Car windshield wipers are vital components that help keep your windshield clear of water, rainwater residue, and dirt to ensure you have good visibility, especially during rainy weather. According to the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) in Kuala Lumpur, accident rates increase during adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain.
Major contributing factors for it are reduced tire grip in the rain and decreased road visibility. That’s why it’s essential to use the right windshield wipers and ensure that your wiper blades are always in good condition. Luckily, we have handy tips to help you choose the best wipers for your car.
Main Components of Car Wipers
Car windshield wipers are among the easiest components to maintain and replace as you can easily do it at home. That said, it can be helpful to familiarize yourself with the components of your car wipers, especially when you need to install new wipers.
- Wiper arm: This part is usually made of metal and transfers movement from the motor to the wiper blade.
- Connector: This component connects the wiper blade to the wiper arm. It’s recommended to use the appropriate connector to ensure quiet and efficient wiper blade movement.
- Spring flexors: These ensure the wiper blade maintains even pressure and swiping.
- Wiper blade: The part that is in contact with your windshield and wipes the water off. It’s typically made of natural rubber or silicone and is often coated with a special layer of graphite to reduce friction. This is the part most exposed to wear – rubber deteriorates even when not in use, especially if regularly exposed to harsh weather conditions.
- Spoiler: This component is installed in front of the wiper blade to prevent the blade from lifting off the windshield in case of strong winds or when driving at high speeds. These are usually bought separately from the wipers.
Read More: Prepare Your Car for the Rainy Season with a Car Rain-Repellent Coating
What Type & Size of Car Wipers Are Suitable for Your Car?
The wrong car windshield wipers might not effectively keep your windshield clear in the rain. Therefore, you need to consider the type of blade, size, and design of the car wipers when choosing the best wipers for your car.
Types of Car Wipers
There are several types of car windshield wipers available in the market – conventional, flat, and hybrid. If your car is equipped with conventional car mirror wipers, they can be replaced or upgraded to more modern car mirror wipers (flat or hybrid). However, if your car has flat wipers, they cannot be replaced with conventional ones.
1. Conventional Car Wipers
Conventional or beam wipers are the most common type found on older cars. However, in recent times, most new cars are equipped with flat windshield wipers. Conventional car wipers are considered more durable and of higher quality, which is why they remain on the market for a long time. That said, they are not as aerodynamic as flat and hybrid wipers.
2. Flat Car Wipers
Most new cars today are equipped with flat car mirror wipers. These wipers have a thin, metal wire or flexor that supports the rubber wiper blade instead of a full-sized metal frame like on a conventional wiper. The wire and an integrated spoiler work together to maintain the shape of the wiper blade to keep it pressed down on the windshield. Because it’s flat, it’s better at maintaining a more uniform aerodynamic shape that reduces wind noise.
3. Hybrid Car Wipers
A hybrid car wiper combines the features of conventional and flat car mirror wipers. It has a plastic frame over the wiper blade that gives it the aerodynamic characteristics of flat wipers with the performance of conventional car wipers. Like flat wipers, hybrid wipers can better keep the rubber blade in contact with the mirror, ensuring a smooth and quiet wiping motion, especially at high speeds.
Car Wiper Sizes
Each car has an appropriate windshield wiper size that you should follow if you want optimum performance. If you’re unsure, you can measure the size of your current car wipers or consult the owner’s manual for more information to avoid selecting the wrong wipers for your car. You can also consult the sales personnel when buying wipers as they should be familiar with the windshield sizes of different car models.
Choosing the wrong windshield size will not only inconvenience you but could put you in danger, especially in heavy rain. If your wipers are too long, they may knock into each other. If they’re too short, they won’t clean your entire windshield, affecting your visibility.
Rubber vs Silicone Car Wipers: Which is Better?
The quality or durability of a product is a subjective matter for discussion. While many believe that silicone car wipers are the best and most durable, it doesn’t mean regular rubber wipers are of poor quality.
| Criteria | Rubber Car Wipers | Silicone Car Wipers |
| Durability | More likely to wear out, melt, and tear faster | Doesn’t wear, melt, or tear as easily |
| Flexibility | Hardens faster, making it less flexible | Can stay flexible for longer |
| Water streaks | Leaves more water streaks when wiping | Leaves less streaks on the windshield |
| Performance in heavy rain | Might not be able to wipe away enough water, fast enough in very heavy rain | Better at getting rid of water, even in heavier downpours |
| Noise | Could be noisier when wiping at high speeds | Wipes smoother and quieter |
| Long-lasting | Recommended to be replaced every six months, especially under heavy usage | Can last longer, up to twice as long on average |
| Cost (per piece) | Cost-effective; generally ranging from RM10 to RM50 | More expensive, ranging from RM40 to RM200 |
A good pair of windshield wipers will not only ensure a pleasant driving experience but also keep you safe on the road. Before choosing a set of windshield wipers, make sure you know the size and type of wipers you need for your car so you don’t end up with ill-fitting wipers.
Have issues with your car that you can’t figure out or looking for a trusted place to service your car? Visit the CARSOME Service Center for quality service at affordable prices.
Book your service appointment on our website today or download our app.
