Back to all

Change Your Wiper Blades Twice Yearly at Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave SE)

February 26, 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 Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave SE) article: wiper blades. While this isn't the most exciting automotive subject, it's important. You wouldn't drive at night in Kentwood 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 Kentwood 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.

Michigan 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 Kentwood spring showers and winter storms.

When we use our wipers a lot, they get worn from the Kentwood 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 Michigan , 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 Kentwood 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 Michigan , 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 Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave SE) 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.

Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave SE)
4384 Kalamazoo Ave. SE
Kentwood, Michigan 49508
616.301.1436

More articles from Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave. SE)

Getting Off to a Running Start (Starter Replacement)

November 17, 2024

When you start your vehicles engine, theres another motor that makes that whole process possible. Its called the starter, and its a small electric motor that gets your vehicle running. As you can imagine, its quite a chore for a little electric motor to turn over the big engine that powers you... More

What's in a Number? (What Tire Numbers Mean)

November 10, 2024

You've probably never paid much attention to the writing on the sides of your tires, but they contain a wealth of information. There's a long combination of letters and numbers that can tell you a whole lot about what tires your vehicle was designed to be riding on. Let's check out this example... More

U and your U-Joints (Lubricate U-Joints)

November 3, 2024

If your vehicles power goes to the rear wheels, then you have something called U-joints in the drivetrain. U-joints are connectors that allow the rotating power from your vehicles engine to deliver its power through a driveshaft to make the rear wheels rotate. You need U-joints because the surfa... More