Rear Windscreen Wiper: How It Works and When It Needs Replacing
When your rear windscreen wiper, a small but critical component that clears water, dirt, and snow from the back window of your car. Also known as rear wiper blade, it’s often overlooked until your visibility drops on a rainy motorway drive. Unlike the front wipers, the rear one doesn’t get much attention—until it stops working. Then you realize how much you rely on it to see traffic behind you, especially when reversing or driving in heavy rain.
A working rear windscreen wiper isn’t just about comfort—it’s a safety requirement. In the UK, a failed rear wiper can lead to an MOT failure if it doesn’t clear the glass effectively. The system includes the blade, arm, motor, and linkage. The rear wiper motor, the electric unit that powers the wiper arm’s movement is the most common point of failure, especially in older cars. If you hear a clicking noise but no movement, or the blade moves slowly or jerks, the motor or fuse is likely failing. The wiper blade, the rubber strip that actually wipes the glass wears out too, just like the front ones. Cracks, splits, or streaking mean it’s time for a replacement.
Many drivers don’t know the right windscreen wiper size, the exact length of blade needed for their car’s rear window. Using the wrong size can damage the arm, leave blind spots, or even break the motor. You can find the correct size in your owner’s manual, or by checking a trusted online guide using your car’s make, model, and year. Don’t guess—get it right the first time.
Fixing a rear wiper isn’t always a job for the garage. Replacing the blade is quick and cheap—you can do it in under five minutes with a new rubber strip. But if the motor’s dead or the linkage is broken, you’ll need professional help. Many of the posts below cover real cases: drivers who ignored a squeaking rear wiper until the motor burned out, or those who replaced the blade but didn’t check the arm for bent metal. Others show how to test the fuse, trace power issues, or spot early signs of failure before you’re stuck on a wet road.
Whether you’re dealing with a silent rear wiper, a blade that skips, or a motor that won’t turn, the solutions are here. You’ll find step-by-step checks, cost comparisons, and common mistakes to avoid—all based on real repairs done in Stevenage. No fluff. Just what works.
