Troubleshoot this weird car problem

SteveDallas · 03-23-2007, 08:27 AM

I noticed recently that the driver's side windshield wiper on my car will "whip" too far to the left (your left as you are sitting in the driver's seat). I immediately assumed that some piece of the wiper assembly had worked its way loose. This turned out not to be the case.

What I've discovered is that it only happens when the car is moving! If the engine it turned off, or if it's on but idling, the wiper works fine, stopping about 3-4" from the left edge of the windshield. But if you're driving down the road, then you have the problem. (It usually gets worse with time--when you first turn the wiper on, it's OK. After a half dozen or so swipes, it's bumping into the edge. Another half dozen, and it's actually skipping over the edge.)

Any suggestions? It's kind of hard to reach out and examine the wiper blade when both the wiper and the car are in motion . . . .

glatt · 03-23-2007, 08:35 AM

If it does this crazy thing, and then you pull up to a red light and stop, does it behave normally again?

SteveDallas · 03-23-2007, 08:42 AM

For the amount of time that I'm sitting at the light idling, yes. Once the light turns green and I start moving again then the whole process repeats.

Griff · 03-23-2007, 10:15 AM

Are you going faster than warp factor 6?

SteveDallas · 03-23-2007, 10:20 AM

This is a 1995 Ford Escort. I'm lucky to make it to 1/4 impulse power.

Oh yeah, you can also "start over" by turning the wipers off for a bit. When you turn them back on, they will behave for a few swipes before going crazy again.

wolf · 03-23-2007, 01:18 PM

Gearing in the mechanical box thingy that operates the timing of the blades. You probably have a worn down tooth or two. This is the step before "goes totally wacky and out of sync."

You probably don't just turn the wipers off, right? You're a precise kind of guy, so you let the wipers complete a cycle and end in the down position ... so you're starting off at the (roughly) same point in the cycle each time. The teeth are not entirely gone, but worn low enough that when your blades catch some wind it overwhelms the gearing system and hurries it along.

(I have no idea. I'm talking out of my ass. My secretary just had the wiper gear box go on her car and that's how it acted)

Pie · 03-23-2007, 01:40 PM

Does it do this on intermittent as well as normal setting?

SteveDallas · 03-23-2007, 02:54 PM

Pie, it does, but it takes longer to work itself into a frenzy.

Wolf, the gear business actually sounds reasonable to a certain extent. I'm not sure it explains the way the wiper goes farther and farther to the left even if you're at a fairly constant speed. I'm also not convinced that, if it's a gear, it wouldn't jump at least occasionally even when you're sitting still.

lumberjim · 03-23-2007, 03:07 PM

this is an indication that the car is ready to be traded in for top dollar....on say, a Sentra?

SteveDallas · 03-23-2007, 03:51 PM

"Top Dollar" on a 95 Escort wagon is, what . . . $150?

glatt · 03-23-2007, 04:20 PM

depends on how much gas is in the tank.

tw · 03-23-2007, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

I noticed recently that the driver's side windshield wiper on my car will "whip" too far to the left (your left as you are sitting in the driver's seat). I immediately assumed that some piece of the wiper assembly had worked its way loose. This turned out not to be the case.

So how do you get it back? Do you physically move it back to a properly parked position?

SteveDallas · 03-23-2007, 06:03 PM

No. It fixes itself once you turn off the wipers.

zippyt · 03-23-2007, 10:24 PM

No. It fixes itself once you turn off the wipers.

Wipers have a Home position , when you turn off the wipers the controller brings both the wipers back to home position , I suspect that you have a worn gear at its outermost position ,

as LJ said time to trade UP

tw · 03-24-2007, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

No. It fixes itself once you turn off the wipers.

If a gear inside the wiper motor was stripped, then home switch would occur when wipers were in different locations.

Other 'gear' would be a shaft that connects wiper blade arm to 'rotating back and forth' wheel. If that was slipping, then wiper arm would stay just as far from home position as wiper arm has overreached left side. IOW you could move wiper blade back to a home position manually.

I am assuming you have a Ford blade arm - did not buy a new wiper blade holder because you bought some third party (Anco, Trico, etc) wiper blades? Sometimes these third party blades are not the right size - but close enough for the Pep Boy, et al customer. (If using Ford blades, then blades would not be replaced so often - saves money.)

That leaves something shifting in the arm(s) that connects wiper motor to the 'rotating back and forth' wheel. For example, go to where wiper blade arm attached to shaft from that 'rotating back and forth' wheel. Is the nut on shaft beneath that wiper blade arm still tight? Turn on wipers with ignition switch until blade is partially across windshield. Stop the wipers half way using the ignition switch. Now, grab the blade arm at its base. Is that shaft (through car body) firm or can you shake it?

03-23-2007, 08:27 AM	#1
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Troubleshoot this weird car problem I noticed recently that the driver's side windshield wiper on my car will "whip" too far to the left (your left as you are sitting in the driver's seat). I immediately assumed that some piece of the wiper assembly had worked its way loose. This turned out not to be the case. What I've discovered is that it only happens when the car is moving! If the engine it turned off, or if it's on but idling, the wiper works fine, stopping about 3-4" from the left edge of the windshield. But if you're driving down the road, then you have the problem. (It usually gets worse with time--when you first turn the wiper on, it's OK. After a half dozen or so swipes, it's bumping into the edge. Another half dozen, and it's actually skipping over the edge.) Any suggestions? It's kind of hard to reach out and examine the wiper blade when both the wiper and the car are in motion . . . .

03-23-2007, 10:15 AM	#4
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Are you going faster than warp factor 6? __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

03-23-2007, 01:18 PM	#6
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Gearing in the mechanical box thingy that operates the timing of the blades. You probably have a worn down tooth or two. This is the step before "goes totally wacky and out of sync." You probably don't just turn the wipers off, right? You're a precise kind of guy, so you let the wipers complete a cycle and end in the down position ... so you're starting off at the (roughly) same point in the cycle each time. The teeth are not entirely gone, but worn low enough that when your blades catch some wind it overwhelms the gearing system and hurries it along. (I have no idea. I'm talking out of my ass. My secretary just had the wiper gear box go on her car and that's how it acted) __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

03-23-2007, 01:40 PM	#7
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	Does it do this on intermittent as well as normal setting? __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

03-23-2007, 03:07 PM	#9
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	this is an indication that the car is ready to be traded in for top dollar....on say, a Sentra? __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

03-23-2007, 08:35 AM	#2
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	If it does this crazy thing, and then you pull up to a red light and stop, does it behave normally again?

03-23-2007, 08:42 AM	#3
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	For the amount of time that I'm sitting at the light idling, yes. Once the light turns green and I start moving again then the whole process repeats.

03-23-2007, 10:20 AM	#5
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	This is a 1995 Ford Escort. I'm lucky to make it to 1/4 impulse power. Oh yeah, you can also "start over" by turning the wipers off for a bit. When you turn them back on, they will behave for a few swipes before going crazy again.

03-23-2007, 02:54 PM	#8
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Pie, it does, but it takes longer to work itself into a frenzy. Wolf, the gear business actually sounds reasonable to a certain extent. I'm not sure it explains the way the wiper goes farther and farther to the left even if you're at a fairly constant speed. I'm also not convinced that, if it's a gear, it wouldn't jump at least occasionally even when you're sitting still.

03-23-2007, 03:51 PM	#10
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	"Top Dollar" on a 95 Escort wagon is, what . . . $150?

03-23-2007, 04:20 PM	#11
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	depends on how much gas is in the tank.

03-23-2007, 06:03 PM	#13
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	No. It fixes itself once you turn off the wipers.

03-23-2007, 10:24 PM	#14
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	No. It fixes itself once you turn off the wipers. Wipers have a Home position , when you turn off the wipers the controller brings both the wipers back to home position , I suspect that you have a worn gear at its outermost position , as LJ said time to trade UP __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

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