Can I burn out wiper motors by not switching them off before I turn off my car?
In drivers ed my teacher stressed that I should always turn off the windshield wipers if I was using it before I turn off the car.
Or is this a old wives tale?
In drivers ed my teacher stressed that I should always turn off the windshield wipers if I was using it before I turn off the car.
Or is this a old wives tale?
kevusaborn
Favorite Answer
27 years of driving... 20 or more vehicles...
Heck, I guess I've just been one lucky guy........
The winter can be a bad time to go this sort of thing as
Mustange has written, but other than that, I'm still lucky
Oh great, now I'm gonna go outside and my wiper motor is
going to be toast.........
golden rider
The reason for turning the wipers off is that before you shut off the car you should cut everything electrical off. This is not to prevent anything from burning out. It is so that when you go to restart the car, you don't have a bunch of electrical stuff pulling on the battery and the car's starter won't have to work as hard. It's also not good for the battery. In answer to your question, no it won't hurt the wiper motor.
bandit_60
that drivers ed teacher is wrong. when you turn off the ignition switch then it cuts off any juice to the wiper motor. heck i leave my wipers up on the windshield because the glass is easier to scrape snow and ice off of it.
mustanger
You'll probably do more damage to your wiper blades than your motor. If the blades are drug across a dry windshield they get damaged very quickly but it really doesn't damage the motor. If in the winter the blades freeze to the windshield the motor may rip them free and totally destroy them.
Orthrax Numgret
You CAN burn out your wiper motors if you drive a Camry, however. Be careful, Camry drivers. VERY CAREFUL.