Stuck Wipers

[bazza2000]

This is starting to really annoy me, so if anyone has any ideas, please help:

When it isn't raining particularly hard, the wipers make 1 sweep of the screen, and then get stuck after the first 1/8th of the return sweep. If its raining quite hard, then no problem.

Now, last night this happened, except it was raining hard, and the wipers wouldn't return. After about 7 or 8 miles (in the rein with no wipers!) I went over a bump and they parked correctly. I then tried to swith them on again and they got stuck once again, and I cannot move them on the motor, or by hand.

Loose earth or what? the washer jets still work, so I think it's an electrical problem related to the motor, but why do they always fail after the first 1/8th of the return pass?

Any ideas?

[davidy]

Sticky Motor

Just had similar problem in Audi A8, wipers would suddenly stop, then restart several seconds/minutes later. I squirted a lot of WD40 around motor, but this didn't really help. On Monday when it was really p***ing down, they stopped 8 times between Welshpool and Stoke, so I parked it at Rybridge Audi, and hired another car to get to my appointment.

I suggest that you probably need to replace the wiper motor, before the car decides to kill you!!!

[shpub]

The system has a lot of inaccessible linkages whicxh can cause this sort of problem as well as the things like a duff motor etc. If it is at the motor end, it is relatively easy to get too. If not and it is at the wheel house wiper end, access will require removing the dash and possibly cutting an access hole if there isn't one already to get behind the wheel house.

Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

[JonRB]

I've recently had even more fun on my Chimaera wipers. I replaced my driver's side wiper with a Bosch one of the same length. However, the Bosch one is thicker and a different shape to the original, and a couple of days ago the two wipers collided and knitted together in a "crossed fingers" stylee. I had to pull over, get out and uncross them in very heavy rain (got soaked). A few minutes later it happened again, so I had to do a roadside bodge and unclip the driver's blade and pull it back slightly, thus bringing it away from the passenger one by a few mm, which was enough to stop them colliding again.

Oh what fun.

[bazza2000]

Thanks Steve, that has made my day, not!

Thanks for the advice though, I think I'll put a meter across the motor to see if any power is getting through, if not it's going to an independant for the dash to come out, 'cos I cannae be bothered with that!

[Bob C]

Before you start replacing things try spraying the electrical connector to the motor with WD40. Water in the park switch can cause all sorts of problems.

[JonRB]

I'd suggest that electrical contact cleaner was preferable to WD40 for electrics, but apart from that, good idea!

[trefor]

Yep, each time my park switch has gone this kind of thing happened - don't know why, but replacing it worked each time. You might want to try this before resorting to dismantling the wipers (the WD40 trick may work too).

T/.

[bazza2000]

Is there a special part number for the park switch, or is it a generic part?