Hey, Why Are My Windshield Wipers Not Working?
Your windshield wipers are often forgotten until the weather starts to change. You're out on the road traveling along, and suddenly, it starts to rain. You flip the switch, and the wipers come on, and if everything is working properly, your vision is clear. But more often than not, the result is just a smeared mess because the wipers are neglected and always in the elements, which causes them to wear out rapidly. Please check your wipers on a regular basis to keep your vision 20-20
Are Your Windshield Wipers Not Working?
The windshield wipers aren't working because the wiper motor is damaged. Alternatively, this might happen if the wiper transmission, control module, or switch gets internal damages.
Your car's windshield wipers are essential for keeping your windshield clear when it's raining or snowing. If they're not working correctly, it's like driving with impaired vision, and that's not safe at all!
To avoid this, pay attention to any strange behaviors from your wipers. If they're not clearing the windshield properly, making weird noises, or getting stuck, it's time to take action. Once you know the problem, don't hesitate to take your car to your trusted auto shop.
Let's Get To The Bottom Of It!
The window wiper blades are made of a metal frame on top of a rubber blade. The rubber blade wears out as you use the wipers; it becomes stiff and may crack or break apart. When the rubber in the wiper blade gets stiff, the wipers won't move smoothly across the windshield. Instead, they will shake or shudder, sometimes even making loud noises at that. If this continues, the rubber blade might fall apart, leading to streaks on your windshield, and the wipers won't be able to clean properly.
The wiper motor is an electric motor that commands the windshield wipers. It uses a gear reduction system to slow down the motor according to the speed setting. Over time, the electric motor eventually wears out. At a certain point, it stops working altogether, and as a result, the windshield wipers won't move at any speed, making them inoperable.
- Q: Are the wipers doing jerky back-and-forth movements against the windscreen and loud clunking noises?
The wiper motor has its own transmission system. The transmission has arms and odd-shaped mechanisms. When the wiper motor rotates in a circular pattern, the transmission makes the wiper arms move back and forth across the front windshield. Over time, the windshield wiper transmission wears out. Then, the arms can detach and start making clunking sounds as the wiper motor rotates them. It's like they're drumming around instead of moving as smoothly as they should.
The wiper arms are connected to the wiper through a special metal pin. The knurls on the pin and arm work together to keep the arm in the correct position and timing. If the pin holding the wiper arm is loose, the arm can slip and degrade the knurls. The wiper stud is made of steel, while the wiper arm is made of aluminum. Since aluminum is softer than steel, the wiper arm damages more quickly than the metal pin. This might happen faster with one of the wipers, making it stop moving and stay in one place while the other works normally.
The wiper control module is like a small electronic brain controlling the different speeds of your windshield wipers and the pause between swipes. Since it's an electronic part, it can eventually wear out or develop internal issues. It might experience a short or an open circuit when it wears out. When the module shorts, it means there's a wiring problem, and as a result, the wipers may keep running even after you turn the wiper switch off. It's like the module gets confused and doesn't respond correctly, causing the wipers to keep going when they shouldn't.
The wiper switch is where you set the speed of your wipers. The switch has tiny electrical contacts under the hood, which can wear out over time. At this point, the switch can start acting up and cause issues. A common issue from this is that only certain speeds of the windshield wipers might work, while other speeds won't respond properly. It's like the switch gets a bit tired and doesn't work as smoothly as it used to.
Find Professional Help
Vehicle Health Inspection Proof
Explore the following typical inspection results that show a potential cause for the symptom and select the one you believe is similar to your vehicle's issue.
- Worn Wiper Blades
- Faulty Wiper Motor
- Faulty Wiper Transmission
- Detached Wiper Arm
- Faulty Wiper Control Module
- Faulty Wiper Switch
The proof image shows the rubber coming out of the wiper blade.
A customer brought their vehicle in because the windshield wipers weren't cleaning the windshield properly after a recent rainstorm.
During a test drive, the technician confirmed that the windshield wipers were not cleaning the windshield and were leaving streaks behind.
As part of the vehicle health inspection, the technician checked the condition of the wiper blades. They concluded that the wiper blades had worn out and needed to be replaced.
1/6Typical Fixes to Address the Cause(s)
The following chapters bases themselves on experiences from our auto repair shop; we'll describe related problems' causes and fixes.
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Vehicle Symptoms
Below are just a few examples of typical Symptoms and Fixes your car might be experiencing