Wipers usually get attention from drivers if the weather is terrible. Have you ever imagined what may cause them to be frozen, yet the motor is working? In this situation, you must know what you can do to remediate the problem.
Heavy snow or ice, torn blades, loose link rods, or a failing gearbox may make the windshield wipers not work despite the motor moving. Contact your trusted mechanic to diagnose and fix all problems with your wipers for safe driving.
Windshield wipers are filmy and fragile components prone to malfunctioning or wearing out. If your wipers are frozen but the motor works, it’s essential to understand the possible causes and what you can do.
How Do Windshield Wipers Work?
Your windshield wiper system has a few components but may fail to work when a problem happens on one of them. A fuse regulates power to the system wired directly to a motor. And switch.
Engaging the switch makes the motor rotate with all linked arms connected by various pivot points. This converts the rotation into a back-and-forth movement of the wipers. When they stop working but the motor moves, any system components may be broken or damaged.
What causes the windshield motors to freezing but the motor works?
Your windshield wipers are prone to various problems that may make them freeze. Its minimal design increases the chances of malfunctioning. Understanding the possible causes makes it easy to find solutions.
Let’s see some of these potential problems.
Loose Link Rods
Having good wipers is essential for every car owner. Link rods move the wiper blades and arms back and forth. The linkage attaches to the motor hidden under the hood, protecting it from bad weather.
Link rods are prone to several problems since they are exposed to the sun, wind, snow, and wear and tear. The wiper linkage is built to last the vehicle’s lifespan but with chances of breaking down when you least expect it.
Overuse in wet or cold weather is the most common cause of premature wear and tear of the link rods. This makes the linkage strip from the wiper arm, and fixing the problem requires replacing the linK rods.
Signs that your wiper linkage has issues include:
- Wipers rotating out of sequence
- Sputtering blades while operating
- Blades not moving when operated
- Grinding noise from the wipers
What To Do
If you notice any signs, it is proof that your wiper linkage is failing. You must never hesitate to contact your trusted mechanic to inspect the wiper blade linkage. This will allow for discovering the source of the problem and making appropriate repairs.
Torn Blades
This is the most common cause of wipers not working, yet the motor moves. The wiper blades are made of rubber which determines the system’s effectiveness. New blades have complete contact with the windshield surface for effectively removing moisture.
However, blades with torn edges or tiny rubber tears are less effective. The gaps can’t allow the collecting or diverting of moisture on the windshield. When this happens, your visibility is hindered, making driving unsafe.
What To Do
Replacing the wiper blades at least once a year is strongly recommended. You may have to change them more frequently if you live in a place exposed to heavy snow or ice. The blades are exposed to wear and unexpected damage hence the multiple replacements.
Replacing the blades before they eventually break down while driving is proactive. Driving with missing or damaged blades hinders visibility putting yourself and other road users at risk.
Inclement Weather
Ice or snow on the windshield leads to poor performance of the wipers. The wipers are designed to remove light ice and snow on the windshield, not heavy snow or ice. Using the wipers to remove these damages the edges and lead to failure.
Removing heavy material using fragile wipers may make them bend. Ice that collects and freezes on the windshield may become too abrasive to the wiper blades leading to tears in the rubber.
What To Do
About 20% of road accidents result from poor visibility. The wipers work in cold conditions to keep snow and ice away from the windshield. However, ensuring good visibility requires that the wipers are in good condition.
Before driving, here are things you can do to protect your wipers:
- Remove snow and ice using a scraper
- Keep the nozzles clear
- Remove ice from other parts of the car
Loose Pivot Nuts
Your wipers may only work when the pivot nuts are tight enough. The wiper system has several pivot points that convert the motor’s rotational energy into the blade’s back-and-forth movement. If the pivots are loose, it hinders the effectiveness of the blades.
What To Do
The pivot nuts connect the arms to the transmission. In this situation, the motor works and turns the pivot, but the wiper arms don’t move. When this happens, inspect the pivot points to ensure they are firmly in place. You can fix this by tightening the pivot nuts without replacing the wipers.
Failing Motor Gears
A wiper motor has a gearbox with multiple gears with different speed settings. The gearbox activates an individual gear for the applicable setting for applying to the wiper blades after receiving a signal from the switch through the module.
The gearbox transmits signals to the wiper blade system but is prone to wear and tear or breakdown. Malfunctioning of the gearbox may cause the wiper blades to fail. Signs of a failing wiper gearbox include:
- Blades moving erratically
- Single wiper blade moving
- Wipers failing to work when selected
What To Do
If you notice any of the problems above, fixing them before putting your car on the road again is inevitable. All vehicles must have working blades to avoid getting cited with a traffic infraction for blades that don’t work. Contact a mechanic immediately to fix the gearbox for safe driving.
Conclusion
When you notice that your wipers are frozen but the motor works, it may be because the blades are torn, or there is a loose linkage. Visiting your trusted mechanic to fix problems with your wiper is very important for your safety and that of other road users.
