LEXMICK

NeverSatisfied is right. I don't have any problem with the wiper's operation since I cut that tab off. I have tried it so many times in the hands-free carwash. I turned on the rear wiper at high speed during the entire carwash and it worked flawlessly. Like NeverSatisfied, I am very satisfied with my "new" rear wiper.

jfarber

I just want to change the wiper blade. I don't need to lift the whole thing up. Isn't there an easy way to do that? The rear wiper doesn't seem to snap in like the front ones.

RatherPlay

Another possibility, if not to stop from flopping due to wind, is to keep it in place if you go thru a car wash that contacts the car. (What Lexus owner would ever use an automated car wash is another discussion!) I've seen some car washes that use long strands of cleaning cloth that are rotated on a large drum. I imagine that style of car wash and others could try to whip the washer blade off...

<shrug shoulder> But you just know they considered the trade-off between difficult to lift the assembly versus the tab to hold it down. We just haven't figured out the reason, but we'll see someday... If you're gonna cut it off, you might want to order a replacement in case it doesn't work out.

CarNutTO

Does anyone know how to remove the cap from an '05? I tried prying apart the bottom part and then lifting it up, but there seems to be something else stopping it from popping off. I don't want to break the cap as I want to put it back on after I've changed the wiper blade??

Lil4X

I had just changed all the wipers on my wife's van when I turned my attention to the RX. The replacement blades were plenty expensive, so as I had an appointment at the dealership for the routine 5K service, I decided to wait.

I knew the wipers were designed to be "refilled", by just replacing the rubber part, but had been warned on this forum that pulling the two stainless steel strips that hold the insert in place can be a little dangerous - they are rather sharp and can slice your hand if you are not careful.

So the next day, I asked the service writer what it would cost to have them changed while the car was in the shop . . . I was amazed. The cost of just replacing all three inserts, parts, labor, and tax - was less than the cost of the driver's side wiper blade at the auto supply store.

That's one DIY project off my list - some deals are just too good to pass up.

gto406

There is NO reason to cut off the tab. Find the plastic cover/cap on the pass-side end of the rear wiper blade (you will see it is physically separate from the long/arm portion of the blade itself). Use your hands to spread apart the plastic (you spread the plastic on the top toward the roof, while at the same time spreading the bottom toward the ground) all the while putting a slight pulling force upward (ALL with your hands). The cap should disengage. You can then tilt the rear blade ALL the way to the 12-oclock position.

To remove the blade, simply bend the pivot part (from the far left most edge) towards the passenger side of the car. The whole blade will simply snap out.

In my case, I purchased a non-factory/Lexus 16" silicone replacement blade. Alas, the connection didn't work. Therefore, to omit the aggravation of returning it, I simply removed each wiper blade from their housings (i.e. the physical blade for the replacement AS WELL AS the physical blade for my old/cruddy Lexus wiper). I then removed the steel inserts from each wiper blade, and lined the two up, cutting the longer 16" blade down to the 14" size (a sharp pair of scissors do the trick).

To make life easy, I simply reused the steel inserts from the original blade, in my replacements. To re-insert them, is a bit of a trick though. You need to squeeze (with your thumb/forefinger) the blade while feeding it through one of the 'catches' on your original Lexus wiper blade. Only draw it partway through. Then take the end and repeat (drawing it through the opposite 'catch'. Now you can feed the original end all the way up (and to the end) of the far side of the blade, and similarly do the same on the other end.

Then simply replace the now reconditioned wiper blade (snap it back in place) making sure the long end is pointing in the right direction (toward the driver-side) and replace the cap.

No need to cut off the tab. Mine comes on/off very nicely.

Hope this helps. I should have taken pic's but I had little time to do this, so just got 'er done (so to speak).

Cheers,
Brian.

cdnewton

I didn't replace the wiper blade, I simply got a new wiper insert at the dealer (if memory serves, it was 15" insert) and replaced it. The insert is held in by two thin metal inserts and I simply pulled on the end with the tabs, moved the metal inserts to the wiper insert and reinstalled.

The actual blade on ours was in perfect shape, I saw no reason to remove it.

YMMV.

gto406

Yes, I think next time I will simply purchase a blade refill. When I measured the existing blade, it was 14" long. Not sure whether a 15" blade would actually fit into the existing plastic blade (it is capped on each end, so it anything longer than stock will simply not fit).

Cheers,
Brian.