My blades on my 2018 Toyota needed changing so I picked up a set. I have been doing general repairs on my cars for 60 years so I thought 5 minute job. Not so simple after all. The blades were lower than the hood and I could't get to the blades to change them and the wipers would not stay up on the wind Shield when car was turned off. Had to go on line to find out how to get them to stay up. The new cars are getting just too complex for an old fart like me to work on them anymore.
changing wiper blades
- Thread starter grover99
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
ContinentalOp
Member
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2009
- Messages
- 6,315
- Reaction score
- 12,811
That's the idea.
Definitely need a large tree to work on the newer vehicles! 
Buy them at Auto Zone or any other auto parts and they will install them.
Sometimes they are tricky little PITA and then it's in reverse when you do the other side.
Sometimes they are tricky little PITA and then it's in reverse when you do the other side.
Marshwheeling
Member
For many manufacturers, BMW is a salient example, it is an explicit feature of their business plan to create more service work for their dealers. This is true for both cars and motorcycles. They came with a useful and fairly complete toolkit, especially the motorcycles. You could almost, but not quite completely strip a BMW using only the tools in the kit.
Now they don’t want you to work on your bike, and your car even less. Add in the technical complexity, and engine compartments that are too crowded to work in, and you have a nightmare for the home mechanic and a bonanza for overcharging dealers.
Now they don’t want you to work on your bike, and your car even less. Add in the technical complexity, and engine compartments that are too crowded to work in, and you have a nightmare for the home mechanic and a bonanza for overcharging dealers.
Heck, remember when you could just change the rubber filler wiper part and foreign cars had a different metric size
Yep, my 2015 Tacoma was a breeze to change. My BMW and my wife's Jetta turned into a freaking nightmare.
I had a near total nervous breakdown trying to change wiper blades in a blizzard in the K-Mart parking lot in Gallup, New Mexico about 25 years ago. Just seeing the title of this thread has me in the fetal position.
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2005
- Messages
- 2,493
- Reaction score
- 14,573
DWalt
Member
Heck, remember when you could just change the rubber filler wiper part and foreign cars had a different metric size
I did that for many years, but it seems that the rubber wiper refills are no longer available anywhere, so you are forced to buy the more expensive complete assembly. I usually buy off eBay. I had to access YouTube to find out how to change the rear window wiper assembly on my Mazda 5. Fortunately, I had the necessary puller tool, else I would have needed to make one. On eBay, that wiper assembly was about 1/3 the dealer price, and none of the local auto parts stores carried them.
Just last week I bought a new set at Auto Zone. Told the guy no problem, I'll change them at home. Well, after a bit of fighting with the wipers, I just had my grandson change them when he dropped by for a visit. No problem.
Sistema1927
US Veteran
What model 2018 Toyota? Inquiring mind (singular, since probably nobody else cares) wants to know.
The wife has a 2017 Camry, and they are just as easy to change them as on my 2007 Tacoma.
The wife has a 2017 Camry, and they are just as easy to change them as on my 2007 Tacoma.
A lot of dislike for a simple item (putting the wipers in the service position). Makes me wonder why manufacturers go to the expense of giving people a manual when they buy a car. I must admit I'm a guy who likes reading the manual, whether car or gun. Once you skip over the sections telling you not to run over or shoot yourself, they're not that bad.
Hiding wipers gets them out of your line of sight, and makes a very small improvement to gas mileage. But hope is on the horizon, various manufacturers are working on ultrasonic force fields and other methods to do away with them entirely.
I must admit I'm a guy who likes reading the manual, whether car or gun. Once you skip over the sections telling you not to run over or shoot yourself, they're not that bad.Hiding wipers gets them out of your line of sight, and makes a very small improvement to gas mileage. But hope is on the horizon, various manufacturers are working on ultrasonic force fields and other methods to do away with them entirely.
snowman
Member
I've been a successful auto DIYer for many years. I've done several timing belt and water pump changes, a number of brake jobs, CV half shafts, gas tanks, fuel lines, radiator, starter, electrical problems, a distributor, valve lash adjustments, etc., etc., etc. -have forgotten more than I remember.
But wipers have often given me fits. Lately I let the salesmen at the parts stores do it onsite, just to save me time and aggravation.
Regards,
Andy
But wipers have often given me fits. Lately I let the salesmen at the parts stores do it onsite, just to save me time and aggravation.
Regards,
Andy
Back in the late 50s early 60s we used to keep the big yellow box that held the replacement wipers right out on the gas island.
Could change them in seconds, got a extra .25 cent commission from the station owner for every pair we sold. That was better than oil, we only got 10 cents for a can of oil.
Could change them in seconds, got a extra .25 cent commission from the station owner for every pair we sold. That was better than oil, we only got 10 cents for a can of oil.
Some years ago, I had a car with auto-leveling Xenon headlights. It required a computer connected to the CAN bus to adjust the headlights. Xenon headlights can drive other people crazy when they're misadjusted. That's why they had levelers and perhaps why they were un-adjustable with a simple screwdriver like days of old.
. It was an Camry. Once I figured out how to get the wipers to stay up on wind Shield changing them was easyWhat model 2018 Toyota? Inquiring mind (singular, since probably nobody else cares) wants to know.
The wife has a 2017 Camry, and they are just as easy to change them as on my 2007 Tacoma.
pittpa
Member
You certainly have to know where to squeeze them to get them off.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
