What causes wipers to stop working?

Wiper failure can be annoying—and dangerous. Especially during a sudden downpour or snowy drive. But most wiper problems come from just a few common causes.

Wipers often stop working because of blown fuses, bad relays, seized linkages, or worn-out motors. Reliable parts, like those from Runex Auto, reduce the risk of sudden failure.

It’s not just a comfort feature—wipers are a critical safety system. Let’s look deeper into why they fail, what signs to watch for, and how better parts can solve these issues before they happen.

Can you drive a car with wipers not working?

You might think it’s fine—until it rains. Then you realize how risky it is. Driving without working wipers means you can’t see, and if you can’t see, you can’t drive safely.

Driving with faulty wipers is dangerous and illegal in many countries. Visibility matters. Without working wipers, you risk accidents, especially in rain or snow.

Why driving without wipers is a serious risk

If your wipers stop mid-drive, you’re left exposed to the weather. Even light rain can blur your windshield and double your stopping distance. From my experience working with fleets, winter months show the highest failure rate—usually from frozen rubber and overworked motors. One fleet I worked with had constant complaints of wipers freezing and motors burning out. We solved it by switching them to Runex wipers¹ with high-torque motors and winter-treated rubber blades². Their warranty claims dropped by 40% in one season.

Key safety risks

Why Runex Auto wipers help

• Treated blades for cold and heat resistance
• Sealed motor housing to resist water and dust
• Stable performance even under stress
• Tested to OEM-level durability cycles

Using high-quality parts helps you avoid the question altogether—because the wipers just work.

How to tell if a wiper motor is broken?

A broken motor doesn’t always mean your wipers stop completely. Sometimes it’s a slow sweep. Or they stop mid-glass. It’s easy to miss, until the weather gets bad.

A broken wiper motor may cause slow movement, stop mid-sweep, or make grinding noises. If fuses and relays are fine, the motor is likely the problem.

What signs point to a failing motor?

Wiper motors are built for thousands of cycles—but like all moving parts, they wear out. I often check for these signs during sourcing evaluations:

Symptoms of a bad motor

A faulty motor often strains other components—linkages, arms, even fuse lines. If the motor’s performance drops, the whole wiper system suffers.

What Runex does differently

At Runex Auto, our wiper motor assemblies use copper windings for consistent torque, heat-resistant housings for thermal stability, and high-durability gears⁴. We also apply double testing—once at the factory, and again at random post-packaging. One distributor told me, “These are the first motors we don’t have to think about twice.” That’s what I aim for—predictable performance.

What is the average life of a wiper?

Wipers wear faster than many expect. They’re exposed to UV, rain, dirt, and snow. And when they wear down, they can damage your windshield.

Most wiper blades last 6 to 12 months. Wiper motors and linkages can last 5 to 10 years with quality components and regular use.

Why do wipers wear out so fast?

Wiper blades are made of rubber, which breaks down over time. Sun, snow, dust, and chemicals all reduce blade performance⁵. I’ve seen fleets where wipers were only changed once a year—leading to scratched windshields, and in some cases, full motor replacements because of excess drag on old blades.

Wiper component lifespan

Why do Runex wipers last longer?

We use EPDM rubber⁶ for heat and ozone resistance. Our blades go through 500,000+ cycles of durability testing. The metal frames are powder-coated to prevent corrosion. For motors, we select sealed bearings and tested gearboxes. This isn’t over-engineering—it’s what prevents failures.

One customer said our wipers held up in three winters with no cracks. That’s not luck. That’s engineering with purpose.

How can you tell if a wiper relay is bad?

The relay is the switch that sends power to the motor. If it fails, your wipers won’t respond. It’s a small part—but it controls the whole system.

A faulty wiper relay causes wipers to stop working suddenly or behave erratically. Clicking sounds or no response to the wiper switch are signs.

How do you diagnose a bad relay?

The relay is often ignored until it fails. Yet in many cases I’ve seen, replacing the relay solves the problem without touching the motor. You don’t need a full diagnostic bench—just basic observations and a multimeter.

Symptoms of a bad relay

What sourcing mistakes cause relay issues?

Cheap relays often use under-rated internal switches or unsealed housings. Moisture or vibration⁷ causes contact failure. That’s why at Runex, I always push for automotive-grade relays⁸ with corrosion-resistant contacts and sealed enclosures. Our relay units are pre-tested under voltage fluctuation to simulate real use. This extra step has saved some of our clients thousands in seasonal returns.

Conclusion

Wiper systems⁹ seem simple—but they depend on precise coordination between blades, linkages, motors, relays, and switches. If any part fails, your visibility suffers. In my experience, most failures come from preventable causes: bad sourcing, poor materials, or skipped testing.

At Runex Auto, we design our wiper components with reliability in mind. From treated rubber to sealed motors and tested relays, every part is built to last—because we know our clients don’t want surprises on the road.

Reliable parts don’t just reduce downtime—they build trust. For us, and for every driver counting on a clear windshield.