As summer ends and autumn sets in, keeping your windshield clean for clear visibility becomes a bigger challenge. There always seems to be more rain as temperatures cool, and with the debris from falling leaves in the air, dust and dirt accumulate on all of your car’s exposed surfaces.
Below are five simple visibility maintenance tips to assure clear visibility while driving so you and your passengers will be as safe as possible on the road.
1. Inspect your wipers
To be most effective, wiper blades need to be in excellent condition. You should inspect your wiper blades regularly, and ask your auto service professional to check them whenever you bring in your car for other service or repair. As a rule of thumb, wiper blades should be replaced every six months.
2. Clean your windshield regularly
It doesn’t take long for your windshield to get dirty and hazy. This can be especially dangerous at night, when oncoming lights hit the dirt on your windshield and impair your vision. It is easy to forget to clean your windshield, but if you make a habit of cleaning the windshield every time you fill up, you will be in good shape. Most gas stations have what you need right by the pumps.
3. Clean your headlights
Take a moment to periodically inspect your headlights. When you look closely, you may be amazed (and disgusted) by the amount of dirt and bug grime that has accumulated on them. If not cleaned, it will eventually get to the point of making your headlight beams dimmer. Regular cleaning will make them easier to maintain.
4. Fix windshield cracks or chips
All it takes is a piece of pea gravel traveling at high speed to put your windshield in serious jeopardy. That little crack may be annoying, but all too often it gets overlooked, until one day you hit a bump or pothole. Suddenly that small crack spreads all the way across your windshield. Have those cracks repaired as soon as possible to maintain safe visibility and to avoid the cost of a windshield replacement.
5. Check your washer fluid
Windshield washer fluid is essential to the proper functioning of your windshield wipers. Letting wiper blades drag across a dry surface is not only ineffective, it can lead to damaging of the blades. Top off your washer fluid at every service interval or whenever the seasons change to avoid being left high and dry. Use windshield washer antifreeze in winter months to prevent damage to your washer system.
