Like any other components of your car, windshield wipers are prone to potential malfunction and damage that can see them not turning off at all. In some cases, your windshield wipers won’t turn on.
If your wipers are not working, it can be almost impossible to drive through severe weather.
Windscreen wipers are not complicated, meaning that diagnosing the problem facing them is relatively easy. However, sometimes the issues are more complex and involve more than wiper motor and switch.
Let’s look at some potential reasons your windshield wipers won’t turn off and some easy fixes that you can try.
Why Won’t My Tesla Wipers Turn Off
1. Faulty wiper motor
A faulty wiper motor is the most common cause of Tesla cars’ windscreen wipers won’t turn off. If the motor is not working properly or is damaged, it may cause the wipers to turn on unexpectedly.
If you notice that your windscreen wipers stop working altogether, it is a good indication that a fault has occurred to the motor.
Since the motor is an electrical component, it can short out, thus causing the wipers to fail.
Fix – replace wipers
In most cases, windscreen wipers stop turning off by themselves is not a serious issue. You can easily fix the problem.
To test your car wiper motor, you’ll need a helper and a multimeter.
- Disconnect the negative battery terminal to avoid an electrical short.
- Identify where the wiper motor is located under the hood of your car.
- Once you’ve found it, test the continuity of the wiper motor’s windings using the multimeter.
- If there is continuity, the wiper motor is working properly. If there is no continuity, you need to replace the wiper motor.
- If you don’t know how to replace the motor, please consult your car’s owner’s manual or contact a professional mechanic.
- If you are unsure of what is causing the problem, it’s always best to reach out to a professional mechanic to ensure your car is safe to drive.
2. Defective wiper switch
Another major issue that causes windshield wipers to stop turning off themselves is a defective wiper switch.
If this switch is not working properly, it can cause the wipers to stop turning off by themselves.
On the other hand, if the windscreen wipers turn on by themselves, a major possibility is that the wiper switch is broken.
Fix – replace wiper switch
If you are experiencing troubles with your windscreen wipers, it could be because of the wiper switch.
Testing the switch is a relatively simple task that you can do at home with a few tools.
- First, identify where the wiper switch is located on the steering column. It’s normally located near the bottom of the column, near where your hand rests when driving.
- Once you’ve located the switch, use a screwdriver to press and hold down the small button on the side of the switch.
- While holding down the button, turn on the ignition and move the wipers to the “on” position.
- If the wipers operate normally, it means the switch is functioning properly. If they don’t operate, the switch may be defective and you’ll need to replace it.
- It’s advisable to test the switch in both the “off” and “on” positions to ensure that it is working properly in both positions. If it doesn’t function in one position or the other, you’ll need to replace it.
- Once you’ve ascertained that the switch is functioning properly, you can reassemble the steering column and reinstall the wipers.
3. Electrical or wiring problem
If neither of the above-mentioned solutions solves the problem, there could be a problem with the electrical system in your vehicle.
Before the wiper motor becomes faulty, you’ll probably experience a blown wiper fuse, which is intentional. A fuse is the weakest part of the circuit which melts and breaks the electric circuit in case of an overload.
If your car’s wiper motor is overloaded, the fuse will blow to protect the motor from being damaged.
Before you replace the bad fuse, it’s important to examine the wire connections to see if any obstructions could be affecting the wiper motor.
A short circuit or a loose or disconnected wire in the circuit could be causing the wipers to stop turning off by themselves.
Short circuits may occur due to melted snow or rainwater finding its way into the wiper’s wiring system. Wipers are linked into an interconnected system of circuit boards and wires.
Due to these possibilities, inspect the motor and the connections as soon as possible and replace any necessary components.
Fix – Troubleshoot electrical issues
Let’s assume that you have a basic understanding of your car’s electrical system, here is how to test it.
- Use a multimeter to test the voltage of the battery. If the voltage is below 12 volts, you need to replace the battery.
- Use the multimeter to test if the starter motor is functioning properly. If there is no continuity between the negative and positive terminals of the starter motor, you should replace the motor.
- Use the multimeter to test the alternator. If the alternator’s voltage is below 13.5 volts, you need to place the device.
- Through consulting the car’s manual book, use the multimeter to test the functionality of the ignition system, fuel system, emission control system, cooling system, lighting system, electrical system, and safety system.
If any of this system is not functioning, you should replace them.
If you are unsure, contact a professional mechanic to help fix the problem.
4. Faulty windshield wiper control
Another common culprit behind your windshield wipers not turning off is a damaged windshield wiper control.
While a windshield wiper control is a switch that controls the windshield wiper’s motor, the motor is what makes the windshield wipers move.
Over time, the switch will wear out because of its frequent use. The wiper control switch also can get damaged, which can happen because of a collision or a recent interference during repairs, and other reasons.
Once the wiper control switch becomes malfunctioned, you can lose control over the windscreen wiper’s operation.
For example, if your windshield wipers are turned on, a faulty windshield wiper control switch will not allow you to turn them off (it will keep running).
Furthermore, you won’t be able to control the speed settings on your windshield wipers and also the wipers won’t be able to turn off.
Rainwater and snow can cause the wiper control switch to rust and short-circuit.
Fix – Replace malfunctioned wiper control
- You examine the wiper control switch and ensure that all connections and nuts are secure.
- Contact a professional mechanic to inspect the windshield wiper system to confirm if the wiper control is working correctly.
- If the wiper switch no longer works, you need to replace it.
5. External interference
The presence of snow or ice on the windshield is another common reason for the general poor performance of wipers.
Although windshield wipers are able to remove light ice and snow, they are not designed to clear away heavy ice or snowfall frozen onto the windscreen. If you decide to use your wiper blades for such a purpose, you risk damaging the blades.
Some wet snow can be so heavy for wiper blades, which adversely affects the performance of the blades.
However, with time, wiper blades wear out as they continue performing their work (removing excess moisture on the car’s windscreen).
Besides that, wet weather and snow are prone to cause damage to rain sensors. A malfunction can occur as damaged rain sensors send wrong signals to the motor, and sometimes power wipers to turn on without stopping.
Fix – clean car windows regularly
- If you notice that your wipers are rusting and not performing as expected, inspect the blade for damage, and replace it as soon as possible.
- Always clean piled ice and snow off your windows before turning on your wipers.
My Final Thoughts
These are the steps on how you can troubleshoot windshield wipers that are not turning off properly.
If you notice such a problem facing your wipers, you need to fix this issue as soon as you can.
If you can’t handle the situation, contact a professional mechanic to diagnose the entire system and resolve the issue.
Most drivers forget how windshield wipers are important to ensuring a safe drive during bad weather conditions.
Driving without reliable windshield wipers is as dangerous as trying to drive without brakes. Your visibility will suffer greatly when your wipers are not functioning properly and the potential for causing an accident is significantly high.
Remember it’s not just your own safety, but others too. A faulty wiper is highly inconvenient and dangerous.
Now you know several potential reasons your wipers won’t turn off and how you can fix this problem. However, you should always take your car to a mechanic for major diagnosis and repairs.