Wiper Problem

jimmycrackcorm

Hi

I have a problem with my wipers not moving on my 06 Saab 9-3. they don't move when I turn then on - the motor sounds like it's trying to move them and they look like they are trying to move but are stuck. The problem only started after I used the car after not using it during the big freeze up. The wipers would not return to the correct park position, stopping mid screen instead of at the bottom. Googling suggested that using the wipers while the windscreen was still frozen would cause this problem by damaging the motor.

However the thing is, If I lift the wiper blades up off the screen as if I was changing them then they work correctly, i.e. intermittent, single speed, double speed all move. It just seems that with the wipers actually on the glass that the motor does not have enough power to move them but without the glass friction resistance they move correctly. They also return to the correct parking position.

Anyone know what I can do to fix this? I doesn't seem to make sense that it is the motor seeing as it works as it should with the blades lifted up....

Hal1

Could be the wiper linkage and or wiper motor, if they where switched on whilst stuck to the windscreen could easily burn out parts.

colm_mcm

sounds like a burnt out motor. linkages would usually make plenty noise if they were bad.

Be careful with wipers they can be dangerous, even if the motor isn't at full strength

jimmycrackcorm

The motor being burnt out sounds strange given that with the blades up the wipers move as expected. Could it be that something is turning but not gripping part of the linkage?