When there are so many necessary components of your car responsible for proper functioning, then it is natural that you take something as small as a wiper blade for granted. However, please be cautious that things we consider less relevant are sometimes responsible for taking us out of a complicated situation.
If the wiper blades move away from their position or if it is not appropriately maintained, the driver will be in a dangerous situation during rain and snow.
So, if your wiper arm tension is not doing its job because of low maintenance, keep reading to adjust them and its park position yourself!
What Is The Need to Adjusting The Windshield Wiper Arm In Its Park Position?
What is the park position of the wiper arm? Some people may confuse it with a car’s parking position. It is somewhat similar, though, because a park position of a wiper blade is the spot at which it rests when the engine turns off. This position is hampered if the wiper blades are not aligned properly.
However, before moving towards the park position, let us look at the possible reasons making it essential to adjust a windshield.
- Wiper blades are mounted on the windshield to protect it from sliding rainwater or snow and prevent blocking the driver’s view.
- When wiper blades are not maintained properly, they chatter against the windshield. This chattering hampers the smooth functioning of the car.
- Fixing the alignment of blades will result in the proper overall functioning of the windshield.
How Does A Windshield Wiper Work?
We all know that a windshield wiper moves in a back-and-forth motion, but do you know that there’s much more to this mechanism? A windshield wiper helps wipe any liquid or debris from the windshield for a clear view.
They are operated by a DC motor attached to a worm gear. This gear further transfers the motion to the rod through which the wiper arms will move.
Worm gears are responsible for transmitting the maximum speed of the wipers. Wiper arms exhibit pressure on the blades, sticking it on the windshield.
When the wiper switch is turned on, the sprinkling nozzle flows liquid on the windshield with the motion transmitted from a motor. There is a fluid chamber that contains the cleaning fluid.
The wiper blade is turned on and the liquid flows to wipe the windshield. Modern cars come with adjustable speed wipers as well.
How To Adjust Wiper Blade Alignment?
There are many reasons why the wiper blades are misaligned, and we’re considering a wiper arm is staying put in a position and not going down, which is blocking the view. To fix this problem-
- Set the wiper- First of all, set the wiper to the park position. You can also set it yourself.
- Finding the nut and removing it- At the base of the wiper warm, you will find a nut under the cover of the arm. You will have to carefully remove this nut through a screwdriver and remove the arm with leverage from the base.
- Aligning the wiper arm- After moving it away from the base, align it properly at the bottom and slide it towards its base. After that, screw up the nut.
- Final check- Now start the engine and check yourself if the wiper blades are aligning back to their position or not.
Use A Plier To Fix The Wiper Arm
In some cases, using a plier is also enough to adjust the wiper position.
- For this, you might need two sets of pliers
- Hold the wiper in its place from one plier, and adapt it to any angle from the second plier.
- If the windshield arm is not bent correctly, you can change it properly towards the windshield with the plier.
When the blades cannot go back to their position while using a plier, you will have to pay a thorough check to the edges. If you cannot solve the problem with this method, then purchase a new set of blades.
Steps to Adjust Wiper Arm Park Position
Park position, as discussed earlier, is an ideal position at which the wiper blade will rest after the ignition is turned off. If the edge doesn’t rest in its park position, it may be because of a battery failure or insufficient power in the motor. When there is a problem with blade alignment in its park position, then you will have to follow these steps-
- First of all, turn the ignition to accessory mode and switch off the wiper switch.
- With the help of a screwdriver, carefully remove the nut cap
- Switch off the windshield cleaner as well.
- Remove both the wiper arms from the assembly.
- After removing the wiper, turn on the ignition and let the wipers run over the windshield for some minutes.
- Now that the motor has readjusted turn off the wipers and the engine.
- Now adjust the wiper back to its position and reassemble the nut and the screwcap.
- Start your car and you’ll see that the wiper arm is back to its position.
When Should You Replace The Wiper Switch?
The primary function of a wiper switch is to send a signal to the wiper relay, which moves the blades at a definite speed.
You will have to replace the switch if- the wiper arms are not turning on and there is no change in the speed of the wiper.
Conclusion
Finally, you know how to adjust a windshield wiper arm tension and park position from scratch. Since the wiper arm is responsible for a car and the passengers’ safety, it is essential to pay attention to its maintenance.
These arms can be adjusted or aligned correctly without any professional help, but you will have to get them replaced if they’re seriously worn out.
Nonetheless, these wiper blades can be brought back to their original position by following this simple guide. Make sure you’ve followed all these points carefully. We hope this information was helpful!
