Joe Sparks

Maintaining a clean windshield is essential for safe driving. It’s more challenging to avoid a collision, an object in the road, or a flaw in the road surface like a pothole if you can’t see the road well in front of you. Your windshield wipers must function correctly to keep your windshield clear.

When compared to other auto parts, a wiper is a rather flimsy and delicate device that is prone to breaking down or just wearing out. There are both good and bad news if your windshield wipers quit operating. The unfortunate thing is that you can’t see what’s in front of you anymore, which increases the likelihood of a collision or other accident.

The good news is that it’s not that difficult to figure out what’s wrong with your windshield wipers and how to replace them, and you might be able to avoid spending more money than necessary on new wipers for your car. 

What Causes Windshield Wipers to Suddenly Fail?

Your windshield wipers not working might be caused by some different causes. Here are some of the most frequent causes of windshield wiper failure:

Your windshield wipers are covered in snow or frozen. Given the light weight of your windshield wipers, heavy, wet snow may easily weigh them down or cause them to freeze on the windshield.

Your wipers are not securely fixed in place. Your windshield wiper blades won’t work if you don’t install them correctly.

Your wipers’ blades are torn. These rubber blades may easily rupture when in contact with anything substantial, rendering your wipers inoperable.

You have a broken wiper motor. The electric motor that drives your windshield wipers is the only one used for that purpose. This motor, which is an electrical device, is susceptible to shorting out, which will make your wipers completely immobile. The same thing might happen if the fuse in your engine blows.

Your wiper pivot’s bolts are unsecured. The bolts holding the windshield wiper system together might loosen, allowing the wiper arms to separate from the system.

The nozzle on your windshield washer is obstructed. Although this isn’t exactly a windshield wiper issue, it has a direct impact on how well your wipers work and how well they can clean a filthy windshield.

Windshield Wiper Blades and Rainy-Day Repairs.

You may occasionally experience a rainy day, which is an excellent chance to check the condition of your car’s wiper blades. These tips will help you out with the car windshield repair process.

Stay Calm.

If the wipers fail while you are speeding down the highway, don’t panic. Assess the problem first. Is water dripping from the windshield in beads? Still able to see where you’re going.

If so, it is safest to simply move forward more slowly rather than stopping entirely on the shoulder. What is the distance to the closest gas station or rest area? If you can still see, move along at a reasonable speed until you can stop in a secure location.

Stop The Car and Examine The Wiper.

Check the operation of the other functions whether your wiper switch is an independent wiper/washer combo or is mounted on a wiper stalk with the washers, turn signal, and maybe rear wiper system. Do the stalk’s turn signals function? Is the wiper fluid sprays, or not? Do the rear wiper features on your stalk function?

Check The Fuse.

If the fuse is functioning properly, a test light may be used to make that the wiper motor and fuse are both powered. To achieve this, place the test light on the metal tabs on the fuse’s top and the tabs on the connector for the wiper motor.

Pulse Board Malfunction.

The pulse board should be checked next if replacing the fuse doesn’t fix the issue. It is an electrical circuit board that is often found beneath your hood in a plastic box.

To find out where it is and what it looks like on your car, perform a Google search. Purchase a replacement board online or at a nearby auto parts store. Put the old board back in place with care.

Unstable Pivot Nuts.

Your wipers may struggle to work and cease wiping correctly if the pivot nuts are loose. The metal arms are connected to the wiper transmission by nuts, so when they are not firmly fastened, there will be a definite loss of function. Although it might happen frequently, it is not necessarily simultaneous on both sides. 

Therefore, loose nuts might be the reason if you find that only one wiper is having trouble or not functioning. Just tighten it, then make sure the second one is likewise tight. Test them afterward to see whether you were successful in windshield repair.

Whining Blades.

Grease, wax, or oil build-up likely caused your blades to drag when you were utilizing them. The accumulation prevents the blades from firmly grasping the window. Cleaning your windows and blades completely by hand is the answer to this. It should be replaced if you see that it is already bent.

Burned-Out Wiper Motor.

There’s a strong probability your wiper motor has failed if none of the three techniques above succeeds in getting your wipers to operate. This may occur after prolonged, vigorous usage.

A replacement motor may be ordered from an online auto parts retailer for your exact vehicle’s make and model. Wiper motors are always found under the hood, but each vehicle has a different process for removing the damaged motor and replacing it.

Issue With Wiper Control Switch.

Problems with the wiper control switch may also occur. Your wiper blades won’t be able to turn on when the controlling switch stops operating properly. The switch’s internal faulty contact may be what caused this to cease operating. While you’re checking out the wiper relay, you may also check this out for windshield repair.

Windshields are frequently splintered, chipped, or cracked as a result of rocks and other tiny items striking them. Windshield damage, whether it’s a little chip or a huge crack, should be addressed seriously. Unfortunately, most drivers are prone to ignore it, especially if it isn’t obstructing their vision while driving.

You should be aware, however, that even the tiniest cracks or chips may swiftly spread. As a result, new safety risks will emerge, putting you in danger every time you get into your car. When this occurs, regardless of the reason, substantial safety concerns exist, as well as solutions that can immediately resolve the condition.

Top Factors That Influence The Windshield Damage

A variety of conditions can cause even a little chip to spread quickly, and if the damage becomes too extensive, it may no longer be repairable. Let’s take a look at some of the most typical causes of auto glass damage that worsens fast.

1. Exposure To Direct Sunlight

Allowing your vehicle to sit in direct sunlight if you regularly park it outside might cause current windshield damage to spread. When exposed to direct sunshine, the glass may quickly heat up, and as it does, the glass will progressively expand. As the glass expands, the chip or break is almost certain to follow.

If you can’t get a windshield repair appointment soon away, park your car in a covered location or somewhere that isn’t in direct sunlight. Contact an expert to learn more about the auto glass replacement in San Antonio.

2. Extreme Temperatures

Whether it’s scorching summer, a freezing winter, or just a strong heater/air conditioner, any or all of these variables might cause your windshield to crack. The temperature differential between the inside and outside of your automobile can put a lot of strain on your cracked windshield, causing it to worsen.

If the windshield glass is hit, this absorbs most of the impact, keeping it from breaking. In the United States, laminated glass is required, while all other automobile windows are made of tempered glass, which shatters into multiple fragments.

3. Intrusion of Moisture

Every windshield is made of laminated glass, which consists of two layers of glass sandwiched together by a very thin layer of poly-vinyl-butyral. Because a windshield has numerous layers, when one of them cracks, the glass damage becomes more prone to moisture entry. When moisture gets into a chip or fracture and between the layers of glass, it can accelerate the progression of existing damage in certain situations.

If the temperature drops below freezing, the moisture inside the crack will solidify and grow. When that happens, the crack will be forced to widen. That’s why it’s critical to react to windshield repair as soon as possible, especially during the winter months when temperatures might change dramatically.

4. Dirt

Dirt, like moisture, may find its way into the inner workings of your windshield, weakening it. Consider placing a piece of transparent tape over the damage to keep it safe until it can be fixed. While the tape will not impair your eyesight while driving, it will shield the crack from dirt and other airborne particles. Just don’t use the tape as an excuse to put off fixing the problem!

5. Bad Weather

Windshield damage is extremely widespread due to the country’s ever-changing weather. Tree branches and other debris driven by severe winds, as well as heavy hailstones, can cause the same sort of damage as stones. If you have a garage or other covered parking spot, it may be a good idea to utilize it instead of the roadways during inclement weather.

6. Low-Quality Glass

Cheap windshield glass and low-quality are more likely to have manufacturing flaws than glass that is high-quality. Small weak regions can evolve into major fractures over time, even if the problems are not immediately obvious.

Work with a specialist that employs durable and dependable windshields from a reputable manufacturer when you need a new car window replacement in Houston. While higher-quality windshields are slightly more expensive, they are less likely to need replacement in the future.

Hire Our Company For Professional Work

It’s critical to send your car to a skilled repair facility as soon as you find auto glass damage. Only Area Wide Auto Glass understands that driving with damaged car windows puts your safety at risk; that’s why we’re here to provide quick, high-quality auto glass replacement in San Antonio.

Area Wide Auto Glass is a name you can trust when it comes to glass. We have a staff of glass experts that can help you with your windshield, shower door, and other house glass requirements. We recognize the importance of dependability and convenience.

Whether you need a rock chip repaired, a windshield replaced, a rear window repaired, or anything else, our skilled experts can help. Request a free estimate from our staff now! Call us with any inquiries or to arrange service.