What should I do if my car's windshield wipers won't stop?
After the rain, the usual thing to do while driving is to turn off the windshield wipers, but they often continue to operate. This might sound strange, but many drivers encounter this problem every year.
In this article, let's explore why your car's windshield wipers won't stop and what a driver should do in this situation.
Mr. Dao Anh Thien, owner of a car garage on Tan Trieu Moi Street, Thanh Tri District, Hanoi, shared: "In certain cases, the wiper control switch on a car can malfunction. Therefore, the wiper motor circuit may not receive the signal to stop. When this happens, replacing the multi-function switch may be necessary. The price of this switch ranges from 300,000 to 1,000,000 VND."
Besides a faulty switch, the wiper relay can also get stuck, causing power to continue to the wiper motor circuit, resulting in the wipers running continuously. Fortunately, this problem is relatively easy to fix and can be completely resolved by installing a new wiper circuit relay. Mr. Thien said that wiper relays are quite inexpensive, costing only 15,000-30,000 VND.
Furthermore, most functions related to the windshield wipers are controlled by an intelligent module. While these modules rarely fail, there is still a possibility of malfunction. If this happens, the wipers will run continuously without stopping.
What should I do when the windshield wipers won't stop?
If the car's wipers won't stop, Mr. Thien suggests that users should address the problem immediately to avoid damaging the wipers and the windshield.
To temporarily fix the problem, you need to remove the wiper fuse or relay. You can find detailed information on the location of the fuse or relay to be removed on the underside of most car fuse box covers. In theory, this will cut off all power to the windshield wiper circuit, thus eliminating any possibility of operation.
The second method users can try is to turn off the vehicle and disconnect the negative terminal of the battery. After 15 minutes, users can reconnect the negative battery cable and restart the engine. This should resolve the issue related to the wiper control module.
In all cases, the root cause related to the wiper motor should be diagnosed and repaired as soon as possible. Doing so will minimize the risk of excessive damage to the wiper motor and windshield.
If users are not confident in their ability to handle these repairs themselves, or simply lack the time for it, they should consider taking their vehicle to a reliable service center as soon as possible.
In addition, Mr. Thien also advised that continuously operating the wipers on a dry windshield will cause noise and affect concentration while driving. Furthermore, if not repaired promptly, damage to the windshield surface could cost users more money.
