Lots of parts on your Honda Civic contribute to safe driving – its brakes, suspension system, steering and lighting, to name a few. But its wipers are just as critical. They ensure that your windshield stays clear enough for you to see the road ahead. That’s why it’s important to replace your wiper blades when needed, but you also need the right sizes for your wipers to work correctly. Keep reading to find out what size 2016 Honda Civic wiper blades you should buy, how to install them and when you should change them out.
Tips on How to Install Wiper Blades on Your Honda Civic
To find the best Civic wiper blades, you’ll want to check out a reputable aftermarket auto parts dealer. Most retailer websites offer search functions to help you find blades that fit your make, model and year of vehicle. Like many other vehicles, your 2016 Civic uses different blade sizes for the driver’s and passenger’s sides. This is deliberately done to ensure that the wipers cover as much of the windshield’s surface as possible without touching each other or extended over the edges of the glass. You’ll need two sizes for your Civic: 26 inches for the driver’s side and 19 inches for the passenger’s side.
Installing Honda Civic wiper blades is pretty easy. You’ll just need 10 minutes of your time and your replacement blades. Make sure your blades are already unpacked and your wiper arms are lifted off the windshield. Then you’ll follow a few simple steps, starting with your driver’s side wiper:
- Grab the first wiper blade and rotate it out until it’s perpendicular to the arm.
- Press the release tab, then pull the old blade downward.
- Turn the blade forward until you can slide it off the wiper arm’s hook.
- Slide the new blade onto the hook and push it into the empty slot on the arm.
- Guide the new blade into place until you hear it click.
After you’ve swapped out both blades, gently place the wiper arms back onto the windshield. Start your vehicle and test the wipers by running them with windshield fluid. If they clean the glass normally at multiple speed settings, you’re done.
Why You Should Replace Damaged Wiper Blades
Most car care professionals recommend changing your blades every six to twelve months. If your area gets a lot of rain or snow, you may need to replace them more often. With that said, you’ll want to look for some telltale signs that they’re wearing out:
- Worn, ripped, stiff or loose rubber on the blade
- Corroded metal on the blade frames
- Chattering or streaking when running your wipers
Worn or damage blades can’t clean your windshield properly, reducing visibility on the road. Even worse, exposed metal on your wipers can scratch your windshield. But you may find your windshield wipers not working for other reasons. Wiper motors and their fuses can also fail. Loose pivot joints prevent your wipers from rotating correctly to produce the needed back-and-forth cleaning movements. No matter why your wipers aren’t working, shopping at a trusted auto parts retailer ensures that you get the best quality replacements.
