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Why aren’t my windshield wipers moving when I can hear the motor?

I tried to turn on the windshield wipers in my car, but they’re not working. I can hear the motor running, but the wipers do not move at all. Why aren’t my windshield wipers moving when I can hear the motor?

avatar
Payton Ternus · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
I’m sorry to hear about your windshield wipers—we don’t miss them until we need them!
Functioning windshield wipers are a vital part of car ownership, like
car insurance
and oil changes. If the windshield wipers aren’t moving but you can hear the motor running, that means there’s an internal problem with the motor.
Since you can hear the motor running, that means it is still getting power. The problem is coming from either the linkage or the gears inside the motor. The plastic gears can break under stress, such as the strain from frozen wipers. Strain can also break or disconnect the linkage. If these components are damaged, they need to be replaced.
You can trust your mechanic to diagnose and fix problems with your windshield wipers, and you can trust
Jerry
to find the best deals on car insurance. Download the app and enter your information to watch Jerry compare rates from 50+ top-rated insurance companies. You can start saving the big bucks—the average Jerry user saves $887 per year!
MORE: Traditional, beam, or hybrid? The most effective windshield wipers
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