If after cleaning your windscreen using the windscreen washer, your wiper blades do not clear the windscreen effectively then it's possibly time to replace your windscreen wipers.

Lines appearing on windscreen:

A wiper blade's rubber can harden or become damaged with age, leaving fine beads of water on the windscreen.

Bands appearing on windscreen:

Hardened or aging wiper rubber can cause thicker bands of water on the screen.

Lace Curtains:

Arm defects or long periods in the parked position can deform the wiper blade lip, causing a veil effect across the windscreen. This means visibility danger is greatest when passing other vehicles at night.

Chattering:

A deformed wiper element can cause blades to judder across the screen, leaving radial streaks.

Unwashed Margins:

A deterioration in the wiper blades or decreased wiper pressure can leave parts of the windscreen unclear.

Noise:

Noisy wipers may be a sign that the wiper element is deformed or hardened, so that the wiper blade structure is worn.

Judder:

A deformed wiper element, wrong adaptor or blade aging can result in jerky and noisy wiper arm movement.

Wind Lift:

If high speeds persistently cause the wiper to miss parts of the screen, either the wiper blade or wiper arm should be replaced.

Caution! When cleaning windscreen wipers do not use strong household soap, strong chemical detergents, petrol or solvents. Clean the blade by wiping it with a cloth soaked in windscreen washer solution or malt vinegar. Rinse the wiper blade with clear water. If the windscreen is still not clear after cleaning the blades and using the wiper, replace the wiper blades.

Make sure that the windscreen washer solvent reservoir is full so you can use your wipers to clear your view when driving. This is critical during the winter months. Running the system out of fluid can damage the windscreen washer pump.

Inspect your windscreen wipers frequently. For best results, replace the wiper blades twice a year, each Spring and Autumn. Worn or damaged wipers can do more than impair visibility; they can damage the windscreen.

Never use your wipers to try and clear ice and snow after your car has been standing over night. The wiper system was never intended to be an ice scraper and over-stressing the wipers can cause damage to the wipers, the wiper linkages and transmission, and the wiper motor.

If the windscreen wipers don't work, or only operate in a certain mode, check the fuses first. Refer to your car's owners' manual for the location of the wiper fuse. If the fuse is OK, contact your dealer who can test and troubleshoot the wiper system.