FixWindshield Wipers Not Working — What It Usually Is
Wipers are a small system — blades, arms, a linkage, a motor, a switch — and each fails distinctively. It's also the repair that keeps you off the road in the first storm, so it jumps the queue.
What it actually turns out to be
| The fix involved | Share of visits* | Typical cost† | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pump | 17.1% | $182 – $624 | $333 |
| Fuse | 6.2% | $56 – $239 | $115 |
| Hose | 6.1% | $103 – $387 | $207 |
| Switch | 5.4% | $126 – $344 | $216 |
| Other, rarer causes | smaller shares | varies | — |
*Share of visits whose repair involved this part. Combined repairs count toward each
part involved, so shares overlap and don't add up to 100%. Among visits that ended in a parts repair.
†Middle half of real invoices (25th–75th percentile) when this was the only fix — parts + labor, all vehicle types.
Real repair reports
These are recent, paid visits for this complaint — the words as the owner said them, and what it turned out to be.
Car owners said
“Rear wiper not working”
“washer fluid not working”
“Wipers do not move.”
“Washer pump not working (diagnostic)”
“Passenger side wiper is not working.”
“Washer pump does not work”
What the technician found
“1. Replaced rear wiper motor 2. Replaced rear wiper blade 3. Replaced rear wiper transmission”
“Seasonal inspection - test battery, check coolant system anti freeze condition and protection level. check a/c operation. services dependent upon season. wheel chair lift cycle count (if applicable):”
“Flush and fill cooling system, set to -34' 50/50 mixture”
Streaking or chattering
That's the blades, not the system — the rubber hardens within a year or two. Cheapest fix on this page.
Wipers move together wrong or one stops
Wipers colliding, lazy, or parked mid-glass mean the linkage has popped a joint or the arm splines stripped — mechanical, visible, and modest to repair.
Nothing moves
Dead silence is fuse, switch, or motor in that diagnostic order. A motor that hums without movement is a seized linkage; silence is electrical.
Costs by vehicle
- Light Bulb: Ford F-150 · Toyota Camry · Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Take this to the shop
The FixDozer Diagnosis Brief puts this page on one printable sheet: what this complaint usually turns out to be, how often, and what each fix should cost — so when the diagnosis comes back, you already know whether the number fits.
Download the Diagnosis Brief (PDF)View it online · Narrow it down for your vehicle