Rear wiper blade.. 12"

I believe Rock Auto has them. That vehicle was sold in many versions from other countries. If you use the search box you can find that there's a box that shows parts related to this vehicle. Anco sells 12" wiper refills for less than $4

OH oh, Roddie. Do we need help, or is everyone else missing all the fun?  I have a stash of wiper blades and arms that goes way back to my 65 Impala.  Every time I see it, I think why not get rid of them??  I think I have recycled only a few on to newer vehicles.
I've got one that is a chrome arm holding 3 blades, sort of a pre "wolverine" wiper. I doesn't take up much room in the garage, so I just leave 'em there till next time.  

My favorite sources for new blades: auto zone, Napa then
Amazon.  Oh, there's also Rock Auto on line too. Oh, others have chimed in too.

Forgot to mention that I replaced her "front" blades earlier this afternoon. The driver's side is 24" and passenger side is 16". My 2005 Chevy Trailblazer uses 22" blades for both front.. and a 16" in the rear. I replaced all three of "mine" this past week. My rear wiper "arm" has had an issue for a while; with not providing enough pressure on the glass to clear completely. The arm's "hinge" was seized. When I lifted the arm off the glass.. it would not spring-back down. I oiled-it with light-oil earlier this season.. but that didn't help. When I replaced its blade this time, I used "penetrating-oil'.. and worked the hinge back and forth several times before it finally loosened-up. It works great now. Apparently this is a common problem that GM addressed in the arm-design in later years.

I have another issue with the Trailblazer's washer-system though. The "tank" leaked like a sieve. The leak was coming from one of the two washer pumps. I removed the tank to find that the front pump-housing had separated. The lower-housing "clips-onto" the pump-body.. and one of the clips had broken. I pushed it back together and wrapped it with electrical-tape. That took care of the leak.. but a few months later (2016/17 Winter onset..) the pump stopped pumping. The pump-motor runs when activated.. but it sounds like either the impellor broke.. or maybe the line is clogged. The rear pump works fine. Doesn't that figure..?

The engine's air-cleaner snorkel has to be removed to access the washer-tank, pumps and lines. Maybe tomorrow I'll take it apart again.. and see if the rear pump will pump fluid through the front-lines. I don't have an air-compressor to blow-out the line if it's clogged. Any ideas on how I could clear a clogged-line.. if that's what I find?

I feel your pain roddie. I hate changing the things. Push this pull that and rotate.....

Last time I had my Honda serviced I said "oh ya, change the wiper blades too." Best $14.95 I ever spent parts and labor.

Bob

I replace the wipers on the Mini every year - the wiper blades are part of the annual MOT test in the UK and it is not worth the hassle of a retest. Because I drive in all weathers and the car is never garaged - the baldes tend to go brittle. It is not helped by driving on road that are salted and gritted in the winter.

12" is not really small - the Mini uses three different sizes. 19" passenginger front, 18" driver front and 11" for the rear window.

My old Land Rover - no longer with me - used 11" blades for the front screen(s). They lasted forever - the windscreen was flat and had a special coating (ex military) so they hardly ever needed to be used.
Water and rain just didn't seem to stick.

Thanks fella's.. I'll call the local Auto-Zone tomorrow. Yes.. the Chevy Captiva is a "Daewoo" product, badged also in the past as a GM Saturn "Vue". The Captiva was actually a "fleet-vehicle" in the US; not offered to the general-public. We bought ours used in 2014 from a local Chevy dealer.. with approx. 40K mi.

It's been a decent vehicle... but you may remember my posting concerns about its motor oil consumption between scheduled changes. It'll use one quart in as little as 500 miles. It depends.. but I check it at least every other weekend. I now buy a large (5qt.) jug of 5W-30 full-synthetic and keep it stored with a funnel in the "way-back". There's never been any visible "smoke" emitted from the exhaust.. or signs of leaks in the driveway. I mentioned this to our local mechanic at the last oil/filter change.. and he said that a relative of his had the same condition with her Captiva. He addressed it by trying a service-kit/system that cleans/purges the crankcase-ventilation system.. which he claims has cut "her" engine's oil consumption by at least 50%. It's a $100 service.. and I've thought seriously about having it done. My 2005 Trailblazer doesn't use a drop between oil-changes.. and it's got 95K mi. on its 4.2L I-6 engine. Lynne's Captiva now has close to that mileage after 3 years of ownership. We have 2 years of payments remaining on the Captiva.. and a major engine-job; especially before it's paid-off would suck. It's been very economical to operate though.. as compared to my Trailblazer. The Captiva averages 30+mpg.. with its 1.6L I-4/6-speed automatic transaxle.. compared to the Trailblazer which averages 12 mpg. My work commute is 26 miles round-trip/daily.. and Lynne's is 37. She uses about 6 gallons/wk. of fuel compared to my 11-12 gallons.

ian1954 wrote:I replace the wipers on the Mini every year - the wiper blades are part of the annual MOT test in the UK and it is not worth the hassle of a retest. Because I drive in all weathers and the car is never garaged - the baldes tend to go brittle. It is not helped by driving on road that are salted and gritted in the winter.

12" is not really small - the Mini uses three different sizes. 19" passenginger front, 18" driver front and 11" for the rear window.

My old Land Rover - no longer with me - used 11" blades for the front screen(s). They lasted forever - the windscreen was flat and had a special coating (ex military) so they hardly ever needed to be used.
Water and rain just didn't seem to stick.

Geez.. I'd forgotten that you owned a Land Rover Ian. I have that photo in your file.. but I must have saved it a couple of years ago. What on earth possessed you to let that vehicle go? I've loved that that model LR since I was a kid and saw the first one on TV.. "Daktari"... remember that show?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxdxk0RpBQg



I believe that I once had this "Lesney" Matchbox model of it..

Ian,
My Dad showed me a trick long, long, ago of wiping the wiper blades down with a shop rag and denatured alcohol to keep them soft and pliable, or supple as some may say. every month or two.
Each time you wipe them down the shop towel or rag will be very black because of the dirt and grunge from salts and ozone oxidation but they will be soft.
Mostly, I get at least two years or better from a set of blades.
I realize you may have very stringent DVM rules in your world that require annual changes no matter what.
Even so, monthly or two cleaning will still get like new performance anyway.
YMMV
Steve.....

Apparently you have never seen MG wiper blades...

Anyway it's a 2012 go to Autozone and order it. Surely you can get that blade at any major. auto parts store?

Here is what a quick search turned up:

http://www.partsgeek.com/mmparts/wiper_blade/chevrolet/captiva_sport.html

Sorry, can't add anything re the wipers, but I have a question since oil consumption was mentioned:
Is it normal for a turbocharged engine to use oil? Holley's '08 VW Passat has a 2.0T gasoline engine that uses a fair amount. It has not changed in the six years we've owned it. The exhaust pipe is sooty and I'm told that's normal. I've white-finger tested several BMW and Lexus in the grocery store parking lot and they all have sooty pipes too. Fingering other men's wives' pipes, weird, huh.
Rusty

RknRusty wrote:Sorry, can't add anything re the wipers, but I have a question since oil consumption was mentioned:
Is it normal for a turbocharged engine to use oil? Holley's '08 VW Passat has a 2.0T gasoline engine that uses a fair amount. It has not changed in the six years we've owned it. The exhaust pipe is sooty and I'm told that's normal. I've white-finger tested several BMW and Lexus in the grocery store parking lot and they all have sooty pipes too. Fingering other men's wives' pipes, weird, huh.
Rusty

It is normal for a turbo engine to use a little extra oil compared to a normally aspirated one.  The extra combustion pressure naturally increases engine blowby a little, causing some oil vapour to be forced through the PCV system.  On top of that, it's pretty normal for a turbo to weep a little oil through the seals, but this generally isn't enough to deplete the sump or cause smoke at the tailpipe.  I service many Captivas (sold here under the Holden badge) but most here are diesel.  Oil consumption hasn't been an obvious problem on any of them, although I've had two vehicles come in with oil leaks which the dealership claimed would require replacing the turbo.  They quoted around $4,000 stating the engine had to be removed.  In both cases I found the hose clamps holding the air pipes onto the turbo were loose, allowing the turbo pressure to force a small amount of oil out of the pipe under pressure.  I put it down to the "weep" from the turbo seals I mentioned earlier, tightened 3-4 hose clamps, washed it down and problem solved.  One customer even said they were told by the dealership that the engine had to be removed to replace the camshaft belt, costing $2,500.  Well, not in my shop.  An $80 belt and a couple of hours and it's done.  Can't do it without the special tools they say.  Rubbish!  Just takes a small amoint of ingenuity.  If you don't have ingenuity you need to get out of the auto game.

No offence to the owners here, but here in OZ the Captiva is generally referred to as the "Craptiva".  Their reputation is pretty poor.

Rod.

RknRusty wrote:Sorry, can't add anything re the wipers, but I have a question since oil consumption was mentioned:
Is it normal for a turbocharged engine to use oil? Holley's '08 VW Passat has a 2.0T gasoline engine that uses a fair amount. It has not changed in the six years we've owned it. The exhaust pipe is sooty and I'm told that's normal. I've white-finger tested several BMW and Lexus in the grocery store parking lot and they all have sooty pipes too. Fingering other men's wives' pipes, weird, huh.
Rusty

Rusty some 20 years ago I had a VW Jetta that they mount with an 1.8l gas engine here. It consumed oil even if not too much maybe half a liter in 10k km.

Ever since I am driving diesels oil consumption is the problem of past. Neither the 1.9l diesel engine of my own 16 years old Audi A4 nor the 3l diesel engine of my company car Audio A6 eats noticeable amount of oil between the 30k km oil service intervals. Their cylinder and piston fit must be so precise that I assume the blowby is minimal.

Oldenginerod wrote: One customer even said they were told by the dealership that the engine had to be removed to replace the camshaft belt, costing $2,500.  Well, not in my shop.  An $80 belt and a couple of hours and it's done.  Can't do it without the special tools they say.  Rubbish!  Just takes a small amount of ingenuity.  If you don't have ingenuity you need to get out of the auto game.

Rod, thanks for answering my oil question.

As for the timing belt, I agree, BS. I bought a parts kit with all name brand new water pump, idler & spring, cam & crank seals, gaskets, etc. for $285 bucks and did it in my carport with ordinary tools on my 2.0L Mazda P5. It took me a Saturday and a Sunday, having never done it before. Even cleaned and painted the top valve covers. No lift, just up and down on and off the cement was the hardest part. That was 6 years ago and it's still fine, gets redlined every day like it was meant to be driven. Wayne owns it now and knows how to drive a sports car. I wish I could say I was physically up to the job today, but I was sort of proud of my work at the time.
Rusty

This was the finest machine I ever owned. It was built in Japan in 2002. I bought it in '03 and sold it to Wayne 2 years ago. Nothing ever went wrong with it. It never even had the faintest rattle, and I drove it like it was stolen.

I know we're getting off track a bit, but I recently had to solve a problem with a VW Transporter T5, 2.5 5 cylinder diesel.  The guy bought it from an auction without knowing how it ran.  Turns out, not too good.  Took it to one garage and they replaced the exhaust particulate filter, for $1,000 second hand.  Still no good.  Went to a diesel fuel injection specialist & they said it was injectors, but they didn't have the equipment to test them.  So he went to VW who told him they would replace (not clean & test) the injectors, air mass sensor, turbo boost sensor & whatever else they felt like.  Quoted over $8,000.  Also said turbo would need replacing just to be safe.  All that has to be the problem, right?  Lack of power, rough idle, misfire on acceleration, blowing smoke etc.  Ok, we ripped the injectors out & he drove 2 hours to someone who could clean & test them.  All good.  Refitted them & no difference.  Compression test good.  Lots of head scratching and Google searching.  We'd about given up when I came across an article stating how common it is for these engines to wear out camshafts.  Right at that moment the owner rings me and says to watch this Youtube clip with a T5 doing exactly the same thing, caused by a worn camshaft.  Pulled the cover to find only one cam lobe left intact.  Two cam followers had holes worn through them.  
Everyone says you can't do a camshaft without all the special tools.  No key, spline or taper on the cam gear.  It can go on anywhere 360 degrees.  I think, I have a paint marking pen, so why not just mark everything in sight & put it back the same.  Owner got a new cam & lifters, we put it back together my way and it runs sweet as a button.  As payment, the customer and his dad put the roof on my new barn for no money.  Good deal I think.

Just goes to show, not everything is what you expect.  If he had of let VW do their job, he would have been $8,000 + out of pocket & the car would have been running just the same.

Major auto dealerships wonder why they get a bad name for themselves. I do feel bad for the dealer-mechanic when they have to perform a good share of factory warranty-work. They're lucky if they can make 30hrs. in 40-worked. The time-standards are ridiculously less time per job than the Motor books quote. What ends up happening is; some mechanics try to make up the loss by quoting bogus repair-work on the vehicles that are "out of warranty".. and double-dipping on repairs like wheel bearings in conjunction with a brake-job on the same axle. Maybe that's a poor example, but you know what I mean. Most customers won't know.. and will just pay the money.

And that is why they are referred to as "Stealerships" on most other auto related forums. They do, and must, use the factory "flat rate" hours per repair. Then the experienced mechanics utilize known quickie short cuts to do the job in less time, or add additional procedures and parts like wheel bearings on a brake pads replacement job. With the Internet and you tube having so much information and "Howto's" videos I don't ever plan on having "factory service" do my maintence /repairs. Especially since I took my last new car back for warranty service 3 times and ended up reattaching a vacuum hose myself to cure the problem. Idiots! Oh how they love single women. Unknowing, unquestioning, a source of continuous cash flow. They've ripped off a couple of my friends, wasn't my money or vehicle,  but still peeved me off.
Roddie, don't feel sorry for them only getting paid for 30hours, of the 40 hours worked. Based on first hand knowledge of a former Pontiac Dealer mechanic, it's not uncommon for them to do 60 to 80 "booked" hours of labor in a standard 40hour week. Yeah, he misses his old job a lot.  

Rod- Way to go! That's what I'm talkin about! A little head scratching and some common sense can go a long way and save a bunch of money! Nice roof by the way!