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Hello everyone.

Yesterday, my Sportage had its first service, marking 51 weeks of age and covering a distance of 10,200 miles.

During the vehicle collection yesterday, the Kia dealer briefly mentioned the technician's remarks on the smudging of all three wipers.

There was no explicit promotion, just briefly noted and then proceeded. Recently, I saw a minor smudging of the wipers, even when the glass was clear.

Throughout my ownership of several automobiles, including two Mark IV Sportages, as well as commercial vehicles, I have consistently changed the front wiper blades every two years. However, I noticed a noticeable decline in their effectiveness at this point. I am uncertain about the safety of using the fronts for a further 12 months or 10,000 km.

The issue at hand pertains to a vehicle that I get great pleasure from operating. However, I am curious whether anybody else has seen a premature decline in the effectiveness of their factory-equipped NQ5 Sportage wiper blades.

I do not drive in very dusty or gritty situations. I consistently use a high-quality screen wash mix throughout the year. I anticipate that a set of wiper blades equipped with factory-fitting will last for about 2 years or 20,000 miles.

Thank you for perusing the text. I eagerly anticipate your next encounters.

Perform a thorough cleaning of the screen and proceed to wipe the wiper blades.
The streaks vanish.

However, I have observed that the more potent the screen cleaning solution, the more severe any smudging becomes.
The screen wash percentage of my product (Halfords Berry Concentrated) ranges from 100% in winter to 25% in summer.

Replace them on an annual basis.

Alternatively, if impaired..

Vinegar is an effective cleaning agent, as is the use of a wipe containing Wd40 on rubber surfaces.

I have a preference for a clear screen and hence often change it.

When the automobile is washed and the roads are grated, the blades are meticulously wiped to eliminate any crud or grit.

I also use Halfords screen wash, just as you. The mixture was used at a concentration of 25% from May to September, and subsequently in late September. I include a volume of 1 to 2 litres of "neat" and subsequently use a minimum of 50% mixture until the conclusion of April, intensifying it if there are cold snaps anticipated. The citrus version I get is quite concentrated, with a temperature of -20°C when used neat and -7.5°C at 50%.

Curiously, as the intensity of the mixture increases, the occurrence of smearing becomes more noticeable. Perhaps I could let the washer tank to deplete and thereafter experiment with an other screen wash brand...

After 3 years, my Bosch vehicle remains flawless, and I had it installed shortly after purchasing it.
I personally wash the blades at least once every several weeks.

The outcome of one's actions on the roadways is contingent upon several factors. Even the smallest amount of greasy coating will cause it to spread. A little quantity of industrial alcohol was added to the combination to assist me when operating heavy goods vehicles (specifically, in the washer tank, rather than inside your body).

The wipers on this automobile have proven to be the most exceptional I have ever encountered.