Wiper motor replacement
Get quotes from specialists near you
Australia's #1 booking site for car services & car repairs
Book now, pay later Interest-free payments
Transparent prices no surprises
*Available at select service providers. T&Cs apply.
Average rating for Wiper motor replacement
4.7 • based on 17 reviews of 17 businesses
Wiper motor replacement
How much does a wiper motor replacement cost?
If your windscreen wipers don’t work when you turn on the switch, it may well be due to a faulty wiper motor.
This can be highly inconvenient, to put it mildly, when it happens during bad weather.
If it does, there is not much of an option but to pull over and wait out the poor weather.
Then get yourself home and arrange an awesome AutoGuru mechanic to check your wipers for you.
The mechanic will check the fuses, the wiper switch and make sure power is getting to the wiper motor before moving onto the wiper motor itself.
If the wiper motor has definitely failed and needs replacing, the cost could be between $100 and $550, depending on your vehicle.
What is a wiper motor?
The windscreen wipers are operated by a small electric motor - the wiper motor.
This electric motor is usually mounted under the cowl (or grille) below your windscreen or on the firewall inside your engine bay.
The wiper motor plugs into the vehicle’s wiring system and operates when the wiper switch is activated by the driver.
If your vehicle has a rain-sensing windscreen then the wiper motor will automatically activate when the sensors detect water.
The wiper motor is attached to linkages that move with the motion of the motor.
These linkages attach to the wiper arms that clean your windscreen.
The wiper motor has one speed - it’s the wiper relay that operates the intermittent function of the wipers.
If you have a rear wiper on your vehicle, there will be another small electric motor at the rear that operates it.
Symptoms the wiper motor needs replacing
- Wipers don’t come on when engaging the switch
- Wipers are moving slower than normal
- Wipers stop in the middle of the windscreen
- Can only get one speed
How is the wiper motor replaced
- Remove the wiper arms
- Remove the cowl/grill
- Remove linkage from wiper motor
- Unbolt the wiper motor, unplug the wires and remove the motor
- Fit new motor, bolt it on and plug it in
- Reattach linkage to the wiper motor
- Refit cowl/grill
- Refit wiper arms
- Check operation
Tips to remember
When disconnecting the wipers and linkage, remember where they were positioned and refit in the same place.
It’s a good idea to check the new wiper motor is operating before reassembling everything.
How important is replacing the wiper motor?
It is a legal responsibility for a driver to maintain a clear view of the road ahead.
If your wipers are not operating correctly, you can’t see clearly out of the windscreen, and/or you don’t have the ability to remove any obstacle from the windscreen, you could be fined.
In the worst case scenario, you could cause an accident.
Once the wiper motor is running smoothly again, you might realise your wipers also need replacing. Here are some tips for replacing your wiper blades.
