How do I replace a windscreen wiper blade?
Identifying which fitting your car uses, getting the old blade off without dropping the arm, and checking the rear wiper at the same time.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 15 min
- Read
- 4 min
- Safety
- caution
Short answer
Lift the arm away from the screen, put a towel underneath in case it springs back, then release the clip where the blade meets the arm — usually a small tab you press while sliding the blade down the hook. Fit the new one until it clicks, and check it is properly latched before lowering the arm.
Wiper blades are a consumable, not a permanent fitting. Rubber hardens and the edge rounds off after about a year of UK weather, and the first sign is usually smearing on a dark wet evening rather than anything obvious in daylight.
Safety
What you'll need
- Correct blades for your car
- A folded towel
- A small screwdriver for stubborn clips (optional)
Step by step
- Find the right sizes before buying.The two front blades are frequently different lengths, and the rear is different again. Any parts shop or online catalogue will list them by registration, which is quicker than measuring.
- Identify the fitting type.Hook, push button, side pin, bayonet and several others. Most blades are sold with adaptors, but checking a photograph of your car's arm before buying avoids a second trip.
- Lift the arm and lay a towel on the glass.The spring is strong. A folded towel under the arm means that if it does snap back, it hits fabric rather than glass.
- Turn the blade across the arm.Most fittings need the blade rotated roughly ninety degrees to the arm to reach the release. Forcing it in line usually breaks the plastic clip.
- Press the release tab and slide the blade off.On a hook fitting, the blade slides down the hook once the tab is pressed. On a push button, the button is on the top face of the connector.
- Compare the old and new blades.Same length, same connector, adaptor fitted the right way round. Doing this before the old one is off the car is easier than doing it afterwards.
- Slide the new blade on until it clicks.It must click. A blade that is merely resting in place will come off at speed on a motorway, which is far worse than a smearing one.
- Tug the blade gently to confirm it is latched.A firm pull along the arm. If it moves, it is not seated.
- Lower the arm gently onto the screen and remove the towel.Do not let it go from height even with the blade fitted.
- Do the rear wiper as well.It is usually forgotten until it is completely useless. On many cars it simply unclips and is the easiest blade on the car.
- Test with washers running.Wet glass only. Running wipers on a dry screen tears the new rubber immediately.
Tips
- Replace blades in pairs. Fitting one new one just makes the old one look worse.
- Lift the blades off the glass before a frost, or use a towel over the screen, so they do not freeze to it and tear when you switch them on.
- Clean the glass properly before fitting new blades — a greasy screen makes new blades smear just like old ones.
Common mistakes
- Letting the wiper arm spring back onto bare glass — The bare metal arm hits the screen hard enough to chip or crack it. A cracked windscreen in the driver's view is an MOT failure and a new screen costs many times what the blades did.
- Forcing the blade off without finding the release — Every fitting has a tab, button or catch. Pulling harder breaks the connector, and the replacement will then have nothing to clip to.
If it doesn't work
New blade will not click on
Cause: Wrong adaptor, or the adaptor is the wrong way round — Fix: Check the fitting instructions on the pack. Most blades come with several adaptors and only one is correct.
Blade lifts off the screen at speed
Cause: The blade is not latched, or the arm has lost spring tension — Fix: Confirm the blade is clicked in. If it is, the arm itself is weak and needs replacing.
Blades chatter across the screen
Cause: Glass contamination or a bent arm — Fix: Clean the glass thoroughly first. Persistent chatter with new blades usually means the arm is not holding the blade square to the screen.
Wipers park in the wrong place
Cause: Arm has slipped on its splines — Fix: The arm can be repositioned, but the nut must be torqued correctly — worth having a garage do it.
Questions people ask
How often should wiper blades be replaced?
About once a year for most UK cars, or as soon as they smear, chatter or leave lines. Sun, frost and grit all age the rubber whether the wipers are used or not.
Are expensive blades worth it?
Mid-range blades from a known maker generally last longer and stay quieter than the cheapest. Beyond that the returns fall off quickly — fitting them correctly and keeping the glass clean matters more.
Can I fit flat blades to a car that had conventional ones?
Usually yes, provided the connector matches and the length is right. Flat beam blades press more evenly across their length and generally perform better at speed.