# How important is the windshield-wiper base's filtering?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-windshield-wiper-bases-filtering/590630>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 28, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-windshield-wiper-bases-filtering/590630 "2011-07-28T16:06:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-windshield-wiper-bases-filtering/590630/1 "2011-07-28T16:06:06Z")

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I think the official name for the part is a cowl - [one of these](http://www.thepartsbin.com/sitemap/toyota~cowl_top_panel~parts.html).

I have a 1996 Corolla and a big shunk of the middle of that base is missing - nothing that holds/affects the windshield wipers - it’s a piece right in the middle that would let debris in. How important is that to get fixed, and how hard to replace?

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-windshield-wiper-bases-filtering/590630/2 "2011-07-28T16:27:49Z")

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It’s not important at all, but eventually leaves and debris will clog the drain holes.

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-windshield-wiper-bases-filtering/590630/3 "2011-07-28T16:37:00Z")

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Fixed typo in thread title.

Colibri  
General Questions Moderator

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**Author:** ![A2Steve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@A2Steve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A2Steve)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-windshield-wiper-bases-filtering/590630/4 "2011-07-28T16:38:35Z")

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The cowl is generally where you’re getting the air for your heater/AC - so leaves and such plugging drain holes is less of a problem than leaves and debris plugging your HVAC blower.  
Replacing it is probably easy, on the ones I’ve dealt with it’s just a handful of plastic screws you can access with the hood open.

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**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-windshield-wiper-bases-filtering/590630/5 "2011-07-28T17:47:11Z")

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If the debris plugs the cowl drains (and it does happen), rain water will flow into the heat/vent/A-C ductwork inside the cab. The debris itself may get into said ductwork, which usually isn’t a significant problem, though it can be occasionally. Small rodents have been known to build nests in various parts of cars, again rare but it has happened.

If what’s missing is a center piece that doesn’t require wiper arm removal to access, replacement should be quick and easy, probably 4 or 5 screws.