Howto: Fix Problomatic Wipers

[frcac]

Perfect - just what I need, thank you for posting...

Have a nice day, Sašo

 

[shongololo]

It has worked for me. been tested hard to day down and back to London rain all the way.

 

[sk93]

It has worked for me. been tested hard to day down and back to London rain all the way.

 

[elliot_holder]

SK93 - Thanks for an awesome write up.

My wipers have been playing up for ages, followed your guide, removed a LOT of grease, and now everything seems to work perfectly!

Thanks

 

[jwa1]

I am going to do this how to soon because my wipers:

1. Occasionally stop about 1 inch higher than they should.
2. Squeak like crazy at the joint and sound like a rusty old gate!

I can see that this 'how to' will solve number 1, however can anyone confirm that if I gave the mechanism a good going over with some silicone spray it would get rid of the squeaking? Thanks!

 

[mister_roger]

Excellent write up! This is exactly what I have been looking for and will have to try this out this weekend. I too have been having similar problems with my wipers resting about 1-2 inches higher than normal. Maybe <10% of the time they will rest at their normal position. I thought it was the motor or relays going bad, but if it is something as simple as grease build-up then I will be greatly relieved.

Cheers!

 

[jwa1]

Is anyone able to answer my point #2? Thanks.

 

[shongololo]

Mine don't squeek. I think I did see a thread on here about the squeek problem.

I would try a drop of DW-40 on the offending part, just don't spray it on the blade.

 

[RichardG]

Been waiting for the chance to try this, just finished as it started raining, excellent write up, seems to have cured the problem.

Hardest part is getting those poxy black screws out, ended up easing up the out gently with screwdriver and 7mm ope ended spanner.

 

[daveg]

Top How-To sk93 - mine are working well now

I love working on the car but always get disappointed when I find some clown has previously broken things. Missing one of the annoying plastic screw/grommets and only 3 out of the 8 clips on my wiper pan were intact :x Will have to try some bumper clips - hope they are the right size:



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290379338003

Still, really chuffed with the result combined with RainX on the screen and new Aerotwin wipers.

 

[molar]

Just been researching this before I start work. Great guide, thanks very much

I've found that the 8 plastic clips can be seen in one of the photos of the windscreen panel cover shown upside down on this site:
http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E36-325i-M50_2.5L/ES128536

Also the diagram here shows the part numbers for the clips and screws. (The diagram on realoem.com is different and doesn't show the clips for some reason?)
http://www.estore-central.com/bmwoe/load_parts.php?ID=SID422771&ENID=ID572&CID=CID20153

P/n: 51 48 1 915 964, qty: 4 - Expanding rivets
P/n: 51 35 7 019 030, qty: 2 - Plugs
P/n: 51 71 8 234 698, qty: 8 - Retaining clips

Hope this helps.

 

[sk93]

I am going to do this how to soon because my wipers:

1. Occasionally stop about 1 inch higher than they should.
2. Squeak like crazy at the joint and sound like a rusty old gate!

I can see that this 'how to' will solve number 1, however can anyone confirm that if I gave the mechanism a good going over with some silicone spray it would get rid of the squeaking? Thanks!

Autoglym Silicone Spray solved this recently for me.

 

[sk93]

SK93 - Thanks for an awesome write up.

My wipers have been playing up for ages, followed your guide, removed a LOT of grease, and now everything seems to work perfectly!

Thanks

Excellent write up! This is exactly what I have been looking for and will have to try this out this weekend. I too have been having similar problems with my wipers resting about 1-2 inches higher than normal. Maybe <10% of the time they will rest at their normal position. I thought it was the motor or relays going bad, but if it is something as simple as grease build-up then I will be greatly relieved.

Cheers!

Been waiting for the chance to try this, just finished as it started raining, excellent write up, seems to have cured the problem.

Hardest part is getting those poxy black screws out, ended up easing up the out gently with screwdriver and 7mm ope ended spanner.

Top How-To sk93 - mine are working well now

I love working on the car but always get disappointed when I find some clown has previously broken things. Missing one of the annoying plastic screw/grommets and only 3 out of the 8 clips on my wiper pan were intact :x Will have to try some bumper clips - hope they are the right size:



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290379338003

Still, really chuffed with the result combined with RainX on the screen and new Aerotwin wipers.

You're all welcome and I'm really glad it fixed your issues!

As an update, I'm now pretty much six months on from doing this and the problem still hasn't re-surfaced.
Also, pretty pleased to see this howto referenced in Top Marques magazine as "an excellent writeup"

 

[fred0242]

If you've got either of the following problems:

1. 1: Wiperblades "just stop" during operation and the only way to fix it is turn ignition off and on again, or wait several minutes.

• 2: Wiperblades are not stopping at the right point, often "parking" a couple of inches up the screen, but reset when you turn car off.

Then this is the HowTo for you!
(and even if you don't have these issues, it's probably good to do this when you have a free half-hour, to save you from experiencing it at 70 on the M1 in a downpour!)


Requirements
1x Non-new shape BMW Z4 (Well, it may work, but the instructions are bound to be slightly wrong!)
1x 15mm socket and driver (or spanner)
1x 8mm Allen key or socket
1x Torx 30 screwdriver or socket
1x Torx 20 screwdriver or socket
1x Small flathead screwdriver
1x Can of penetrating / easing oil (WD40 will do perfectly)
1x dry cloth / bogroll
1x Rubber mallet (optional, but may be useful)

Costs
Zero

Step 1
Open the bonnet and remove the black plastic covers for the windscreen wiper arms (they just pull off):

Step 2
Using the 15mm socket, undo the arm retaining bolts.
Once removed, spray a generous amount of the easing oil onto the bolt the arm is attached to (it can be damn hard to shift them if they've never come off!)

Step 3
Holding onto each wiper arm about 6 inches from the mounting bolt, gently lift the arm upwards (not like you would to change the blade, but try and actually tilt the arm against the bolt.):

As you do this, you should feel the arm come loose from the bolt. At this point, you can lift it straight off the bolt.
If it doesn't want to budge (mine didn't at first), a gentle tap with a rubber mallet on the bolt freed it for me.

IMPORTANT: Save yourself fifteen minutes of swearing, by placing the wipers in a safe place, remembering which one came from the left and which was from the right... as they're slightly diffrent sizes
Also, mark their resting position on your windscreen with a bit of tape, to avoid problems re-mounting them.

Step 4
lift up the rubber seal that runs around the edge of the wiper pan. You only need to lift the first two inches of the rubber from either end, not remove the whole thing!

Step 5
Using the allen key, undo all four bolts that hold the lid onto the fuse box. (these bolts stay in the lid - they don't fully unscrew!

Step 6
Remove the fuse box lid by lifting the left edge nearly vertical, before pulling it out from the clips.

Step 7
Using your flathead screwdriver, remove the four plastic screws that hold the wiper pan cover in place.
These screws are rather crap and although they have a posidrive slot, I found the posidrive screwdriver just churned them up.
Using the flathead, you can "push into" the plastic and maintain a good "grip" on the screw as you undo it.
As you undo it, A: don't drop the screw into the engine bay - you'll not find it, and B: prise out the plastic grommet thingy that it screwed into, again making sure not to drop it into the engine bay!
These are really crud screws. I managed to destroy one and another member experienced the same. Try and maintain pressure against it as you unscrew, else you're likely to slip and churn the head completely :'(

Screw 1

Screw 2

Screw 3

Screw 4

Step 8
Unclip the conduit shown in the following picture. If you also have an alarm, the bonnet
pressure switch loom will be clipped in here too:

Step 9
With all four screws removed, you should be able to remove the wiper pan cover.
It is attached to the windscreen edge by approximately 8 press-fit clips. Whilst lifting the lid, be careful not to snap these.
(I lost 4 :headbang:, but it still fits perfectly with no issues, but if I knew about them before lifting, I'd have done it more gentle!)

Step 10
With the cover now removed, you need to unscrew the two Torx 30 bolts that hold the motor assembly in place

Step 11
At the centre of the motor assembly, you'll find a small white plastic clip that holds the motor in place.

Insert your flat head screwdriver into the small slot on the right side of the clip:

Then bend the screwdriver to the left, which should force the clip free and allow you to open it and thus remove the motor assembly:

Step 12
With the two bolts and clip undone, you can wiggle the motor assembly clear of its mountings and undo the electrical connector from behind.

Step 13
Turn the assembly over and you should find six Torx 20 bolts that hold the backplate onto the motor.
Undo these and then gently lift the back cover from the motor.

Be very carefull when doing this, as there is a paper gasket between the lid and main housing.
Also, there are pins that extend from the lid into a socket in the housing, so you must lift the lid vertically - don't twist it!

Step 14
With the lid now removed, you should see something like this:

Using your soft rag / bog roll, remove ALL traces of the grease and gunk that has built up on the white plastic in the big gap (circled in red)

It is this grease that is causing the problem. Basically, it creates a conducting path across the points, confusing the motor operation.
It looks like it's made it's way out from the worm gear. I removed ALL of the grease I found on the copper plate and surrounding plastics, as I
could see no reason for it to be there.. so far I've had zero problems.

Step 15
Re-assemble everything in the reverse order



And that's it.
As I say, I've done this to mine, after being told by the dealer it'll cost me a whole new motor assembly, and it's fixed both of my wiper issues.
Since doing it, I've had ZERO issues with the wipers

Hope it helps you!

Have to thank you .you saved me $$$$$. followed the link you gave me , and that was the problem...cleaned it up and it`s working like new
thanks again for all the help
Fred0242

 

[sk93]

Pleasure

As an update, mine's still working fine 8)

 

[Roadster-B]

My wipers also started to stop above lowest position last week and tonight they stopped halfway driving home from work during heavy rain
only total restart made them work again.

Went through your "how to" and also found the grease in the motorhousing...
Looks like they are fine now, thanks alot

 

[lecomte]

I've been having problems with my wipers for a few months now, tried this and, fingers crossed, seems to have fixed the problem. Excellent write up, thanks a lot

 

[AlanJ]

Lecomte,

Glad the Forum and this fix was of help AND Welcome to the Forum - bit of info (and pics) in the Newbie Section please.....

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the excellent guide.

After a couple of months my wipers are still going strong.

 

[sk93]

pleasure all - Glad it's helped you

As an update, since doing this fix WAAAAY back when, my wipers are STILL working a-ok