causes the chattering sound. Glass cleaner is good to keep your car’s windshield glass clean but what people don’t understand is cleaning once doesn’t get rid of all the glass cleaner on your car’s glass.
Take your time to clean a few times with a cloth to get rid of the glass cleaner and the chattering sound completely.
Dust
Sometimes dust causes extra friction which can cause chattering. So keep your windshield clean.
Wiper Fluid
Wiper fluid can cause chattering in some cases. Maybe the fluid is not good enough to lubricate and thus ends up causing friction and chattering. Replacing the wiper fluid will get rid of this problem.
Why It Is Necessary to Align Wiper Arms?
As you use your car in your everyday life, it faces different kinds of weather and situation. As a result, the alignment and tension can change over time. So make sure you do necessary maintenance before setting for a long trip.
Conclusion
It is crucial to know how to adjust the wiper blades to park position since it is the most basic thing you are going to do if you are working on your wiper. Knowing about aligning wiper arm, adjusting arm tension and basic chatter fixes can save you both time and money all while making your trip safer.
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