Wiper leaving bits driver side wide swing (picture included)

Oh boy

 

In Arizona, blades that live outside - made of common materials - die every year. Life in the sun is a killer. Usually get new at the first sign of the "monsoon" season, the rubber is cooked.

My wife has an Explorer and it has OEM blades that seem to be some sort of silicone material. The flexible blade backing is also different than the truck blades. They have lasted and worked well for several years now - on both this current vehicle and the one before it (identical equipment) they lasted forever.

I went looking for a similar construction replacement set for the Taco and they are now approaching another season. They weren't cheap, hope they work on my truck like they do on the Ford. I believe these were Bosch brand.

 

Whitey!

Rock and Roll!

 

Suggest Toyota rubber refills....about $6.00 at the dealer. OR the dealer fixes it for free by installing the refill.

Not the blade...just the rubber strip. Good luck

 

This happened to my 2019 after a year. I went to he dealer and replaced the refills. Nice to know you can do that. Sometimes they also dry out from sitting in the sun as well. Not sure how long the OP’s truck sat out on a lot before he purchased it but it’s possible. Also don’t try those gimmicky blade cutter. I tried that first and it destroyed my blades.

 

Bump it up, looks like bad blade to me

 

I've had luck cleaning my blades with WD40 and a rag (wiping off with a dry rag completely) and cleaning the windshield at least weekly (not so much now). 2016 blades still work perfect through the seasons over 4 years.

 

I can hunt it down with my VIN, but I bought a 2020 in December, so not long :|

 

Mine started doing it when part of the rubber detached from the blade in that area. Easy fix. New piece.

Edit: oddly enough in about the same spot too

 

Kinda related: I see people flip-up their wipers in the winter to keep them from freezing to the windshield.
I gotta wonder if by doing that you stretch the tension spring on the wiper arms and the wipers will apply less pressure on the glass due to the stretched-out spring. Yes, my mind wanders.

 

No, unless you're doing it every single day and every single time you park, you'll probably never notice. I do it maybe a few times a year during a very cold day on the mountain or when it's snowing and below freezing at work. Besides, last thing you want to do is not do that, have them be frozen, get in and then forgetting that they might be frozen, turn them on and either ruin the rubber or worse