Wiper Motor

Do I Need to Replace My Wiper Motor?

The wiper motor on your vehicle is responsible for operating and controlling the speed of the wiper arms and wiper blades. You are able to control the wiper motor by adjusting the settings on your wiper switch, which is typically located on a lever or control arm on the steering column. Once the wiper switch is activated, the wiper relay or pulse board relay determines the speed at which the wiper motor should run. This force is either transferred directly from the wiper motor to the wiper arms or through a wiper motor linkage or transmission. As the wiper motor operates, the wiper arms receive power and begin moving back and forth to remove any moisture or debris from the windshield. There are two types of wiper motors: gearbox wiper motors that run at different speeds, and direct current wiper motors that operate at a single speed. Most modern vehicles have direct current wiper motors. While many vehicles are equipped with only one wiper motor, vehicles with rear windshield wipers may have two wiper motors to control each set of wiper blades separately. If your wiper blades won't activate at all, only work at one speed, move slower than normal, stop in the wrong position, or if you notice a blown wiper system fuse more often than you should, you might have a problem with your wiper motor. Before checking the wiper motor, inspect to make sure your wiper switch, relay, wiper motor linkage, and wiper arms are all working properly. If it is time to replace your wiper motor, our helpful instructions can make sure you get the job done right the first time. O'Reilly Auto Parts has the wiper motor, wiper blades, relay, and switch you need, as well as a variety of wiper blade repair resources to help you complete your repair.