What to do if the wipers do not return to their original position

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of wipers or windshield wipers on any vehicle. These devices help ensure good visibility of the road and what is happening around the car while driving in rain or snow.

The purpose of the windshield wipers is to promptly remove water and accumulated snow. Thus, the driver can clearly and confidently control the situation while behind the wheel.

For some reason, many motorists rarely think about wipers. Repair or maintenance is carried out only when obvious signs of malfunction or wear appear. It is extremely dangerous if a breakdown occurs during heavy rain, real downpour or snowfall. Indeed, in this situation the review becomes minimal.

Common stopping problem

Depending on the car, its make, year of manufacture and configuration, it can be equipped with different types of wipers.

Some are activated only at the command of the driver, who presses the corresponding switch, adjusts the intensity of the brushes, and after cleaning the windshield, or after precipitation has ended, manually turns off the device.

On more modern cars, wipers work in tandem with a rain sensor. When the sensor detects the presence of precipitation or dirty glass, it automatically starts the wipers. Of course, the driver also has the opportunity to manually turn on the devices to clean the glass, remove a stuck piece of paper, and so on.

If we talk about most cars, the design of windshield wipers provides 3 modes of operation of the blades:

slow;
fast;
intermittent.

The 3-speed system is considered one of the most vulnerable parts of the car. Most often, it is domestic cars that suffer from its problems.

What happens is this: The wipers start working and perform their tasks at one speed or another. When the glass becomes sufficiently clean, the blades should return to their original position, that is, lie neatly under the windshield without interfering with the driver’s view. But when a node breaks down, the situation develops differently. The wipers just stop in the middle.

Such a stop not only indicates the presence of malfunctions, but also frankly interferes with the driver. These structures in front of your eyes do not allow you to concentrate completely on the road surface. They can also partially block your view, preventing you from noticing an approaching rock or other obstacle in the road.

Even the most persistent and stress-resistant drivers cannot stand such a picture before their eyes. Therefore, they are urgently looking for a way to get rid of this problem.

There are many potential reasons why the wipers do not return to their original position on their own. But the good news is that most of these problems can be fixed on your own, without turning to specialists for help.

Steering wheel shift paddles are a common cause of problems

Windshield wipers in most modern cars are activated using steering column switches in the form of levers with data on the operating modes of the equipment printed on them. These levers must work well and have the necessary signals to turn on the wipers. Often the handle fails, the switch does not send the necessary signals, and because of this, the wipers themselves do not work properly. The main tasks in this case are the following:

it is necessary to remove the plastic parts of the steering column in order to get directly to the installation site of the wiper switches;
in most cars, the switches are very easy to remove; the maximum work awaiting you will be unscrewing a few bolts;
after removing the switch, you can use a tester to check its operation by connecting the contacts one by one to different terminals and turning on the wiper operating modes;
if the switch really fails, you should simply replace it with a new one, installing it as simply as disassembling it;
If the switch works, you will have to look for other causes of the problem; it is quite possible that the reasons lie in the area where the switch is connected.

Often, wires simply come off the terminals of this steering column switch and need to be returned to their place. Most likely, after carrying out a complete audit of the electrical system, including switches and other important technical aspects, you will be able to determine the problem and easily fix it. You don't even need any special tools or abilities for this. All you need to do is perform a high-quality restoration of the operation of all simple wiper systems. We offer a short video on how to deal with the problem if the wipers suddenly stop working:

Design and principle of operation

The wipers operate using a small DC electric motor. It has a built-in gearbox.

As with many electric motors, the wiper drive has an armature in its design. There are 3 brushes inside. They allow the brushes to work in the 3 modes listed above. In addition, the system consists of other important elements. Namely:

operating mode switch, which is presented in the form of a steering column lever;
a relay responsible for activating the intermittent operating mode;
additional relay;
bimetallic fuse;
limit switch.

The switch, as well as the fuse, are located directly in the gearbox housing of the electric motor. All other elements are located in a special mounting block. And designers most often place the block itself under the hood of a vehicle.

There is no intermittent wiper mode - looking for a relay

Often, along with the lack of intermittent mode, problems arise with returning the windshield wiper blade to its original position. In this case, the culprit of the situation is a burnt-out relay. At the same time, the mode of continuous strokes of the windshield wiper blade is present, as well as the mode of accelerated cleaning of the glass. These options for operating the windshield wiper are designed to bypass the relay; they are implemented directly from the handle for switching on the wiper operating modes. When a relay fails, you simply need to replace it by following this procedure:

searching for the installation location of the relay in your car - again, forums, the car’s operating instructions or recommendations from specialists who repair your car will help;
Next, the non-working relay should be removed from the installation location, the device number should be rewritten so as not to make a mistake when choosing a new electrical device to replace it;
go to the store or order on the Internet an original production relay with the same catalog number to ensure normal operation of the wiper on the car;
Having received the device in your hands, take a good look at it, make sure that this is exactly the element that was originally installed in your car at the factory;
turn off the ignition, be sure to check that the wiper switch is in the “off” position and insert the relay into the slot from which the non-working device was removed;
turn on the ignition and check the quality of the wipers, taking into account the new installed electrical part.

The operating modes of wipers on budget cars are often quite poor, so you can develop them by installing a relay from the same manufacturer, but with different parameters. For example, it is popular to install not a simple wiper relay on domestic cars in the basic configuration, but a special relay with adjustable brush response pause. This is a good option that can significantly improve the emotions of driving a car and make the driver’s job easier.

Fuses and other electrical connections

Not the last option for a problem in the wiper operation system is electrical connections and circuits. The first step is to check the fuses, which tend to fail and simply do not allow electric current to flow to the right place. Most cars have fuses under the hood; some models should be examined for a fuse box in the passenger compartment.

Causes of malfunctions

There are several potential and most likely reasons why the wipers may stop in the middle of the glass:

problems on the part of the gearmotor contract group;
limit switch failure;
wear of the teeth of the windshield wiper drive splines;
incorrect assembly of the system after repair;
electric motor malfunction;
malfunction of the electric motor switch.

When faced with such a situation, you need to act consistently. Usually they start with the most likely causes, or with the easiest to eliminate.

Relay

If the purifiers do not work in only one position - intermittent, then it is worth checking the integrity of the relay. Its location in the mounting block of the new model can be seen in the photo below.

In old-style blocks, the relay is placed slightly differently.

The relay cannot be repaired, so to check the problem it is worth installing a known working element.

How to solve the problem of wipers not returning

The first place to start is by doing the following:

Check whether the wipers were installed correctly on the drive splines. Additionally, evaluate the current condition of the trapezius. In this situation, the drive crank deserves increased attention. If the assembly was indeed performed incorrectly, then simply disassemble the assembly and reassemble it, only in the required sequence, according to the specific diagram of your windshield wipers. The repair and operation manual will help here.
Inspect the drive splines carefully. In some cases, they break, wear out and may even begin to crumble. As a result, the splines begin to slip, which prevents the wipers from returning to their original state. It is possible that the wiper arm has jumped out of its seat.

To fix the breakdown, you will need to purchase a repair kit and replace worn components of the windshield cleaning system.

It also happens that the blades stop working normally and at the same time stop in the middle of the car windshield, but there is no service nearby to fix the problem. You can solve it with your own hands if you suddenly find a drill or a screwdriver with drills in the trunk.

By drilling several holes, you can use improvised means to fix the wiper lever. To reduce friction, the drilling site is generously lubricated with any available lubricant.

The only problem is that it’s rare for motorists to carry cordless screwdrivers and drills with them. What can we say about a corded drill, which definitely cannot be powered from a car.

Checking the electrical wiring

Next, you need to check the electrical wiring for its integrity. Here you will need to keep the ignition on and, in this state, measure the voltage at the drive connector.

A voltage of about 12 V is considered normal. If there is no voltage at the connector contacts, this indicates a malfunction.

The most likely cause is a break in the electrical wiring in a section of the circuit. But it is better to start checking with the fuse located in the mounting block. It happens that it burns out for one reason or another. If the fuse is intact, then move sequentially along all the electrical wiring going to the windshield wipers. Also remember to check the integrity of the relay.

If breaks, broken contacts or burnt out elements are detected, they need to be replaced. If the wiring is broken, it is better to replace it with a new one, rather than simply insulating the old wires with electrical tape. This will only give a temporary effect. But in the end, damaged wiring can cause regular malfunctions and unstable operation of the wipers on the car. It is better to spend a little more time, but change the damaged wires. The relay and fuse are also replaced if they show signs of malfunction.

Trapezoid - the mechanism for direct operation of the wipers

One of the most complex mechanisms in the wiper system kit is the trapezoid. Today, no car manufacturer has such a reliable wiper drive mechanism to guarantee long-term operation of the device. Banal jamming of brushes or excessive emphasis on the glass, improper activation of the wipers, freezing to the glass in winter - all these reasons can be detrimental to the trapezoid. Among the possibilities for restoring this mechanism, it is worth highlighting only a few possible steps:

purchasing a new trapezoid is often the best step for domestic cars, in which the wiper mechanism costs about 1000-1500 rubles;
for foreign cars, purchasing a new trapezoid will cost exorbitant amounts of money, so in this case, repairs should be made and broken parts restored;
Often the bushings and tips in trapezoids fail, which are often plastic and are terribly resistant to frost, so they can simply be replaced;
if it is not easy to find a repair kit for a trapezoid for your car, you can try installing bushings and other parts from other cars of a similar class;
Direct replacement of the trapezoid is necessary if even repair work does not eliminate the problem, or after repair the mechanism begins to tap during operation.

When stopping in the middle of the glass is beneficial

This cannot be said that this is a completely correct decision on the part of motorists, but some of them specifically stop the wipers in the middle of the glass on the car.

This is related to the following situation. In winter, when the brushes suddenly stopped in the middle, this ultimately brought certain positive results. Getting into the car and turning on the heater, the blower began to supply air to the windshield from the inside. Thereby removing the ice that appeared during the night spent in the parking lot under the snow and frost.

Due to the fact that the blades were in the middle, where the hot air was blowing, the blades came off simultaneously with the windshield defrosting. There was no need to further clean the wipers, to free them from their icy captivity, so to speak.

As a result, a kind of life hack appeared. When parking a car in a parking lot during severe frosts, drivers specially stop the brushes in this position. To do this, it was necessary to break the drive chain and install an additional switch on the dashboard. During the night of inactivity, the brushes froze, but due to the operation of the stove and the windshield blowing, they quickly thawed. All that was left was to use this new switch to return the wipers to their original state. And then use it as usual.

It is worth recognizing that this solution is suitable for owners of fairly old cars. It is unlikely that anyone will interfere with the wiring or install any buttons on new foreign cars. Although the solution itself is quite interesting and effective, which has been proven in practice.

Have you ever encountered such breakdowns? What was the reason? How and how did you eliminate it? What do you think about the life hack?

The wipers don't stay in place

Post by serg138 » 28 Jul 2009 17:38

Re: Wipers won't stay in place

Post by -Alexandr » 28 Jul 2009 17:56

Re: Wipers won't stay in place

Post by Nivan » Jul 28, 2009 6:00 pm

1. put the relay back in place. 2. disassemble the motor and clean the contacts of any kind. 3. look at the rods - they probably slipped and jumped somewhere (this happened to me). There is generally a weak point there - they break. adjust the rods so that in the extreme position the brushes remain down.

do a search. maybe I even wrote something once. I had such a problem. I also initially changed the relay without success, and then repaired the traction motor by rebuilding the entire mechanism (access to it is not difficult, and it itself is small).

Design reasons for slow rotation of courtyards

VAZs are primarily distinguished by their poor factory preparation. At specialized auto forums, they are actively discussing an alternative electrical control scheme for a geared motor, intended for use on both the VAZ 2109 and the “ten” with Priora.

It cannot be said that three relays connected in a certain sequence have a noticeable effect on all machines. Most likely, the implementation lets us down. This system does not tolerate “twisted” wires, which are known to have large losses of electric current. Another thing is soldering or male-female terminals.

Why do wipers fail?

There can be many reasons why windshield wipers fail. Most often, wipers break due to electrical overloads, as well as when the mechanism jams.

In winter, wipers can fail due to a large accumulation of precipitation on the windshield or freezing to the glass. It is highly not recommended to turn on the wipers until the car's windshield has warmed up.