Window Wipers

[Rabbijon]

Hey all. Recently had the wyper linkage on my rav replaced as they had stopped working altogether. Been fine till now. It's as if the wipers aren't powerful enough. Pushing up on the stock to get one wipe in normal circumstances, now only allows them to go halfway at best. I need to keep the stock pushed up to get the wypers to get back home. When on rain sensing mode they seem to struggle to wipe the screen.

Is the motor on the way out? Or could it be a host of other things??

And any tips on removing the plastic area to allow getting a look at all the workings of the wyper mechanisms. Plastic like poppers that seem to hold it on are a nightmare.

[Big Kev]

Steven min.......are there any other electrical prolems manifesticating themselves in sympathy with this fault.....? What I am hinting at is a possible poor earth, so check both earth terminal on Battery, earth strap condition going to bodywork, and actual earth point on bodywork.

Failing the above, which all happened to me on a Vauxy Carlton, motor may be suspect......maybe a job for your local ever flexible Toyota dealer...airse......

[Rabbijon]

Hey Kev. No other electrical problems and the above mentioned all seem ok. I'll take a trip to the garage tomorrow and see if they can figure it out.

[firemac]

If the linkage was recently replaced by a dealer/garage, best to take it back to them. Not saying that the new linkage is the problem but it might be and if so, they'd be obliged to put it right.

If that checks out, then look at other possibles, like the motor itself.

Good luck.

[three5]

If the linkage was recently replaced by a dealer/garage, best to take it back to them. Not saying that the new linkage is the problem but it might be and if so, they'd be obliged to put it right.

If that checks out, then look at other possibles, like the motor itself.

Good luck.

Jim, the self parking system, i.e. the switch arrangement which is part of the wiper motor, not the control stalk, sounds as though it is not working properly on Steven's RAV. I've not taken a modern one to pieces but the old "Lucas" motors had an integral brass track from which the motor picked up it's power after the power fed through the stalk switch moved it away from the "park" position. I don't think that the linkage could cause the problem that Steven describes, it sounds as though it is electrical and, unless there is a connector problem, will probably involve a new wiper motor.

[Rabbijon]

Thanks for the pointers. It being the motor is my fear. More pennies I may have to spend :(

[anchorman]

Sounds like the motor is on the way out. Fold both arms back off the screen and see if it works OK then.

[Rabbijon]

Worked when folded back there. However when i put them back on the window as well they worked. No stopping halfway this morning. Still seem weak though.

[three5]

Worked when folded back there. However when i put them back on the window as well they worked. No stopping halfway this morning. Still seem weak though.

Hi Steven,

In your position I'd take the connector off the motor, give both halves a good clean, a drop of WD40 and a firm push to relocate them correctly. It might save you the cost of a new motor

[Rabbijon]

How do I get to the motor. I can't get the plastic cover off that hides the wyper mechanism etc.

[anchorman]

TBH I think the windings have gone down in the motor and it is the equivelant of a sluggish starter motor UNLESS this has only manifested itself since the linkage was fitted. In that case I smell a rat.

[Rabbijon]

It was similar until the wypers stopped altogether, however the wiper motor would still sound when I used the stock. Got the linkage replaced and it solved it. But then they appear to be underpowered again repeating the same kinda problems as before.

[Parts-King]

Motor seizing up slowly causing the wiper linkage to break? Still sounds like you need a new motor to me

Kingo

[Rabbijon]

How much would that set me back?

[Parts-King]

PM Sent

[Rabbijon]

How long would people expect a wyper motor to last in the car? I'm at 60k and roughly 6 years old.

Still not been to garage to get it checked. Hopefully get down tomorrow.

[Parts-King]

They don't go very often but its the 6 million dollar question, how long does anything last? You might just have been unlucky

Kingo

[three5]

They don't go very often but its the 6 million dollar question, how long does anything last? You might just have been unlucky

Kingo

These motors are generally VERY reliable. I've had them last 150k miles and still be working perfectly after 14 years. However, like anything else that is produced in quantity there will always be a few that fail at a lot less than that. Design and testing of components of this type is done on the basis of MTBF ( Mean Time Before Failure ). On average they probably last 100k miles but some will only last 50k and others will go on to 150k and beyond. The important word is "Mean", there is no guarantee or expectation that all motors will last 100k miles - but the vast majority will. I guess you have one of the, probably a fraction of 1%, that has failed early. I've always found running cars an expensive hobby and sometime you have to put your hand in your pocket and keep smiling!!!! At least it wasn't a really expensive component or one buried in the middle of the transmission.

[Rabbijon]

I have been wondering whether to look out my receipts and count up how much the car has cost me in the last year. I dread to think. But I do like my car. :)

[anchorman]

Some people (maybe previous owners) leave them running on a dry screen which gets them hot and does nothing for the life expectancy. Wipers get on my nerves so I always seem to run them one down from what they are needed.

You cannot really predict what the life should be.

[grasshopper]

Mine's been doing this as well, in March they didnt work at all for about 1/2 hour then the car warmed up and they worked. I thought it was frost, but think it's similar to OP's problem. Last week they were really weak and seemed to struggle half way and then speeded up. Looks like a pig of a job to replace as well. Gonna keep an eye on mine.

[Rabbijon]

I was planning to go into the garage today but it seems to have settled back down and functioning normally. I'll just need to keep an eye on it as well. Still seems slightly underpowered though. It will inevitably fail when I need the wypers the most.