How to Fix a Car Wiper That Won't Move?
4 Answers
When a car wiper stops moving, it's mostly due to a blown fuse. Simply open the fuse box, locate the wiper's fuse, pull it out, and replace it to resume operation. The purpose of a car wiper is to help the driver clear dirt from the windshield during rainy or foggy weather, ensuring driving safety. Wipers, also known as windshield wipers or windscreen wipers, are devices used to wipe away raindrops and dust attached to the vehicle's windshield, improving the driver's visibility and enhancing road safety. It's important to note that the wiper switch should not be turned on when the windshield is dry. If you need to test the wiper's functionality, first wet the glass with water. Otherwise, it may scratch the glass, and due to the high friction resistance of the wiper blade, it could damage the blade or burn out the wiper motor.
My wipers suddenly stopped working once, which was really frustrating. I troubleshooted step by step: first checked the corresponding fuse for the wipers in the fuse box and found it was blown. Replacing it with a new one solved the problem. If the fuse is fine, listen for any humming sound from the motor—no sound might mean the motor is burnt out. Mechanical jams are also common, like being frozen in snow or the linkage rusting solid; try spraying some rust remover on the joints. Also, if the wiper linkage has come loose, the wipers won’t move—just peek under the hood to check. Finally, inspect the switch and relay behind the steering wheel; tighten any loose wire connections. If all else fails, head to the repair shop—they can quickly test the circuits with a multimeter. Remember to disconnect the battery before working on it to avoid short circuits.
Don't panic if your wipers stop working, let me teach you a simple troubleshooting method. Open the fuse box in your car, find and replace the corresponding wiper fuse - this is the most likely issue. Then test the wiper controller; if there's no movement even on high speed, the motor is probably faulty. During snow or rain, be cautious of wiper arms freezing to the windshield - use an ice scraper to gently pry them loose, forcing them can damage the linkage. If the blades are stuck, check the rubber condition and replace aged or broken strips promptly. The wiper transmission mechanism is quite fragile; those aluminum alloy linkages can easily bend under ice pressure in winter. It's best to keep a bottle of conductive grease handy - applying a layer after cleaning rust from wiper connectors improves durability. Still can't find the problem? Most likely it's a control module failure.
I've experienced the wipers not moving! That time during the heavy rain, it was so frustrating. The quickest fix is to first replace the fuse, located under the glove box or in the engine compartment. Then, press the wiper stalk and listen for a sound—if there's no clicking noise, the relay is likely faulty. If you can hear the motor humming but the wipers aren't moving, it's definitely a jammed transmission mechanism, possibly blocked by leaves or ice. If you're doing it yourself, focus on two key areas: check if the pin at the base of the wiper arm has come loose, and see if the dust cover on the linkage gearbox is cracked and letting water in. Remember, safety first—turn off the wiper switch before opening the hood. Also, avoid dry wiping in daily use; always spray water first if the windshield is too dirty before turning on the wipers.
