How to Determine if the Wiper Motor is Faulty?
2 Answers
Methods to determine if the wiper motor is faulty: First, turn the car's ignition switch to the ON position, open the hood, and activate the wipers. If the motor is functioning properly, you should hear a distinct motor rotation sound. If there is no motor sound and you detect a faint burning smell, it is highly likely that the motor is damaged. In this case, you should promptly visit an auto repair shop for inspection and repair. Wipers are a wear-prone component on a vehicle, and there is no strict replacement interval for them. If the wipers fail to clean water effectively, do not fit perfectly against the windshield, or produce unusual noises, it's time to replace them. Wipers are categorized into beam-type (or conventional) wipers and flat-blade (or frameless) wipers, with the latter offering better windshield contact and more effective water cleaning.
Last month, my car's wiper suddenly got stuck and stopped working. When I took it for repairs, I found out the motor had burned out. Actually, there are several obvious signs of this kind of failure: First, there's no response at all after turning it on, but you can hear a slight clicking sound near the fuse box. Second, the wiper arm shakes abnormally, as if there's a leaf stuck. The most obvious sign is the third one—the wiper stops in a strange position and won't move. Once during rain, my wiper stopped suddenly in the middle of its sweep, and a burnt smell emerged. A friend's car also had wipers moving as slow as a sloth crawling. If you smell burning wires, cut the power immediately and call a tow truck—continued use could lead to a fire. When I was repairing my car, I also found that rusted linkage could affect the motor, so if you hear any unusual noises, check it out right away.
