How To Change Windshield Wipers

Your windshield wipers can be a key car part you take for granted - until they stop working properly. If you’ve noticed your wipers leaving streaks across your windscreen, making squeaking noises, or struggling to clear away rain, it’s probably time for a replacement.

The good news is that changing your wiper blades is a fairly easy task and can take less than 10 minutes. In this guide, our expert team at Euro Car Parts, with the help of British Touring Car Championship driver Josh Cook, will walk you through everything you need to know about changing your wiper blades, from picking the right size to fitting them properly.

Need replacement blades to get started? Look no further than our range of wiper blades, from leading brands like Bosch and Valeo to get you on your way.

What’s Included In This Article?

• Tools you’ll need

• How do you know you need to change your windscreen wipers?

• Finding the right wiper blades for your car

• Step-by-step guide to changing your car’s wiper blades

Tools You’ll Need

There are actually very few tools needed when it comes to changing your wiper blades. To prepare, make sure you have:

• New wiper blades that are the correct size and type for your vehicle

• An old towel or a thick cloth

How Do You Know You Need To Change Your Windscreen Wipers?

Clear visibility is essential for keeping you and other drivers safe, so worn wiper blades are a real concern, particularly in rain and poor road conditions.

Windscreen wipers can last anywhere from 6 months to a year before they need to be replaced. However, as soon as you notice any signs of wear and tear, like split or torn rubber, streaky windscreens after using them, or your blades skipping across the glass, you’ll need to change your wiper blades.

Faulty or damaged windscreen wipers will also cause an MOT failure, so it’s always best to fix them right away.

Finding The Right Wiper Blades For Your Car

Not all wiper blades are the same; different vehicles will need different sizes, types, and connectors. The easiest way to find the correct wiper blades for your car is by using our simple registration lookup tool.

Just head to our wiper blades page and enter your vehicle registration, and we’ll filter the results to only show you the wipers that fit your exact vehicle, no guesswork needed. Once you’ve found the right wiper blades, you can order them online and collect them from your nearest Euro Car Parts store in as little as 15 minutes, so you can get straight into replacing your wipers.

Step-By-Step Guide To Changing Your Car’s Wiper Blades

Step 1. Have your new blades ready

This might seem a bit of an obvious step, but it’ll make your life a lot easier if your new wiper blades are ready and out of their box. This will save you fiddling with packaging whilst your wiper arm is lifted off your windscreen.

Step 2. Lift the wiper arm away from the windscreen

Gently pull the wiper arm up and away from the glass. We recommend putting a folded towel or some thick fabric resting under the wiper arm. Most wipers are made of metal, so if they snap back, they could damage the glass of your windscreen.

Step 3. Press the release and remove the old wiper blade

Look at where the wiper blade connects to the arm, and you’ll see a small button or clip at the top of the connection point. Press down on this firmly while supporting the blade and slide the blade towards you, away from the arm.

Step 4. Slide on the new blade

Push the blade onto the arm, sliding it in the opposite direction to how you removed the old one. You should feel and hear it click into place.

Step 5. Repeat for the other wiper blade

Follow the exact same process for the second wiper blade. Rest it back onto the protected windscreen when done.

Step 6. Give both a gentle tug

As an added precaution, gently tug each wiper blade to make sure they’re secure and won’t come loose.

Step 7. Don’t forget the rear wiper

If you also need to replace your rear wiper blade, the process is exactly the same. Slide the old blade off and click the new one in.

Step 8. Test your new windscreen wipers

Once you’ve fitted both new wiper blades, you’ll need to test them before you drive off. Turn on your ignition, spray some screen wash fluid and run the wipers for a few cycles. They should move smoothly across the glass.

Now you’re sorted! With this step-by-step guide and our handy video demonstration, you’ll be back on the road with perfect visibility in no time. If you need any more advice, head to our wiper blades guide