🔧 Prius - Front Wiper Blade Replacement

Replacing the front wiper blades is a quick job that restores clear vision in rain and reduces streaking and chatter. On your Prius, it’s best to put the wipers in a “service position” so you can lift the arms safely without hitting the hood.

Difficulty Level: Beginner | Estimated Time: 0.25-0.5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Don’t let the bare wiper arm snap onto the windshield; it can crack the glass.
• ⚠️ Use a towel on the windshield when blades are off to protect the glass.
• ⚠️ Keep fingers clear of the wiper hinge; it can pinch.
• Battery disconnect is not required.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Small flat-blade screwdriver
• Shop towel

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front wiper blades - Driver: 26", Passenger: 19" - Qty: 2

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground and make sure the wipers are turned off.
• Put a shop towel on the lower windshield area as a safety cushion.
• Assumption: Your Prius uses standard J-hook wiper arms (most common setup).

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Move the wipers to service position

• Use the wiper stalk to confirm wipers are off.
• Method A (common Toyota service position): Turn the car to OFF, then within 45 seconds move the wiper stalk to MIST (single wipe) and hold it for about 2 seconds until the wipers move up.
• Method B (alternate): Turn the car to ON then OFF, then within 45 seconds tap the stalk to MIST twice to move the wipers up.
• If they don’t move up, use Method B.

Step 2: Lift the driver-side wiper arm

• Gently pull the driver wiper arm away from the windshield until it stays up.
• Place the shop towel under the arm area on the glass.

Step 3: Remove the old driver-side blade

• Rotate the blade so it’s roughly perpendicular (90°) to the wiper arm.
• Find the small lock tab where the blade meets the arm.
• Press the tab by hand; if it’s tight, carefully assist with a small flat-blade screwdriver.
• Slide the blade down and off the hook.

Step 4: Install the new driver-side blade

• Confirm you have the 26" blade.
• Slide the new blade onto the hook until you hear/feel a click.
• Gently tug the blade to confirm it’s locked.

Step 5: Lower the driver-side wiper arm safely

• Guide the arm down by hand—do not drop it.
• Remove or reposition the shop towel as needed.

Step 6: Repeat for the passenger-side blade

• Lift the passenger wiper arm the same way.
• Remove the old blade using the lock tab.
• Install the new 19" blade until it clicks.
• Lower the arm gently back onto the windshield.

Step 7: Return wipers from service position

• Turn the car to ON and briefly operate the wipers using the stalk to park them normally.
• Use the wiper stalk to turn the wipers back OFF.

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✅ After Repair

• Test with windshield washer fluid and run wipers on LOW for 10–15 seconds.
• Check for streaking, skipping, or a loose blade (a loose blade may not be fully clicked in).
• Wipe the windshield clean for best results.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $60-$120 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $30-$60 (parts only)

You Save: $30-$60 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 0.3-0.5 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.