Hello… 2009 toyota yaris, My windshield wiper stopped working when i tapped them to do a once wipe. A month later, they stopped working in all settings. I replaced the motor, the replacement motor is incredibly loud and noisy, and it worked for about 2 hours of drive time over 2 days. Today, all modes except the very fast wiper speed have failed and do nothing.
Originally when I took out the old one, I tested the new one in all wiper settings and it worked fine, but sounded like it was already working hard or dying, very loud without being connected to the actuator arms or the wipers. Tomorrow I’m replacing the motor again…
Thoughts? Is it something else? The actuator arms seem to move effortlessly by hand…
Thanks for any advice if you think it’s something else!!
If you look at the wiper motor, the shaft that operates the wiper linkage crank has an axis 90 degree’s from the motor axis. The transmission of the wiper motor allows that to happen.
So what you’re hearing is the gears grinding together in the wiper motor transmission.
It’s possible the original problem wasn’t the motor, but the switch you use to turn it on or pulse it stopped working. Seems unlikely that switch would fail at only the 10 year mark, but such a thing is possible. The other side of that switch on my much older Corolla recently started having problems for one of the turn signals. It’s pretty clear if the switch isn’t working, changing the motor isn’t going to help much, other than to introduce a new variable into the equation.
Thanks for the feedback!! Tomorrow I’ll be replacing it again and hopefully I’ll know. This is along the line of what I was thinking also. I’ll let you know the outcome
However, with my old wiper motor not functioning at all, and the new one functioned 100% but sounded like it was struggling… and 2 days later it only works in high speed wiping… I feel it’s still the motor, and I’ve had a blinker switch that went bad and remember the symptoms.
Either way, I’ll let you know the outcome because I appreciate you, and likely I’m going to the switch next, then possibly the wiper relay, as my original plan was.
Make sure the engine is grounded to the body. When you find the wire, clean the ends. In the old days it was the body or fender end that would be corroded or attached on paint. Sometimes it’s broken off.
It used to be on the firewall, these days it’s near the alternator on most FWD cars.
Just reaching out to you, sorry if it’s a bother. Replaced motor. Now it sounds quiet and normal, but in mid-wipe if I turn wipers of, it just stops in middle of windshield… sigh. Should I go after relay or switch now? Thanks again!
