Windscreen Maintenance

We have all experienced that pesky nuisance of a windscreen wiper that is ineffective and not removing the rainwater right where we need to see, or our dirty windscreen needs an emergency clean and there is no fluid left in the windscreen washer.  These relatively minor issues can have major consequences if vehicle visibility is compromised in anyway whilst driving.  It is of paramount importance to ensure your car maintenance is always well maintained especially as generally these problems to windscreen visibility are all preventative vehicle maintenance issues.

As with all features of your car, windscreens are required to be maintained on an ongoing basis. Windscreen maintenance involves checking the glass for any cracks or chips.  Even the smallest of chips need to be repaired to ensure the integrity of the windscreen, to prevent further damage to the windscreen penetrating additional layers or chips or cracks spreading.  Depending on their size, they should be able to be repaired without having to replace the entire windscreen.

Windscreen wiper blades need to be cleaned regularly and a check conducted on their effectiveness of removing water from the windscreen.  If they are inadequately removing water then they may need to be replaced.  Many would be surprised to learn that wiper blades do not last very long as they deteriorate from being dried out from sun and lack of use.

Windscreens should be free of dirt and debris; ensuring leaves are removed from beneath the wipers and the bottom of the windscreen.  The use of dashboard conditioners can cause the evaporation of these greases onto the inside the windscreen, causing greasy visibility problems when combined with direct sunlight. Grease and dirt should be cleaned from the windscreen from both inside and out, using an automotive glass cleaner.  And finally windscreen washer fluids should be topped up to ensure you don’t run low right at the time it is needed.

Windscreen maintenance doesn’t need to be a big deal, just regularly staying on top of the condition of your windscreen will ensure you don’t have any unexpected visibility issues that are easily prevented.  Don’t put off important windscreen maintenance for another day, take a look at your windscreen and attend to any issues promptly and should you uncover a chip or crack, contact us here.