Windshield Wiper Blade Care And Replacement (ASN0704-01)

WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADE CARE AND REPLACEMENT

ACURA SERVICE NEWS

SERVICE INFORMATION

A buildup of road film, oil, or grease on the windshield or the wiper blades can cause the wiper blades to smear, streak, or chatter when being used. If your customers complain of this problem, and their wiper blades are less than 6 months old, try doing this before you replace the blades:

• Use Glass Cleaner (P/N 08732-0050, H/C 7646573) or equivalent, to thoroughly clean the windshield. Make sure you clean it well enough so that water slides off of it, not just beads up.
• Use Windshield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Antifreeze (P/N 08798-9025, H/C 6864045) straight from the bottle on a soft cloth to clean the wiper blades. This stuff contains a wetting agent that conditions the blade rubber.

If the wiper blades still smear, streak, or chatter after youve cleaned the windshield and the blades, then blade replacement is in order. Make sure you install the rails from the old blades on the new blades like this:

If the old rails are curved: 

• Install them on the new driver's-side wiper blade with the ends bowing away from the windshield. This makes the blade press harder against the middle of the windshield, providing a clear center of vision for the driver.
• Install them on the new passenger's side wiper blade with the ends bowing toward the windshield. This makes the blade press harder against the edges of the windshield to clear off any water at the upper and lower ends of each wiper pass.

If the old rails lie flat: 

Install them on either new wiper blade.

If one of the new wiper blades is shorter than the other (this is common on many vehicles), just install the shorter blade on the driver's side.