Honda Accord Wiper Issues & Warning Light, Help Needed

Hey there! I have some experience working on cars as a hobby mechanic. I actually had a similar issue with my 1998 Honda Prelude (had one before getting my current Civic). Those symptoms sound exactly like what I dealt with, turned out to be a bad cable connection to the wiper motor. Really annoying when it happened! Had to take it to my regular workshop since I couldn't fix it myself. They found corroded wiring that was causing poor contact. The whole repair, including labor and parts, cost me around 155 Euro. After they replaced the damaged cables and connections, everything worked perfectly again. Before I can give more specific advice, Does the wiper motor make any noise when you try to use it? When did you first notice the warning light? Are the wipers completely dead or just moving slowly? Let me know those details and I can share more from my experience!

Thanks for sharing your expertise! Yeah, the wipers make a faint humming sound when switched on but barely move. The warning light showed up about a week ago, right after that heavy rain we had. The wipers still move but super sluggishly, like they're really struggling. Just had my service done last month at 97393 KM, and everything was working fine then. Really hoping it's just a connection issue like you had and not something more serious with the motor itself. The timing with the rain makes me think water might have gotten somewhere it shouldn't. Would love to hear if this matches what you experienced and if I should expect a similar repair cost.

Hey again! Wow, those symptoms are exactly like what I experienced with my Prelude! That humming sound with sluggish movement, it's like déjà vu. In my case, when the rain hit, water had seeped into a small crack in the wiring insulation near the motor. The corrosion started pretty quickly after that. The humming sound is actually a good sign, means your motor isn't completely dead, just like mine wasn't. I remember my wipers also started moving super slowly right after a downpour. The mechanic explained that water getting into the electrical connections can create resistance, which is why the wipers struggle to move properly. Based on what you're describing, I'd bet good money it's the same issue I had. The timing with the rain, the humming, the slow movement, it all matches up perfectly. Given your mileage is pretty close to what mine was when this happened (I was at about 95000 KM), I'd expect a similar repair cost, maybe even a bit less since you caught it early. Just a heads up though, don't wait too long to get it fixed. I made that mistake and kept driving in light rain for a week, which made the corrosion worse. Better to get it sorted now before you really need those wipers! Want me to share what warning signs to watch for in the future to prevent this from happening again?

Thanks so much, this is exactly the kind of detailed info I needed! You've honestly made me feel a lot better about the whole situation. I was worried I'd be looking at replacing the entire wiper motor, which I'm sure would cost way more. I'll definitely get it checked out ASAP – no way am I risking driving around with dodgy wipers! And yes, I'd love to hear about those warning signs to watch for. My car's been super reliable overall, so I want to keep it that way. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, especially since it matches my situation so closely. Looks like I'll be calling my mechanic tomorrow. At least now I can go in knowing what to expect and won't feel completely in the dark when they explain the problem. Thanks again for all the help!