Need new wiper blades

[mwalsh]

Just ordered… We'll see if they are better than when new. The rubber performance then was weak from day one. My guess is the fresh inserts will be better on my almost 3 year old LEAF.

They are, but it doesn't last long. Plan on needing replacements annually.

 

[Vincerama]

I'm guessing that the 2013's are a different blade design where the hook latch is offset below the blade. Bummer as I just broke my old set removing them from the car and the replacement rain X do not fit properly.

Bottom is OEM Nissan Blade. Top is aftermarket.

Thanks for the pic!

I had bought some cheapo (entire) wipers from Autozone and it rained today for the first time in what seems like a year (In California). Then I noticed that the outer side of the blade doesn't even TOUCH the windshield! And I could see the wiper arms was pushing down on the new wiper, which lifted the other side. I retrieved the discarded OEM Blade and noticed that it was offset. Well that sucked! I still used the new blade, and I'm sure I've already lost the receipt for it, but it seems like for the driver side, you need that offset blade (the passenger side seemed to work fine) or else the arm interferes with the wiper.

I never thought wiper blades would ever be this complicated!

 

[ALF]

I feel your pain, I did exactly the same thing (tossing the original blades, buying inexpensive replacements at an auto store, tossing the receipt). I went back to AutoZone and complained, and they told me that I had to buy more expensive 'beam'-type blades that are designed to flex more across a long blade. I bought Duralast Flex Blades (driver side: DLF26, $20), and they work great. After reading this thread though, I sure wish that I had kept the OEM Mitsubishi blades and bought refills from my dealer. The Duralast blades are kind of bulky, compared to the Mitsubishi blades.

I guess that I never think about buying parts at my dealer unless there is no other choice. In this case, it might have been the best choice.

 

[nelsonh]

Here is a YouTube video I found today that saved me over $25 on the replacement cost of the rear wiper blade of my Nissan Leaf.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHzGPVtbXdI&sns=em" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My Leaf is now close to 30,000 miles and the rear wiper blade was making a funny noise. When I went to check it a few days ago the rubber was all torn up and falling apart. I then went to a local auto parts store to buy a replacement and they told me they were sorry and that they did not carry the model needed for the Nissan Leaf which is a special 10" wiper blade.

I then searched online and could not find any brand that would make a replacement. The only choice was to order an original replacement from Nissan for about $35 which seemed ridiculous for a small piece of rubber only 10 inches long.

I then researched videos on YouTube and found the one above which shows you how to adapt and install a new piece of wiper rubber on your existing wiper arm. I then went to the auto parts store and got me a Trico brand 10" wiper blade for just $10 and removed the rubber piece carefully. I then removed the old rubber piece from the rear wiper of my car and adapted it and reinstalled it on my existing wiper arm. Using some cooking oil and soap made the job of sliding the pieces in place very easy. I now have a brand new wiper blade installed and works perfectly as the original did for just $10.

When it comes time to replace yours use this tip and save yourself some money.

 

[garsh]

Anco currently has a rebate on wiper blades: ANCO Rebate
For their Contour blades, it's $15 per pair.

RockAuto has the 26" Contour for $8.12 (left)
The 15" Contour is $8.57 (right)
There is a 5% coupon code for RockAuto: DE1E6B05409089

The rebate has a limit of 4 pairs. Shipping will be about $6, regardless of quantity. So you can get 4 pairs of new blades for about $9.

 

[Slow1]

Anco currently has a rebate on wiper blades: ANCO Rebate
For their Contour blades, it's $15 per pair.

RockAuto has the 26" Contour for $8.12 (left)
The 15" Contour is $8.57 (right)
There is a 5% coupon code for RockAuto: DE1E6B05409089

The rebate has a limit of 4 pairs. Shipping will be about $6, regardless of quantity. So you can get 4 pairs of new blades for about $9.

Great deal! Questions for those 'in the know':
1) What is a "pair" of blades? Since they are sold in single packages is a pair two packages or is this like a "pair of pants" where one is a pair?
2) For the rebate online I don't see a way to tell it that I bought more than one pair - do I just do multiple submissions there and send them in individually?

Thanks.

 

[garsh]

Great deal! Questions for those 'in the know':
1) What is a "pair" of blades? Since they are sold in single packages is a pair two packages or is this like a "pair of pants" where one is a pair?

Yes, a pair is two packages.

2) For the rebate online I don't see a way to tell it that I bought more than one pair - do I just do multiple submissions there and send them in individually?

I haven't gone through the process yet. When my order arrives I'll go through it & let you know.

 

[garsh]

2) For the rebate online I don't see a way to tell it that I bought more than one pair - do I just do multiple submissions there and send them in individually?

I haven't gone through the process yet. When my order arrives I'll go through it & let you know.

I didn't see any way to specify quantity.
So I just circled all the items on the receipt, wrote "Four Pairs Contour = $60 total rebate" on the receipt, and scanned that in. We'll see if it works.

 

[garsh]

I didn't see any way to specify quantity.
So I just circled all the items on the receipt, wrote "Four Pairs Contour = $60 total rebate" on the receipt, and scanned that in. We'll see if it works.

My rebate status now says: "Reward Type: Variable Amount PayPal Reward".
I think it used to say "$15 PayPal Reward".
So I'm guessing that submitting once for all pairs will work.

 

[garsh]

I didn't see any way to specify quantity.
So I just circled all the items on the receipt, wrote "Four Pairs Contour = $60 total rebate" on the receipt, and scanned that in. We'll see if it works.

My rebate status now says: "Reward Type: Variable Amount PayPal Reward".
I think it used to say "$15 PayPal Reward".
So I'm guessing that submitting once for all pairs will work.

Wow, I received the rebate already (via PayPal).
I received the correct $30 amount.

 

[dhanson865]

luckily the blade lengths are the same between the Prius and the Leaf when it comes to the drivers side so I can borrow one off the Prius to test.

2005 Prius Drivers 26"
2005 Prius Passenger 18"

2012 Leaf Drivers 26"
2012 Leaf Passenger 16"

I'll have to try it and update this post later.

The blade I'm using on the my cars is the Bosch 4822 Evolution All-Season Bracketless Wiper Blade. I started using it when I wanted something more aerodynamic than the GM and Toyota blades I was used to.

 

[LeafMuranoDriver]

I used the wiper blades on a brand new Leaf a few days after getting it and they are horrible. Worse than my other car's blades that a couple years old and torn. I was very surprised how bad the Leaf's blades are since they couldn't have been used much.

 

[KillaWhat]

Here is a YouTube video I found today that saved me over $25 on the replacement cost of the rear wiper blade of my Nissan Leaf.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHzGPVtbXdI&sns=em" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My Leaf is now close to 30,000 miles and the rear wiper blade was making a funny noise. When I went to check it a few days ago the rubber was all torn up and falling apart. I then went to a local auto parts store to buy a replacement and they told me they were sorry and that they did not carry the model needed for the Nissan Leaf which is a special 10" wiper blade.

I then searched online and could not find any brand that would make a replacement. The only choice was to order an original replacement from Nissan for about $35 which seemed ridiculous for a small piece of rubber only 10 inches long.

I then researched videos on YouTube and found the one above which shows you how to adapt and install a new piece of wiper rubber on your existing wiper arm. I then went to the auto parts store and got me a Trico brand 10" wiper blade for just $10 and removed the rubber piece carefully. I then removed the old rubber piece from the rear wiper of my car and adapted it and reinstalled it on my existing wiper arm. Using some cooking oil and soap made the job of sliding the pieces in place very easy. I now have a brand new wiper blade installed and works perfectly as the original did for just $10.

When it comes time to replace yours use this tip and save yourself some money.

I went to the Dealer and bought the OEM blade assembly.
Picked it up, and then couldn't figure out how to change it without force.
Had the tech come out, and he laughed, pulled the rubber insert off the old blade, pulled the rubber inset off the new blade, and stuck it on the old wiper.
So the "official" replacement is just what you described, but $25 more money.
Should have read this first

 

[asinclair]

So, I have sold my 2011 Leaf and moved on to a B-Class. But I still have both of the original front frames/blades (old rubber) and a brand-new rear blade w/frame. Make me an offer and I will be happy to sell them/mail them to you. I'm in Marin County (home) and SF (work) if you want to pick up. PM me.

 

[mwalsh]

I just bought Bosch ICON wiper blades. The correct replacement sizes are...

Driver 26A
Passenger 16A

I'm ready for a new set of wiper blades again. Third set of OEM blades in 4.5 years. Meanwhile, we've got almost 2 years on the Volt and the blades, which I've discovered (thanks to gm-volt.com) are Bosch Icons from the factory, are still working beautifully. So I'm going to follow Nubo and Mirko's lead this time and go with the Icons. The Nissan blades are really only good for a year, 18 months tops.

 

[Lanzer]

$7.50 or so each at Costco. I'm hoping Leaf has that simple "slide on hook" system going there.

Thank you for posting this. Costco still sell the wiper blades though all I need are the wiper blade inserts. They're now $7.99 a piece so for $16 I was able to replace the front wipers.

For those trying to replace the actual wiper blades and not just the insert, do note that the original design is made to be lower profile to decrease drag and extend the range of your Leaf, so I highly suggest everyone to seek the route of replacing just the inserts and not the whole wiper blades. Save money and power!

PS - for clarification, wiper blade refer to the whole assembly with the bracket which house the rubber insert. Wiper blade insert is just the rubber portion and usually include a strip of thin metal to keep its shape.

 

[mwalsh]

The Nissan blades are really only good for a year, 18 months tops.

Since I needed some other parts anyway, and the Nissan inserts are only $6 a piece I (against my better judgement) decided to give them one more go. However, the online parts company got back to me saying that my order for 28895-1AA0A and 28895-1AA1A (ostensibly for a Nissan Murano, if you were only to believe the parts catalog in front of you) was not appropriate for a 2011 Nissan LEAF and they wanted to substitute 28895-3JA0A (Nissan Pathfinder) and 28895-3TA0A (Nissan Altima).

Needless to say, I'm not convinced and I wrote them back to say as much, and that I'd had the parts I ordered before and they worked out just fine, so please just send me those if available.

I'm very dubious about the substitutions, particularly the one from the Pathfinder. Anyway, I've not had a response to that email yet, so I'm not exactly sure what I'll end up with when the package comes. If I do get the substitutions, I'll let you know if they work out or not.

 

[vwDavid]

I've been through this thread and it's not entirely clear why the standard beam wiper (a la costco) won't work on 2013+ leafs with the offset blade. Is there Any current experience on this matter?

Thanks.

David

 

[mwalsh]

However, the online parts company got back to me saying that my order for 28895-1AA0A and 28895-1AA1A (ostensibly for a Nissan Murano, if you were only to believe the parts catalog in front of you) was not appropriate for a 2011 Nissan LEAF and they wanted to substitute 28895-3JA0A (Nissan Pathfinder) and 28895-3TA0A (Nissan Altima).

I'm very dubious about the substitutions, particularly the one from the Pathfinder. Anyway, I've not had a response to that email yet, so I'm not exactly sure what I'll end up with when the package comes. If I do get the substitutions, I'll let you know if they work out or not.

Substituted parts arrived and, despite the new part numbers, they appear to be exactly the same parts as those we know to work - same Mitsuba brand; same lengths; same code numbers embossed in the rubber.

If I had to say there is one slight difference, the old refills were a little more snug in the frame where they "lock" in, and the little indentation in the rubber that facilitates the "locking" appears (to my old, tired eyes) to be just a hair deeper in the old refills than it does in the new. However, that could just be manufacturing tolerances.

 

[QueenBee]

I've been through this thread and it's not entirely clear why the standard beam wiper (a la costco) won't work on 2013+ leafs with the offset blade. Is there Any current experience on this matter?

In my 2011 the GoodYear drivers side blade from Costco did not sit flush against the glass so it made horrid sounds and did a poor job wiping the windshield. It's not clear to me if this is because of the lack of offset or because it's stiffer without the hinge like the OEM one has. It was the end of the last raining season so I didn't get around to returning them, now after summer they seem to be wiping properly though not as cleanly as you'd expect from a new wiper blades.