One wiper arm not working

Hi folks,
This morning I started my truck remotely and it ran for about 5 minutes before I left for work. When I left to drive to work there was a little bit of dirt on my windshield so I sprayed washer, and the left wiper operated normally and the right one did not. It was frozen to the windshield. It wasn't really that cold this morning (fewf degrees below freezing) and the truck had been running for about 5 minutes or more at this point. There was no apparent ice on the windshield, but when I stopped and got out to check, the wiper was frozen real good to the windshield!! So, what damage have I done, and how to fix it. The truck is only a year old, but I don't guess that would be repaired under warranty. Thanks all for any advice.

GC

 

The knob that the wiper goes over has little splines on it and the wiper slides over them and that's how it turns. There is a chance you could have stripped them off of either the wiper arm or the little knob.

You can sort of see them here:

 

Yeah, that certainly sounds like what could have happened. Is there a set screw in the arm that I can loosed to get the arm off?

 

It is actually a nut that screws on the knob and pinches the arm tight. There is a little cover thing on the arm itself that you can pop off and you will see it.

 

I thought I posted a thank you, but don't see it. So thanks for the info. Will check that out this evening.

GC

 

Pull off the wiper arm and see if the knurled post is rotating. If it's not moving, you may have an issue with the wiper transmission... but your truck is pretty new.

Happened to me a while back. Was one of the ball sockets on the wiper transmission. Came apart. Drilled through it, bolted it together and has been holding up for couple of years.

 

Hopefully that's not the issue but if so, now I know how to fix it! Thanks!

GC

 

Actually, goint to check to see if warranty will cover it first. Truck is only a year old, so may be worth a shot.

 

I hope you're right scottalot. If they decide to charge me $65 to look at it and tell me "No", then I won't be a happy camper. I have contacted them by email, and they say that they are "almost certain" it will be covered. So we'll see I guess.

 

I would check first to see if there is an assessment fee or whatever. I would assume they can look at it and say yes or no relatively quickly without having to dive in too deep. You may want to take it apart and look for yourself what the actual issue is before you go in so that they can't yank your chain. It only takes about 2 minutes and you will know for sure either way.

 

Some windshield wipers have a shear bolt on them that break instead of something far more expensive breaking, or it could just be loose is the cheapest and easiest fix

 

Yes. I emailed the dealer and they of course told me not to touch it as it would void warranty. What a crock. I told them I only wanted to look at it to see if I could determine what the problem is. They said don't do it, bring it in. It's at the dealer this morning. There could POSSIBLY be a $64.95 assessment fee if it isn't covered under warranty. I will not be paying that. The truck can stay on the lot for the rest of the winter for all I care. I'm stubborn that way! Will post back after the dealer calls.
GC

 

If the thing is stripped you would be able to rotate the wiper arm by hand. Easy way to rule that out. I would be surprised if the thing had enough torque to do that. Maybe the nut got backed off.

 

Are you kidding me?

Why would the warranty pay for this? Your wiper blade was froze to the window and you turned the wipers on and stripped the splines. That is what they are supposed to do.

Replace a $60 arm or replace a $200 wiper motor and transmission. It is designed that way on purpose.

You did not check to see if the wipers were frozen to the glass and hit the switch. You and mother nature caused the damage. If you take a stone to the window, do you expect the factory warranty to pay for a new window? No, you would not.

I gotta say, this one is on you.

It is an easy fix. 10mm socket and pop the arm off and nut down the new one.

 

The arm and splines are aluminum and the post that the arm is nutted to is iron. The iron splines will wipe the splines in the aluminum arm right out.

You may buy some time and save some money by tightening the nut, but is will just strip out the next time you need to wipe off something heavier than rain water.

Take it apart and you will see how it is set up.

 

Ah, don't need a lecture.

I contacted the dealer, explained the situation, told them straight up what happened. And I only did that because I wanted to know the warranty situation IF it was more than just arm splines stripped or something. THEY are the ones suggested it MIGHT be a warranty repair. Quote from the dealers' email: "It really depends on what is going on with it. I can’t say for sure, but most likely this is covered by your warranty. If not, there could be a diagnosis charge of $64.95 plus tax. "

 

My apologies.

That is a very nice, good will gesture on their part. It's the small things like that, that will make you want to buy your next vehicle from that dealer.

 

No problem. I do see where you are coming from with your comment. I know it's my fault. It was a strange morning. It was freezing. There was zero apparent moisture on the vehicles anywhere. Roads, driveway, truck, car, everything looked absolutely dry. Truck had been running for 5 minutes or more by the time I turned on the wipers. I certainly did not expect wipers to be frozen. I live in Newfoundland, so I'm no stranger to ice and snow, but after 35 years driving, this one caught me by surprise. The truck is only a year old, and I don't know how picky the dealer is on warranty issues. After posting here yesterday and reading a few responses, I thought "Perhaps I should call the dealer and see if my poking around will piss them off or not". I know it's my fault, and that's why my first thoughts were about how to fix it myself. In my first post you'll notice that I didn't even mention warranty or dealer. That was an afterthought. Anyway, I hope you're right about the post being iron and the arm splines aluminum. If that's true then I expect the splines stripped on the wiper arm, and would be the cheapest and easiest fix.

GC

 

LOL... If floors me when people have an issue, and rather than come here to help, you blame them for their issue.

Good post A+++++++++!!!!!!!!!!

 

When I worked in service, this happened to people all the time- especially a lot of women that would have 6" of snow and ice on the glass expecting the little wipers to do all the work. It was almost NEVER covered under warranty.

Most wiper assemblies are designed to "self-strip" for this exact reason. Most likely it is one of two things:
1. see if one wiper arm flops around when moved by hand. If so, take an appropriate socket and try to tighten it down and then see if it still moves. IF NOT, then you are done and cancel your service appointment. IF IT MOVES and the nut is nice and tight, then:
2. there is a small nut on the wiper arm assembly under the cowl and this may have backed off. IF SO, it would not be a warranty issue. Hopefully it didn't bend the assembly under the cowl which should also not be covered.

Try looking at #1 and see if you can take about 2 minutes and self repair. Should be good to go, as this is a very common occurrance.

We also used to see this happen in the middle of a rainstorm in the summer- usually because the arm(s) had been backed off a little in the winter but were still engaging enough. Then one day you go to use them long after the snow and ice are gone and you have no wipers in the pouring rain.