Back to all

Change Your Wiper Blades Twice Yearly at Courtesy Auto Repair Plus

November 6, 2017

Because 90% of our driving decisions are based on visual information, unobscured vision is paramount. Which brings us to the topic of today's Courtesy Auto Repair Plus article: wiper blades. While this isn't the most exciting automotive subject, it's important. You wouldn't drive at night in Tiffin with your headlights off, but a dirty or streaked vehicle windshield can catch the glare of the sun or on-coming headlights and make it just as difficult to see.

Most of us in Tiffin replace our wiper blades when they no longer do the job. They are so worn, hard or brittle that they can't clean the windshield. They may even be falling apart. In other words, we deal with our wiper blades from a failure perspective. We address them when they no longer function. The theory, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," doesn't apply here. Instead, we should think about wipers blades as an important safety system that we should maintain rather than repair.

Ohio automotive experts recommend that we change our wiper blades twice a year, in the spring and fall. That way you have functional blades for those Tiffin spring showers and winter storms.

When we use our wipers a lot, they get worn from the Tiffin road grime and bug juice. Even if we don't use them very often, they're exposed to the sun, heat and cold, and air which cause them to dry out, become brittle and break.

And of course, you need a good windshield washer fluid in your vehicle to help the wipers do their job. Always use washer fluid because plain water doesn't work as well and it can freeze in the reservoir. If you're driving where there are a lot of bugs in Ohio, you can pay a little more and get fluid that does a better job of clearing them. If you live where you have extremely cold winters, you can get fluid that resists freezing.

Like everything else in the automotive world, there've been some big advancements in wiper blades, both in terms of the design and the materials from which the blade is made. If you are a local Tiffin driver that has a need for better than average windshield wipers, you can pay some more for an upgraded wiper. And if you live where there's a lot of snow and ice in Ohio, they make special winter blades that don't clog up and freeze like standard blades.

At one of your fall and spring oil changes, ask your Courtesy Auto Repair Plus service advisor which is best wiper blade for your driving conditions. Replace your blades on schedule so you never have to struggle with your vision when you switch on your wipers.

Courtesy Auto Repair Plus
967 Bon Air Ave
Tiffin, Ohio 44883
419-443-0797
http://www.courtesyautorepairplus.com

More articles from Courtesy Auto Repair Plus

Rumble from Down Under (Muffler Replacement)

January 18, 2026

Weve all noticed them at one time or another on the street: a car or truck that drives by and the deep roar from their exhaust system sounds like a drag racer on the line. But what happens when that rumble is coming from under YOUR vehicle? Well, it could be a sign your muffler needs attention. ... More

See the Light (Bulb Replacement)

January 11, 2026

When you notice one of your headlights has gone out, its important for the safe operation of your vehicle to get it changed and working again. Not only is replacing a headlight important for your ability to see in the dark, but its also vital that it be lighting your way and aimed correctly so o... More

Dashboard's a Funny Name (Instrumental Panel Warning Lights)

January 4, 2026

Every day you drive, you're sitting behind the dashboard. But how in the world did it get that name? Back in the days of the horse-drawn carriage, horses would kick up dirt and mud on the driver and passengers, "dashing" debris against the carriage. So those who built carriages began installing a... More