27 replies to this topic

[goofballs]

Hope not, The car was laden with snow and the wiper was covered with frost. I switched it on, and it didn't make a noise. I am going to wait until it is defrosted at the weekend. Question is, if the wiper finds resistance does: a) the motor burn out, or does the fuse go, or c) it recognises this and it has a self shutting mechanism that protects the motor, or d) does the fuse go. anybody out there know in general. cheers

[Shaun]

I would hope the fuse blows as I hear the wait for a replacement wiper motor is sometime. I applied Weathertec to my windscreen (a non silicone version of Rain Ex) to my wind screen in the summer and have not used my wipers much since. It keeps ice and snow off quite well. Visit Weathertec's website....product is expensive but worth it....

[BradW]

Hmm...there seems to be another VX design fault on the wiper. In the blizzard last night (stuck in traffic) I had the wiper on and it pushed the snow round to the stopping point of the wiper. ...but with each sweep the wiper piled up more snow until the moter was struggling at the far end of its travel to compact the snow further. I had to lean out the window and clear the excess snow. Most cars the wiper goes to vertical and snow falls off the side of the car...ours go to horizontal! B*gger!

[exjagman]

My wipers were frozen last night. One moved about 2" the stopped. After I ran the engine for a while everything freed up nicely. Can't comment on fuse protection with a VX. Would have thought a momentary use would not have blown it immediately.

[goofballs]

Thanks EJM, I will keep my fingers crossed.

[cheeky_chops]

Hmm...there seems to be another VX design fault on the wiper.

In the blizzard last night (stuck in traffic) I had the wiper on and it pushed the snow round to the stopping point of the wiper.

...but with each sweep the wiper piled up more snow until the moter was struggling at the far end of its travel to compact the snow further.

I had to lean out the window and clear the excess snow.

Most cars the wiper goes to vertical and snow falls off the side of the car...ours go to horizontal!

B*gger!

I doubt if blizzards were in the VX's test scenarios

[goofballs]

Just to finish this episode off with a happy note, the fuse went, and I had it replaced. Just out of curiosity has anyone used Ombrello glass treatment on their car before, I have just bought a pack. cheers

[Shaun]

This is the weathertec stuff I refered to previously. Great stuff!

[goofballs]

This is the weathertec stuff I refered to previously.

Great stuff!

Oh yeah, thanks for the tip, I forgot that it was your suggestion, I am losing it with old age.

It says that is uses nanotechnology, very scary stuff.


cheers

[Shaun]

it's the stuff they use on glass roof's on large buildings etc ....where it is difficult to clean.

[Alphabonobo]

Pretty much the same thing happened to me today, although it cleared the snow then got stuck at the top so I turned off the wiper, cleared the snow and turned it back on again. The wiper returned to horizontal and I turned it off. Didn't move next time I went to use it though I've looked at the fuses and couldn't see one obviously blown - does anyone know which fuse it is? What resistance? Hope it isn't the new programable relay- I think I can hear that still clicking when I try the wiper. Thanks, Rich

[Pipo]

I learned about that stuff for the first time in the U.S. There they used it in the army to treat the cockpits of the jetfighters. Now I'm using it already for years, and it's great stuff. You can find it everywhere under the name RAIN-X.

[Ratspants]

I stuck some weathertec stuff on a few months ago but am not impressed. Prefer RainX, actually a PIAA silicone wiper is also good. Have one of those on the golf and when you use it it applies more silicone. Ben

[Alphabonobo]

I've looked at the fuses and couldn't see one obviously blown - does anyone know which fuse it is? What resistance?

Definitely not a fuse

I'm guessing that you could clearly see if one was blown and they all look intact.

Is the motor just underneath the wiper arm in the front compartment? Seems to be protected by a plastic tray of sorts.

Think I'll try replacing the original relay to see if that makes a difference

[commander keen]

When I bought my car from Wayne @ crownhill, he told me the wiper motor is exactly the same as a renult 5's motor? Don't know if this is true but I thought it might be worth a mention.

[Alphabonobo]

Thanks, that could be useful if it does need replacing

[Alphabonobo]

again Not the new relay as I've just put the OEM one back in. That's an awkward job that I'll have to do again I can still squirt water onto the windscreen but no wiping action at all. I guess this does sound like the motor's gone. Unless anyone can think of anything I've missed.......................... Rich

[Alphabonobo]

Vauxhall want £453.55 for a new wiper motor, unfitted! Something having to replace the arms was well as the motor? Read on an old thread that the part is the same as on the Citroen AX, spoke to a dealership and they obviously couldn't comment but they quoted only £98.19! Can anyone clear this up for me? Can I use the Citroen motor?

[Pedro]

This happened to me a couple of weeks ago, worked and then stopped. What you need is the Birmingham Screwdriver and apply it to the wiper motor. You may have to take the plastic thing off before to get at it - alternatively you can open and close the bonnet a few times and that may fix it. Once you get it going again, spray some WD40 around the wiper motor to get rid of any water, I think that's what caused mine to stop.

[Alphabonobo]

This happened to me a couple of weeks ago, worked and then stopped. What you need is the Birmingham Screwdriver and apply it to the wiper motor. You may have to take the plastic thing off before to get at it - alternatively you can open and close the bonnet a few times and that may fix it.

Once you get it going again, spray some WD40 around the wiper motor to get rid of any water, I think that's what caused mine to stop.

Well I guess that's the last thing I try before buying a new one!

The bonnet's been up and down a few times already and that hasn't made a difference but I'd be very relieved if it does just need a bang!

I need the car over the next few weeks and I can't rely on it not raining!