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How to Repair Wipers

Are you experiencing difficulties with your windshield wipers? If so, you are not alone and the problems that are causing the windshield wipers not to work properly can vary from simple to extremely complex. Fortunately, most repairs for wipers can be narrowed down to a few items such as the wiper blades, motor, switch, fuse, or wiring. However, to find out which item is the culprit, a little troubleshooting must be done. Unless there is smoke appearing when the wipers are turned on, the problem can most likely be handled by the vehicle owner.

Instructions

Mechanical checks

1

Turn on the wipers and see if they clear the windshield. If the wipers turn on but do not clear the windshield, then you need a simple wiper blade replacement. Wiper blades can be purchased at any automotive part store and can usually be changed for you if you choose not to do it yourself.

2

Test for loss of electrical power by turning on the wipers again. If they attempt to move, but only slightly wiggle, the problem probably is jammed or seized wiper pivots or the wiper motor. Any small movement of the blades eliminates the loss of electrical power as the cause.

3

Use a socket wrench to unbolt the wiper motor from the vehicle, and attempt to move the wipers by hand. If the wipers move freely, the problem is a faulty motor, which will need to be replaced. If the wipers do not move freely, the problem might be with the pivots, which are located where the wiper arms attach to the vehicle.

4

Spray a penetrating oil (such as WD-40) into the pivots and attempt to move the wiper arms. In some cases, you may need to unbolt the pivot and actually soak it in the penetrating oil overnight. Check the vehicle owners manual for instructions, to help with the location and/or removal of the pivots.

Electrical checks

5

Check the fuse if there is no indication of power when the wiper motor is turned on. Most fuse boxes for vehicles can be found in the glove compartment or below the dash. Consult the owner manual for your cars fuse box location. If the filament in the fuse is broken, then the fuse must be replaced with one of equal amperage.

6

Check the switch to be certain it has power. The switch is located inside the steering column. The steering column can be disassembled by removing the screws keeping the two halves of the column together. Use the wire diagram found in your owners manual to establish which wire should have power.

7

Confirm that there is power to the appropriate wire using a GT-11 voltage detector. If the tester shows there is no power, the fault might be in a relay or broken wire. Relays can be easily replaced by first locating them using the owners manual as a guide and then plugging the new one in by hand.

8

Take the vehicle to a automotive electrical shop if the problem is in the wiring. Wiring in vehicles can become complicated quickly.

Posted by Unknown at 10:45 AM

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Labels: how, repair, to, wipers