Wipers replacement

Driving with defective wipers: what are the risks?

A pair of wipers at the front of a vehicle consists of two mechanical arms driven by a motor and extended by blades with a rubber scraper. During bad weather or after splashes, the blades sweep over the glass intermittently to evacuate excess water and clear dirt. Malfunctioning wipers reduce a driver's visibility, increasing the risk of errors that compromise the safety of passengers and other road users.

In poor weather, a police check can fine a driver for wiper failure or immobilize the vehicle immediately if weather conditions are too dangerous. Another critical concern is the wear and tear of wiper blades, which can damage the windshield or glazing by causing scratches. During the wiping process, torn or impure rubber blades can create friction on the glass, leading to these anomalies being eliminatory during technical inspection. Consequently, it's essential to replace the equipment compulsorily and undergo counter-inspection.

Wipers to be changed: the signs that do not deceive

Wipers have a limited lifespan, especially their rubber parts, which are challenged during winter and sensitive to high temperatures and pollutant particles deposited on the windshield and rear windshield. The frequency of wiper usage accelerates wear in geographical areas with more extreme climatic conditions. Many automotive professionals recommend replacing wipers after 500,000 wipe cycles, equivalent to about one year.

Drivers should be aware of some warning signs that indicate wiper replacement is necessary:

• If lines appear on the windshield after wiper sweeping, this often indicates cracked rubbers on the wiper blades.
• If some areas of the windshield are unwiped despite the wiper's motion, it's an indication that the wiper is not exerting uniform pressure on the glass. This could be due to a mechanical arm that's been deformed by an impact.
• If there's a haze on the wiper surface, it may indicate that the wiper has hardened or torn, compromising its ability to clear the windshield effectively.
• If the wipers produce squeaking sounds or vibrations, it's an indication of too much pressure on the wiper blades. This can cause damage to the rubber and compromise the wiper's ability to clear the windshield effectively.

Sekurit Partner recommends changing wipers annually regardless of usage. Some drivers choose to replace their wipers every six months at strategic times, such as at the start of spring following the heavy stresses of winter weather and at the beginning of autumn when the blades show signs of fatigue following the previous summer heat.

Sekurit Partner, your safety asset for changing your wipers

When changing your windshield, you don't necessarily need to replace your wipers. If they are in good working condition, they can be reused on the new glazing. At Sekurit Partner, we check the wipers' condition before installing them on your new windshield. If there's a defect or anomaly, our team will recommend replacing them to ensure your safety, but the final decision is yours.

Our fitting stations rely on a quality stock regularly supplied by our partners, including French equipment manufacturer Valeo, to deliver a product that perfectly matches the manufacturer's standards for your vehicle.

According to official regulations, drivers must have wipers capable of covering at least 80% of their field of vision. All wiper models must have at least two speed levels.

Sekurit Partner has the expertise and technical equipment to dismantle and reassemble automatic wipers. When changing a windshield, our fitters take care to calibrate the rain sensor, which is fitted inside the glass. The rain sensor typically uses an infrared beam to activate the wiper motor as soon as drops of water run down the glass, but it's up to the user to adjust the sensitivity.