Windshield Wiper Issues?

[MrGeekFreak]

Today, while driving in a somewhat heavy rain on my way to work, my wipers suddenly got stuck in the middle of my windshield. In a bit of a panic, I tapped the one-shot mode, and the driver's side blade went past my windshield, and off the side of my car.

Odd, I thought, while popping my hood in a random parking lot. After a quick Google search, I pulled the relay for the wipers and took a look at its internals. They seemed fine to me, with no cracked or cold solders, and, to the untrained eye, no damaged components.

So, does anyone have any ideas of what could've gone wrong, and/or a possible quick fix? While Rain-X does work great, I'd really prefer my wipers to be working for my 45 minute drive home from work in this weather.

[MrGeekFreak]

If it matters, I can hear the wiper motor trying to do work, but it seems as if they can only move in one direction. It seems as if they don't want to move in the reverse direction.

[oliver.r]

sounds like your wiper arms are loos, did you check if they are secured properly?

[MrGeekFreak]

They seemed pretty tight at the time, but I'll check on them as I head out of the office.
Any other things I should check on while I'm out there?

[Todd Black 88]

Linkage has come apart under the cowl, it sounds like.

[jeffnhiscars]

Theres an arm mounted to the bottom of the wiper motor that connects it to the linkage. The stainless steel motor shaft is splined but the arm which is softer metal isnt. When you tighten the retaining nut the motor shaft splines actually cut in to the arm so it bites. The idea is that the "splines" in the arm will strip before the motor shaft does if there is enough drag in the linkage. The arm is about $11 at the dealer.

Unless the linkage just came apart, this is my bet

[MrGeekFreak]

Upon further inspection, it seems that the passenger side wiper is delayed. This causes the driver's side wiper to hit it, reset, and then move to the left again, off the windshield.

With the passenger side wiper removed, the driver's side operates perfectly.

[MrGeekFreak]

I would try and take a picture, but it tucked pretty far back there. It seems that the linkage (#1) snapped near the driver's side wiper.

I managed to get the wiper motor, blower motor, and pretty much everything out of that damned compartment. Except for the linkage, of course. It is getting held up on the blower housing, and no matter what I try to do, the housing just doesn't seem to want to come off.

I feel like there is an incredibly simple solution to this, I just can't seem to figure it out. Am I missing something here?

[Todd Black 88]

http://e30.bmwdiy.info/blower-resistor/index.html

Do you have the front cover of the blower housing off?
Pulled the blower motor strap off and removed the blower.......carefully so you do not damage the wheels?
Unclip the four clips that hold the remaining blower housing to the lower section?

Linkage slides right out.

[MrGeekFreak]

Yeah, I managed to get the front cover out, along with the blower itself, but the side housing just doesn't want to budge.

The two front clips were undone pretty easily, and I somehow managed to wiggle the passenger's side clip off with them. The only problem I seem to be having is the rear driver's side clip.

Any tricks and/or suggestions on how to get it off? I apologize if there is an obvious solution, but I think that at this point of trying to fix seemingly everything on this car, my brain has just given up.

[MrGeekFreak]

Ok, I just can't seem to get this.
I managed to get the side housing off, but broke the one of flaps on the blower motor housing.
The linkage will NOT come out, no matter the angle of the thing. It just gets caught on whatever is left of the blower motor housing.
At this point, I think I'll just take the dash apart to get the entire heater assembly out. I have to replace that flap anyways, so I may as well make it easy on myself.

Any last suggestions before I do so?

[Quadrajet]

When I dismantled my last e30 I couldn't get the wiper linkage past the heaterbox assy either. Perhaps I'm not very clever, but it came right out after I removed the heater box.

[robo_trigger]

It IS possible, it seems like it won't come out but just keep trying. You have to remove the wiper motor first if I remember correctly and then the assembly wants to go down (towards the floor) and sortof towards the drivers side before sliding it back out.

[E30_Pare]

Sounds like a time for wiper delete & rainx time for u

[nando]

remove the intake manifold. the wiper linkage will come out in 5 minutes with the manifold out of the way - no need to touch the heater box or dash.

I'd reccomend replacing everything in there, including the blower motor. $$$ but it will be worth it if you never have to do it again, or at least not for 25 more years..