Great Info!!

 

I had trouble removing these wiper blades. I was ready to drive to my dealer for help until I came across this post. Thanks a lot.

 

Thanks for the helpful info - now I can install my winter blades.

 

You rock Scoobie! Thanks for the great how-to.

 

I had the dealer replace my under the 36 month limited warranty which is kind of strange to think there is a limited warranty on blades and brake pads.

 

Found a replacement rear 14" rear blade at advance autoparts (Trico 14-B), but it barely contacts the rear window and is basically useless. Anyone find a decent rear replacement blade for the 14 Foresters?

 

wiper blade refills are covered by the warranty.

 

Out of curiosity, why do you recommend downsizing winter blades?

 

^ good question.

It should be noted that by going to a shorter blade, you might not clear the area in front of the Eyesight cameras (of equipped) which would render the system useless in inclement weather.

 

Just wanted to add that these new Foresters use the same wiper mechanisms as my Hondas both front and back. I have already removed them and compared to my Hondas and they are identical.

When it comes time to replace the blades, I plan to buy the refills from Honda. I get the honda refills (made in Japan) for about $3 each from my local dealer. Subaru appears to charge 3-4 times this price.

I'm all about using subaru oil/ engine/ and cabin filters as well as all fluids (except engine oil) but the Subaru branded wiper refills are way over priced so I was happy to see that they are identical to the Hondas that are of the same quality but much cheaper.

 

is the wiper blades under warranty?

since it is wear item , i am not sure i am correct?

and does anybody use the honda CRV wiper blades replacing the subaru one?

 

Yes, the wiper blades are covered under the wear item warranty.

Why use CRV wiper blades? There are surely better options out there... I am running Bosch Icon wiper blades and am extremely happy with them.

 

Thanks GeoJosh

that is awesome. i will go back to dealership and replace it next month.

Since Shora said that "Just wanted to add that these new Foresters use the same wiper mechanisms as my Hondas both front and back. I have already removed them and compared to my Hondas and they are identical." , I thought that would be an another way to replace and it is more cheap than Subaru parts.

Have a good day to everybody.

 

July 2016. Replacing the wipers on my 2014 Forester for the first time (I know, I know. Two years on the OEM blades. However, they remain quiet and only recently began to perform poorly). I could not figure out how to remove the OEM wipers, then found these photos. Will try it out tomorrow when my new Bosch Icon blades arrive.

Many thanks, Scoobie_newbie!

 

So are there any options/upgrades for the rear wiper? Mine is s few months old and sux

 

Mine sucks too.

If yours is newish, try wiping it with rubbing alcohol and a paper towel. Helps mine.

 

Pretty sure the rear one is proprietary and you are stuck buying replacement rubber strips from dealer.

 

Just replaced all 3 of mine for my 2016 Forester. Used the refills from the dealer as in my experience replacing the whole cartridge with OEM aftermarket always results in a wiper that just doesn't perform as well as the original. The rear one was a little tricky as I had to leave the whole unit on the vehicle, but the front ones were a breeze as I removed the whole blade. Paid about $25 for all 3 - a bit pricey IMO.

 

Pricier in Ontario Canada

The blades on my 2015 forester seem to be still OK but I figure it's time for a new set. The closest dealership quotes $45 plus tax for a set of 3 rubber refills. :surprise:

I think that's just too pricey considering you can get Michelin blades (the entire blade assembly including rubber refills) from Costco for around $14 a piece. But I hear the OEM ones are better quality and last longer.

Can I buy these refills elsewhere for cheap? If I get them from other brands (say Toyota, Honda) -- will they fit?

 

So I just did icons in the front oem in the back; but last change Autozone had an aftermarket (not Bosch) for the back. You can get one.

 

2015 Forester

I have always replaced just the rubber in the wiper frames, easy and inexpensive. However, cannot figure out how to remove the whole blade assembly or the rubber from the rear wiper.

Also, the 14" blade on the rear holds a different width rubber insert than the front. Does anyone know the specs on this?

 

@johnnyjackhammer

Take a look at the attached doc. If I remember correctly, the rear blade needs a bit of force to pop free.

Mike

 

@johnnyjackhammer

Take a look at the attached doc. If I remember correctly, the rear blade needs a bit of force to pop free.

Mike

Mike that’s super helpful. Where can I find this entire manual In PDF format, looks useful. 😀

Do you know the spec on the rear blade. Width especially. I ordered some refills on line for the front which worked perfectly but ended up tossing the ones I ordered for the rear as they were too wide.

 

You can buy a 72-hour subscription to a Subaru site that allows you to download the service manuals, TSBs (Technical Support Bulletins), etc. See the following link to a somewhat long and probably-confusing thread. Probably the last few pages of the thread will be the most helpful, esp. since it appears that Subaru made things easier since I downloaded my stuff. I think it only costs ~$35.00.

(All Years) - How to - service manual, from STIS 3 day...

Sorry, I don't know the blade width spec. I usually just replace the whole wiper. I order them from forum-sponsor subaruonlineparts.com. They have a section in this forum. You can post and request a free-shipping code, but there is a minimum purchase amount.

Mike

 

After a little sleuthing... looks like Subaru Parts is no longer providing the refills. You can find them on Amazon for about $5 for the rear and $8 for a front window kit.

OEM Part numbers and specs for Reference

Wiper Blade Refill (rear)
Part Number: 86548AG080
350MM
W: 6mm H:10mm

Windshield Wiper Blade Refill (front)
Part Number: 86548AJ000
650MM
W:8mm H:10mm
Rubber Windshield Wiper (whole assembly)
PB001591 USE SOA591U426

Windshield Wiper Blade Refill (front)
Part Number: 86548SG100
425MM
W:8mm H:10mm
Rubber Windshield Wiper (whole assembly)
PB001557 USE SOA591U417