Having an unobstructed view of the road is an absolute necessity for safe, defensive driving. There are a variety of factors from ozone to cold weather that can cause your windshield wipers to break or malfunction and not be as effective as they should be in making your view clear during rain or snow. Even if you enjoy Austin weather and rarely use your blades, over time they can begin to break down whether they are actively used or not. It’s a good idea to inspect them regularly and make sure they are working well so they will be effective when the need arises. When you go in for an oil change at your BMW service center in Austin, TX, the technicians would be glad to inspect or change your blades or put in refills if necessary.
Most BMW service technicians in Austin, TX recommend replacing the blades on your wipers twice a year, or every 6,000 miles (or every other oil change – if you can synchronize your maintenance that way, all the better!) Since wipers can degrade even in sunny Texas summer weather where they are rarely used, you should have maintenance performed even if they haven’t been used since the last replacement. Refills are cheaper and probably the best solution, unless the blades themselves are damaged or malfunctioning.
This is certainly not something you need to go to a BMW service shop in Austin, TX in order to perform. Most people can put in refills themselves. Replacing the blades may be a little more complicated, but that’s also likely something you can do yourself.
Many BMWs have rain sensors in the windshield that cause the wipers to come on automatically when rain is detected. This is a great function when it is working, but can be both annoying and hazardous when it malfunctions. It can cause sporadic performance or you may even find your wipers stuck in position until you are able to manually activate them. Usually, this problem stems from a faulty wiper module that needs to be replaced. If you know how, you can do this yourself, but a BMW service technician in Austin, TX can also correctly diagnose wiper malfunction problems and resolve them the next time you bring your car in for a tune up or oil change.
Other components to inspect, as well as your windshield wipers, include the wipers on the rear window, pumps, hoses, wiper fluid, and headlight wipers. All are important as they add to the optimal performance of your BMW.