©• FXI 15
Technical Service
Information Bulletin
July 13, 2005

CD

0
Title:

WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADE
MAINYENANCE AND CLEANING
Models:

'98 - '06 All ModelS

OBSOLETE NOTICE :

December 19, 2013: This bulletin is now obsolete.
Ple ase see L-SB-0092-13.

•

Lexus Supports ASE Certification

0

-<

L-SB-0092-13

December 19, 2013

Technical Service Information Bulletin

Wiper Blade Maintenance and Cleaning
Service
Category

Vehicle Exterior

Section

Wiper/Washer

Market

USA

Lexus Supports ~
ASE Certification.

Applicability
YEAR(S)

MODEL($)

1990 - 2014

CT200H, ES250,
ES300, ES300H,
ES330, ES350,
GS300, GS350,
GS400, GS430,
GS450H, GS460,
GX460, GX470,
HS250H, IS F, 18250,
IS250C, IS3b0, IS350,
IS350C, LFA, Ls4oo,
LS430, LS460,
LS600H, LX450,
LX470, LX570, RX300,
RX330, RX350,
R~400H, RX450H ,
SC300, SC400 , SC430

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

SUPERSESSION NOTICE
The information contained in this bulletin supersedes SBs No. L-SB-0060-09 and L-80004-05.
• Applicability has been updated to include 2011- 2014 model year Lexus vehicles .
Service Bulletins No. L-SB-0060-09 and L-B0004-05 are Obsolete and any printed versions should
be discarded. Be sure to review the entire content of this bulletin before proceeding .

Introduction

The following procedures are recommended during routine maintenance or in the event of a
customer concern for wiper performance.
NOTE
These procedures apply to the windshield and back glass (if the vehicle is equipped with a back
glass wiper assembly).

© 2013 Lexus, a division of Toyota Motor Sales, USA

Page 1 of 4

Page 2 of 4

December 19, 2013

L-SB-0092-13

Wiper Blade Maintenance and Cleaning

Warranty Information
OP CODE

DESCRIPTION

TIME

OFP

T1

T2

N/A

Not Applicable to Warranty

-

-

-

-

Inspection Procedure and Maintenance
Inspection Procedure

1. During routine maintenance or in the event of a customer concern for wiper performance, please
inspect wipers for any performance concerns.
HINT

• Bugs, sap, road grime, car wax treatments, and other contaminants on the rubber inserts
or windshield, can cause wiper performance concerns.
• Make sure to complete the Inspection Procedure and the Cleaning Procedure before
deciding to replace the rubber wiper inserts or other wiper related parts.

Examples of Performance Concerns that Could Be Caused by Dirty W iper lnserts/Winshield
POOR REMOVAL

CHATTER

ABNORMAL NOISE

WHITE FILM LEFT BEHIND

Incomplete Removal

Chattering During
Entire Travel

Friction Noise at End
of Travel

White Film Left Behind

Streaking

Friction Noise at Reverse
Position

© 2013 Lexus, a division of Toyota Motor Sales, USA

L-SB-0092-13

December 19, 2013

Page 3 of 4

Wiper Blade Maintenance and Cleaning

Inspection Procedure and Maintenance
Inspection Procedure (Continued)

2. Contributors to poor performance/decreased rubber wiper insert life (requiring rubber wiper
insert replacement).
• Dust or dirt on the glass surface causes the rubber edge to wear quickly.
• Sand and salt used for road conditioning during Winter months causes the edge to wear
qu ickly, so geographical locations with significant snowfall require more frequent rubber
wiper insert replacement.
• Heat and length of time in service can cause the rubber to become hard and brittle causing
the rubber to not turn over, resulting in streaki ng and/or unwiped areas on the glass.
• Th e use of an ice scraper near the blades can easily damage the rubber insert.
• Pulling blades off a frozen windshield can cause the rubber insert to tear.
• Using wipers instead of an ice scraper to remove frost and ice from the glass can dull,
nick, or tear the rubber.
• Slamming the wiper on the glass to remove ice & snow can cause the blade to bend and the
rubber to come out of the blade increasing the potential to scratch the glass.
• When ice forms in wiper blade pin joints, it may cause streaking and unwiped areas. To
remove ice from pin joints, compress the blade and rubber with your hand to loosen the
frozen joints.
Cleaning Procedure

1. If any performance concerns are found , clean the rubber wiper inserts and the glass surface
using the following cleaning procedure.

A. Rubber wiper inserts: Clean road and
environmental debris from the rubber inserts
by using a cloth or paper towel soaked with
windshield washer fluid or a mixture of mild
detergent and water.

Figure 2. Rubber W iper Insert

NOTICE
Do NOT use fuel, kerosene, or petroleum
based products to clean rubber inserts.

© 2013 Lexus, a division of Toyota Motor Sales, USA

December 19, 2013

L-SB-0092-13

Page 4 of 4

Wiper Blade Maintenance and Cleaning

Inspection Procedure and Maintenance
Cleaning Procedure (Continued)

B. Windshield: Rinse the glass with water and apply non-abrasive cleaner, such as Bon ami®
(www.bonami.com) or equivalent, with a sponge.
NOTICE
Make sure to use plenty of water with all powder based cleaners to avoid scratching the
glass surface .

C. Inspect wipers for improved performance. If no improvement was found, continue to step 2.
2. If there is still a performance concern, inspect the wiper inserts, other related components, and
replace as needed.

Examples of Wiper Conditions
DEFORMED INSERT

WIPER INSERT HOLDER
DEFORMATION

WIPER ARM DEFORMATION

ABNORMAL BACKLASH AT
JOINTING BLADE

Replace Rubber Insert

Replace Wiper Blade

Replace Wiper Arm
Assembly

Replace Wiper Blade

© 2013 Lexus, a division of Toyota Motor Sales, USA