Windshield wipers won't wipe.

[explodead]

I got a 93 Corolla and one morning, after a good hard freeze, the windshield wipers stopped wiping. I can hear the motor running and if I move one wiper manually, the other moves along with it. The motor tries to grab but the blades only move about a half an inch in one direction. Do I need a new motor or does this sound more like stripped gears?

[hdsalinas]

Well, I am not sure how it is on your Corolla, But my family once had a Dodge caravan and something similar happened. I took the plastic that covered the wiper motor and saw that the arm that moves back and forth had come off a small bracket attached to the motor. The arm was attached by a plastic thingy which was broken. I cut a piece of wire from a cloth hanger and tied the arm and the bracket together and worked. We had that van for a couple years more and it never gave me problems again.

If you hear the engine working but the wipers are not moving, you have the same problem. Take the plastic covering off and check and see. If you are not sure how to take it apart, get one of those haynes manuals,it will explain it step by step.

[explodead]

Well, after taking the wiper motor off I found that indeed the little "plastic" bushing has shattered. Calling the local Toyota dealer, I found that the entire assembly has to be replaced for the low, low no haggle price of $166.00!!!! The way this bushing attaches to the motor, I don't think there's any way to rig the thing to work without that specific part.

[hopeful]

its almost like the dealership people came and cracked it while you were sleeping eh!


lol, you keep the car in severe cold? Tried using the wipers to wipe off the snow from the night before instead of doing it yourself?

if you did atleast you know why now, if not, the dealer did it

[Nick]

junkyard, you can pick the whole thing up for like 50$

[Rolla97]

yup go to the junkyard....dealerships will ass rape you on parts