What causes the windshield washer to spray water but not move?
2 Answers
The following are the possible reasons why the windshield washer sprays water but does not move: 1. Check the wiring and motor: Inspect whether the wiring is loose or the motor is damaged. Turn off the engine, open the hood, and activate the washer switch. If you hear the motor working, it indicates the motor is fine; otherwise, it could be loose wiring or a damaged motor. 2. Check the wiring fuse and spray nozzles: Examine the wiring fuse. Check if the spray nozzles are clogged. You can use a thin metal wire to unclog them, but be careful not to break it inside. 3. Pay attention to cleaning: See if there is any debris or residue on the wiper blades; clean them and check again. Also, check if there is tree sap, insect residue, etc., on the windshield; clean it thoroughly and try again.
As someone who frequently tinkers with cars, I've found that the issue of windshield wipers spraying water but not moving is quite common. The most frequent cause is a problem with the wiper motor, possibly due to internal gears getting stuck or the motor burning out. The fact that the spray system works indicates that the water pump and control switch are fine, so the issue is concentrated in the movement part. You can start with a simple check: when you turn on the wipers, listen carefully for a humming sound. If there isn't any, the motor is likely dead; if the motor makes noise but doesn't move, the linkage arm might be broken or jammed. Also, don't forget to check the wiper fuse in the fuse box—it might have blown, cutting off the circuit. In daily car use, I recommend not ignoring this issue because driving in the rain without functioning wipers severely affects visibility and is quite dangerous. It's best to head to the repair shop as soon as possible.
