The Trico Part Number 12-B (which is shown in the video) is for Mazda 3's built in Mexico with the first 2 digits of the VIN being 3M. The Trico Part Number 12-A is for Mazda 3's built in Japan with the first 2 digits of the VIN being JM.
Thank you! I have a 2016 Mazda3, and the illustrations in the owner's manual for changing the rear wiper were a little confusing to me, so I was always afraid that I'd break something by twisting the wiper the wrong way. Seeing how you did it really helped me. For a replacement, I went with a Rain-X Expert Fit wiper. It doesn't have the two small studs you show on the Trico, and the gap in between the arm and the assembly is only slightly larger than the EOM assembly, not like the large hole on the Trico assembly. I tried putting the Rain-X rubber blade into the EOM assembly, anyway, like you did with the Trico rubber blade, but discovered that the top of the Rain-X blade is a little bit wider than the EOM blade, and so that blade wouldn't slide into the EOM assembly. The Rain-X assembly looks close enough to the EOM one, however, that I put the rubber blades back on that and put that assembly on the car. Again, thank you! I search RU-vid for just such a video to replace that rear blade, and yours by far was the biggest help!
Excellent, easy to follow video Bob; thanks. I replaced all three on a Jan 2014 model and only got stumped on the rear one until I watched this. The replacement set of 3 unbranded wiper blades I bought online, appears to be very good quality and as close to OEM spec as you can get and was $33 delivered here in Australia.
Great tutorial. I did not know to take cap off, so I might have eventually broken the assembly on the car if I hadn't watched the video. I used an Anco replacement blade that fit perfectly without any bumps or gaps.
I ended up doing the same thing as you Bob, just switching out the rubber blade part, and ditching the new housing. The OEM housing blends in much more seamlessly, thanks for the heads up on this!
Thanks Bob, I never would have guessed that bottom piece came off. Trico must have watched your video and redesigned the wiper blade because the two tabs are gone. It's very easy to replace, once that piece at comes off.
Very helpful video, particularly the explanation of how to get the cap off. FWIW, the Trico I bought from Amazon was a perfect fit for my 2017 Mazda3. If I hadn't watched the video, I just know I wouldn't have figured out the part about the cap! Armed with that info, and with a Trico that fit, it took me all of three minutes. Thanks a million!
Great job on the video. I saved $10 (well $20 now) by trimming the insert from a new blade (size I don't need anymore) and inserting into the oem arm. I was worried the insert might come apart but it held up for a couple of years. I just wish my memory was better so I didn't have to look on line every time I need to get the blade off. Thanks for posting!
Thanks! That was helpful. 2 other things that might be helpful to other folks. After I took off my blade assembly, the wiper arm flung back down into my window. Didn’t sound too nice. I don’t think it did any damage. Then also I didn’t realize that the new blade had a plastic cover to protect it so I thought my new blade didn’t work very good. But in the end, i figures it out and all is well now.
Thank you! I got stumped with those two studs too and ended up doing the same thing as you by swapping the new rubber blade into my OEM wiper. Worked perfect!
Thanks for this great demo and idea to just replace the rubber. I ordered a 12-B Trico from Amazon for my 2015 made in Mexico and it did not have the hole/gap (when installed) as shown in the video. Maybe Trico updated their design. Also, the studs did not cause a fit issue for me. That said, I still replaced just the rubber as the existing frame (pretty sure it was OEM, but I'm not the original owner) was a but burlier. It was a challenge to get the rubber into the old frame (harder than shown in the video) but not too bad. The Trico blade was covered in graphite so be prepared to get some on your hands.
I got a Trico Ice wiper and it did NOT have that gap. The finish is slightly different, but it fits flush like the original. Thanks for the video, I would never have figured out how to get the old blade off!
Great tutorial and presentation... I got a replacement RainX rear wiper from Amazon that claimed direct replacement but it isn't by far. Used your tip to just snip the tabs and pull the rubber wiper of and put it in the old assembly and voila.. easy peasy.. tks for sharing ;)
Thank you, this was very helpful! Couldn't figure out how to bend the arm back far enough without breaking something. Really easy once you know how! My replacement had those tabs as well and didn't look like it was going to line up. Just swapped the blades like you did.
Very helpful, thanks. I have a Bosch replacement which looks like your Trico. If choosing to replace just the rubber blade, you could bend back the hinges on the plastic arm as far as they can go, and withdraw the blade from the middle (rather than breaking off one of the stoppers).
@@setulokavid7745 I figured out how to lift my rear wiper by reading the manual. Take a look at your manual to see the exact procedure. FWIW, I just changed the rear wiper on my neighbor's 2017 Toyota Prius, and removing the cap to lift the wiper was a similar process.
Thanks. That helped a lot. However, my Trico "original" blade's stainless steel rib came in two pieces - one on each side of the rubber wiper, making it a bit more problematic to get on since those two ribs had minds of their own and kept slipping out. With patience, I finally managed to get it on BUT... oops, the beginning clip-on point somehow slipped under and the plastic grip from the wiper base was directly on the metal and not on a sliver of rubber like the other two mounting clips, so I started over. Then with yet MORE patience, I was finally able to get it "right" for all three clips. What a pain. I don't care who the replacement manufacturer is, they all "stretch the truth" when they say OEM replacement. They always miss "something" and model changes even in midyear can wreck havoc on form, fit, and function of any replacement part.
Thank you. Great video. This is exactly the same way i used to repair my wife’s windshield wipers except one thing. All mazdas come with mitsuba windshield wipers. Exact size of Mitsuba rubbers can be purchased all over the net for 5-6 € instead of 60€ for pair of wipers at the mazda dealer.
Thank you Bob! The round opening is for the later years. My 2015 Mazda iTouring (Made in Mexico-yes thats important for ordering) doesn't have the flat end. The wiper arm has a rounded end like the wiper blade you have here.
Fantastic, I don't have a rear wiper since I have a sedan, but you gave me good ideas. I ordered a set of Bosch wipers for my windshield, but after watching this I am NOT going to throw away the old wipers. Maybe I can get some rubber and reinstall for next time?
need to know that the trico rear wiper blade has two different types for those built in Japan or those built in Mexico...I've replaced it with the Trico wiper blade 2x already in my '17 hatch..Because my was built in Japan, I have to use the 12-A that has the Roc Loc 2 attachment. If you have one built in Mexico, you get the 12-B wiper blade which has the Roc Loc 3 attachment. .
I didn't know there was a difference. My 2014 Mazda3 is made in Japan, and I got the wiper in the video from Amazon. It did not ask me where the car was built.
Thank you very much. Tried understanding how to do it using the user manual and it didnt go well. Sometimes a demonstration works better than pictures.
man. never thought replacing a rear wiper blade would be so annoying. i bought rainx which had that j-hook which didn't fit at all. then i bought one on amazon that said it's compatible but the opening wasn't the same as OEM. i had to take off the rubber at replace my original blade
The facelift mazda has a different rear wiper. You can lift it up without taking that plastic off. So this tutorial is only viable for 2014-2017 pre facelift models.
Great content and videography (actually showing exactly how to get things on and off in detail). Question for you or anyone, buying a whole new blade+assembly each time and discarding the assembly might seem like a bit of a waste. Are there any places out there selling JUST the wiper "refill" that work well and fit this original Mazda blade housing?
You can probably get the rubber blade from a local autoparts store. Just take the wiper assembly to the store and make sure you get something that fits. That should be cheaper than doing what I did. Thanks for the nice comment!
Thanks... for this comment and the other one you left. I do plan to make more Mazda3 videos and have one coming up soon. It's too cold right now, however. If you haven't seen it yet, I also have videos on how to replace the brake light switch in the Mazda3, how to replace the front wipers, and how to replace the cabin (pollen) filter.
Hi Bob, I think you bought the wrong wiper blade. I bought a Bosch H306 blade for my 2018 Mazda 3 and it looks identical to the Trico one. I checked their website, and they had a different part number for your car.
There are 2 different rear replacement wipers - 1 for Mazda manufactured in Mexico and 1 for manuf. in Japan. I don't know if that makes a difference with the gap or not. Look at the VIN, if it has 3's in the first several digits, it's manuf. in Mexico. Also, Bosch H306 fits flush, $8 on Amazon.
That's what others have said in the comments. However, when I ordered this blade from Amazon, it was listed as the correct fit. Obviously, that's not correct.
I'm not sure, but possibly the blade gets installed in the pivoting carriers, then snapped into the wiper frame. I'm sure they figured out an easy way without running the risk of breaking something.
I have a 2020 Mazda CX-30, and I cannot move the arm all the way up, because I have a stopper that needs to come out after removing the cover. The owner's manual says I need to remove the stopper, but gives no details. I can't for the life of me remove the stopper without breaking the whole thing; it's in there solid.
Sorry, I have no advice for you. I have only the 2014 Mazda3 in this video. Can you stop at a friendly Mazda dealer and ask them? If you bought your car there, they ought to show you something like this for free.
@@BobKovacs Thank you for the reply. I did buy it at a Mazda dealer, but it's an hour away from me. I live out in a rural area. I'll probably take it to my local mechanic or try an ice pick. This was an asinine design choice by Mazda on their newer models.
I had another thought for you. Lots of autoparts stores say that they will replace your wipers if you buy them at the store. You might want to try an autoparts store near you... just a thought.
@@BobKovacs I took my car to my local auto shop today for my routine oil change and tire rotation. They said they would put the rear blade on at no charge. Well... they ended up cracking the arm while putting the new blade on. And they were fully aware of the stopper. Now they have to order a new wiper arm, and replace it free of charge of course. I'm just glad I didn't attempt it. These guys have years of experience working on all types of vehicles. All this complexity for what's supposed to be a simple blade change. I was thinking maybe the new arm won't have that stopper in it - fingers crossed.
It was a Trico 12-B. Amazon still shows that as the right fit for my Mazda3, but it now says that it is the right fit for Mazda3s that have a VIN starting with "3M". My VIN starts with "JM".
