As we start to emerge from a cold winter many motorists will be thinking of having their car’s serviced. Wiper specialist TRICO say this make it a perfect time of year to boost wiper sales and to support this, the company can provide workshops with a wiper diagnostics chart, attractive new display stands, merchandise and special promotions.

Motorists very rarely check tyres or windscreen wipers and yet to be able to see clearly is of the utmost importance. According to TRICO, 90% of all driving decisions are based on visual clues, which serve to underline how important having good and efficient wiper blades is.

Some of the signs that windscreen wipers need replacing are that worn wipers produce an uneven wipe, preventing proper contact with the windscreen surface, leading to poor visibility. TRICO offers the following advice on the symptoms to look for that indicate blades need changing:

Streaking: caused by dry rubber that has hardened and cracked tree sap, road tar and other foreign substances on the blade rubber can also cause streaking.

Chattering: caused by the blade juddering as it passes across the windscreen due to the permanent set or curve in the blade rubber that some wipers blades develop when they are not being used.

Worn rubber: general rounding of the wiping edge caused by age and a sign that it’s time to replace the blade.

Spilt rubber: this is a condition found on blades that are old, or from the effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays affecting the rubber.

Bent refill or wiper frame: this can be caused by the impact of ice scrapers, automatic car washes or vandalism, leading to bent or distorted wiper arms affecting the wiper efficiency.

TRICO says it has engineered key technological advances into its wiper range to ensure each product performs better, lasts longer, is easier to install and fits more vehicles than any other wiper manufacturer. Sam Robinson, TRICO product and brand manager commented: “General advice from TRICO is that blades should be visually checked on a monthly basis and replaced every six to twelve months. TRICO has a full range of front and rear wiper blades, available for 99% of cars on the road.” 

He added, “Don’t forget to check the rear wiper blade too. This provides another opportunity for garages to increase profit as there is an increasing number of vehicles with unique rear wiper blade designs. Although many of these blades look similar, they’re specially developed and unique in fitment. The TRICO Exact Fit rear blade programme is comprehensive in coverage to accommodate the wide variety of applications.”