Driver Replaceable Auto Parts: Windshield Wipers

I could not imagine driving in the rain or snow without windshield wipers. I live in Pennsylvania and I use my windshield wipers almost every time that I drive. This may be the reason that I go through a lot of windshield wipers during the life of my car. Fortunately, my husband is in charge of purchasing auto parts in our family and this includes my very important windshield wipers.

This brilliant little invention makes it possible to navigate safely in inclement weather, but the windshield wiper is not the perfect tool. One of the most vexing things about windshield wipers includes their tendency to wear out in parts. The rubber on the windshield wiper will wear down and the wipers will leave a streak of snow or rain. This streak left by the windshield wiper is usually directly in front of the driver’s vision.

The Windshield wipers were invented by a woman named Mary Anderson in 1903. The first windshield wipers were used manually. The driver reached out of his window and moved the windshield wiper back and forth to wipe away elements like snow, dirt and rain. The windshield wiper became standard on cars back in the early 1910’s and the electric version we take for granted today was introduced years later.

My husband jokes about my obsession about windshield wipers. I usually ask for a new pair each summer and each winter. This probably is not necessary, but I like to be sure that I can see clearly in all kinds of weather. I am very rough on my windshield wipers, too.

I love winter, but I don’t like to be cold. I also tend to do things last minute, so I don’t always give myself ample time to warm up my car before driving off. Sometimes I use the windshield wipers to scrape the snow and frost off of the windshield. This is a great way to ruin a perfectly good pair of windshield wipers.

Another good way to ruin your windshield wipers in the winter is to use them to remove ice. I usually turn on the car, and use the windshield wiper fluid to wet the ice. Then I turn on the wipers and watch the fun. This is not the best approach and I do not recommend it at all, but I tend to think that things will work out better if I try just one more time. I usually end up with disfigured windshield wipers.

You can damage your windshield wipers in the summer, too. I don’t fall into the habit of turning on the windshield wipers when the windshield is bone dry. That is my husband’s job. I don’t know why, but he doesn’t use the fluid when he turns on the windshield wipers just to remove dirt. The fluid helps. I guess that I can stand his windshield wiper faux pas if he can stand mine. After all, he does do the auto part shopping for our family.