Juddering wiper blades are an issue that most drivers will encounter sooner or later on the road. Not only can the noise of the vibrations be distracting, but if your wipers are failing to clear rain and snow, this can be also dangerous for both you and other drivers nearby.
Keep reading as we explore the different reasons why your wiper blades might be juddering, and a few easy fixes for this problem when it occurs.
Why Are My Wipers Juddering?
Firstly, let’s take a look at the usual culprits for juddering windscreen wipers:
- New wiper blades. You’ve clipped in your new wipers, only to
find that they immediately start to judder! If this happens – it doesn’t mean
you’ve bought a faulty product. Most wiper blades tend to come coated in a fine
powder, which helps to smooth out friction until the rubber softens up, but
some manufacturers don’t do this – which is what causes juddering.
- Old wiper blades. That said, old or rarely-used wiper blades can start to curve slightly, changing the angle at which they make contact with your windscreen, so they vibrate as they swipe across.
- Dirty glass. Most of the time, screenwash will be able to shift the worst of the dirt on your windscreen – but if there’s an especially thick layer of dust or debris coating it, your wipers might begin to judder.
- Dry glass. Even wiper blades in the best condition possible can vibrate if they’re dragging over a dry windscreen. This is easily solved – just turn your screenwash on so they can glide smoothly.
- Glass cleaner. When you apply glass cleaner to your windscreen, you might find that once you’ve rinsed it off, it leaves a tiny amount of residue. To prevent this, go over the glass several times, until you can be sure no trace of cleaner remains.
How to Stop Wipers Juddering
Once you’ve identified why your wipers aren’t working properly, you can take measures to get the issue sorted out. Here are a few of our best quick solutions:
- Clean your wiper blades. And pay your windscreen special attention too. This is often a speedy fix for juddering wipers. You can do this easily using a sponge, warm soapy water and some surgical spirit.
- Refill your screenwash. It could be as simple as that, as a full tank of wiper fluid should solve the problem of a dry or dirty windscreen.
- Treat the rubber. Sometimes the stiff rubber of your wiper blades could be causing the issue – so softening it up with rubbing alcohol can help.
- Adjust your windscreen wipers. It may not be the blades at all – but the windscreen wipers themselves. These could be too tight, or too loose, and require a little adjusting.
- Replace your wiper blades. If none of these tricks prevent your wipers from juddering, it could be time for a replacement. Make sure you double-check exactly what size wiper blades you need for your car.
Finding the right wiper blades is easy with the handy Fast Finder tool on our website. Type in your registration number, and we’ll filter through thousands of products, leaving you with items which are compatible with your exact make and model. When you’ve found the products you need, you can make the most of free click and collect from your local branch – or next day delivery.
