Windshield wiper issue...

[mjl1297]

My wife has a 2008 Yaris and today she said she turned the windshield wipers on, they worked, and then she turned them off. When she tried to turn them on again the wipers didn’t move.

So she went and did her shopping, drove home, and then turned the wipers on and off again only to have the same scenario repeat.

Any idea as to what may be going on and what I can check myself? Many thanks.

[bronsin]

Figure out which fuse controls the windshield wipers and see if it’s good. If it’s not and you put a new one in end it blows, you better take it to a shop.

If the car is without windshield wipers, you can use rain off until you get it fixed. It might be a good idea to use it now in case they don’t work. Even if the rain won’t blow off at low speed, you can still see because it beats up.

Good luck and tell us what happens!

[bronsin]

Maybe it’s a loose connector?

[mjl1297]

Thanks for the reply bronsin.

It might be a loose connection. I won't be able to check it until Friday at the earliest. When I got home late last night they did nothing when I switched them on not even a sound of the motor buzzing or anything.

[CrankyOldMan]

Have you checked all of the speeds/positions on the stalk? That might help narrow it down to the switch, motor or wire harness.

Good call on the motor sounds. It's unlikely that the arms would be stripped on the shafts but that would be one possible cause.

If it was the fuse it would be an all-or-nothing issue. Intermittent operation sounds like a bad connection somewhere or the motor itself is going out.

[bronsin]

Thanks for the reply bronsin.

It might be a loose connection. I won't be able to check it until Friday at the earliest. When I got home late last night they did nothing when I switched them on not even a sound of the motor buzzing or anything.

Remember rain X is your friend!

[bronsin]

On my smart TV I did a YouTube search for troubleshooting windshield wiper. I will post the link but I have Parkinson’s and it’s difficult using my iPad. But if you do a YouTube search you could watch The same videos. I have to believe that would solve your problem!

[mjl1297]

Thanks guys for the helpful responses. I'll have some time during my upcoming vacation to check the problem out!

Thanks for the YouTube video suggestion bronsin. I definitely believe the mechanism is seizing. They came on briefly the other night but were moving with a slow. stuttering motion and eventually stopped altogether.

Will post back with an update when I get a chance to diagnose and hopefully resolve the issue.

[bronsin]

If you can get at the motor give it a few good wacks. Also the motor may be ok but one of the joints seized.