I made a boo-boo when it snowed

[SJO]

Hello all,

Firstly I hope this is in the right section. There are so many sections I took a punt to be honest.

 

Recently when it snowed I made a bit of a boo-boo and accidentally flicked my rear wiper on when the rear screen was thick with snow. 

It moved an inch and then jammed. Hasn't worked since. I checked the fuse and it looks fine. I changed the fuse and still no joy.

 

Does anyone have any tips please. I'm hoping it's not killed the motor. It only moved an inch and got stuck with the weight of the snow and is slightly out of position.

I'm not very technical but if there is an easyish way to get to it and check I am all ears and it would be much appreciated. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

SJ

[Gissin]

do you get any sound from the motor when you switch it on?  have you checked to see if it stored any codes?

[SJO]

No sound as far as I can tell. How would I check for codes. Diagnostics at a garage?

Cheers

[pikpilot]

My experience and that of others is that the rear wiper motor is not very reliable. The motor is easy to remove and even simpler to take apart the whole assembly by removing the obvious multitude of screws that hold the electronics section to the mechanical section plus motor.

 

The motor brushes are easily accessible and this is where to look. The brushes are just a bit too big for the brush holders and can stick, no longer making contact with the commutator. I suggest that the heavy load on your wiper motor may have burnt away the contact point of one of the two brushes. You can push the brushes back into contact but better to remove them first so you can use a fine sandpaper to make make them slide more easily.

 

My experience is with the estate, which has a top level wash jet. On the hatchback the water is directed through the wiper shaft and water getting in the assembly can cause failure but in your case it is more likely to be load related. If you have it apart, re-grease the wiper arm  shaft as it seems to loose its grease and becomes harder to turn.

 

Failures described above do not throw fault codes.

[SJO]

Thanks for the info and tips Pikpilot. 

Are there any idiots guides to taking these apart and gaining access?

I'm a strong subscriber to the DFWI theory as I often have a habit of making it worse or breaking it when it comes to anything technical

Cheers. SJ

[xman]

Check you have checked the correct fuse, they usually blow to protect the motor. Often confusing and conflicting information about which fuse is which. Check the owners manual.

Edited 26 January, 2018 by xman

[Guest]

I've often had a frost frozen rear wiper fail to sweep until the ice melts, it never fails to operate though.

 

Motor/gearbox fettling aside I'd ensure the fuse is good and switch it on then lift the arm away from the glass and try a bit of muscle to jiggle it free. I usually give the shaft/seal a squirt of WD-40 every time I wash the car, it wouldn't be the first time I've dealt with crusty seized wiper shafts.

[SJO]

Cheers guys. 

Yes im pretty sure it was the right fuse. Blue 15 on the drivers side. I forget the exact position without it in front of me. 

I'll have a try with the wd40 and wiggling her about a bit first and see if I get any joy.

 

 

[SJO]

Hmmm. No joy with the wd40. 

Is the wiper motor easy to access? 

Cheers. SJ

[xman]

According to this its fuse 41 (15 amp) blue

 

http://www.autogenius.info/skoda-octavia-2005-fuse-box-diagram/

 

 

 

[SJO]

Cheers X Man. If i recall it was in a different location than 41 on the diagram. Will get a photo when its light. 

Either way the Blue 15 Amp fuse was ok and I tried a new one in its place with no joy :(

 

Think i'll either have to try and get to the wiper motor or get my local friendly mechanic to have a look... the latter probably will cost me less in the long run as i'll only break something else

[xman]

Just saying there are are other blue ones and its very easy to pull the wrong fuse. You say it was in a different location, so I bet you looked at the wrong fuse.

[TheClient]

Remember, when looking in the owners manual and a lot of other sources, the fuse diagram is a mirror of what is actually in a RHD car! They are made as if it is mounted on the LHS. Makes it a confusing proposition to work out what even the manual is saying is where sometimes...

[SJO]

I'll take a pic in the morning. From what I remember there was nothing even in the row that the manual suggested. 

Cheers everyone for the help so far. Much appreciated. 

 

[SJO]

Hi guys, 

Here's a pic I just took. 

You can see that its not in slot 41 as the card suggests (was like this when I bought the car in May).

Either way the fuse is OK and i tried a new one in there with no difference. 

 

Think its going to be a case of getting to the rear wiper motor to see if its jammed / donald ducked.

 

Cheers. SJ

[Anddenton]

Looks to me like fuse 41 is the one with the add a circuit fuse in. Second row up second from right, as said previously it is mirrored to the card so definitely looks like there is a fuse in position 41.

[SJO]

Thanks for the help and tips guys. 

Turns out both blue 15's were ok and it was a little clear 5 that has gone pop. 

 

All working again. Just no washer fluid coming through to the rear, but that's another story!

 

SJ

[Guest]

You didn't say you were a Bolian!

[SJO]

I've certainly been called worse

[Awkward_Josh]

On 26/01/2018 at 12:54, MicMac said:

 

Motor/gearbox fettling aside I'd ensure the fuse is good and switch it on then lift the arm away from the glass and try a bit of muscle to jiggle it free. I usually give the shaft/seal a squirt of WD-40 every time I wash the car, it wouldn't be the first time I've dealt with crusty seized wiper shafts.

Hi There,

 

i assume from this^ that the wiper arm should move when manipulated by hand?

 

i am having a similar issue with my 12 plate hatch. The rear wiper stopped working one day, it does not budge at all when I try to move it (although I'm not using much force) and the wiper fluid itself comes out fine...

 

would you suggest trying to free the arm? Or just check to see what is going on with the motor?

 

thanks in advance,

 

josh 

[Guest]

You won't really be able to move the arm manually without breaking something. I only suggest it as a means to assist the motor if the shaft has seized sufficiently in the housing to overcome the motor.

 

Try a voltmeter across the motor and see if it is getting power.

 

I'm not sure about modern electrickery systems, however do be aware that with a jammed mechanism the fuse can blow or the motor can burn out.

[Awkward_Josh]

Cheers for that MicMac,

 

not or able to get to the car just yet, but will try double checking the fuses (one 5amp was blown for the internal light circuit, but has since been replaced). If that fails I'll take a voltmeter to the motor to see if there's power getting to it...

 

thanks for the advice   

[Awkward_Josh]

Have looked at the fuse box and it doesn't look like there is one where the wiper one should be... 

 

see pictures attached:

 

Any ideas?

 

thanks in advance,

 

josh 

[jjc]

On 28/01/2018 at 21:07, SJO said:

Thanks for the help and tips guys. 

Turns out both blue 15's were ok and it was a little clear 5 that has gone pop. 

 

All working again. Just no washer fluid coming through to the rear, but that's another story!

 

SJ

It looks to me that whoever added the take-off point put the fuses in the wrong way round, where you have that 5A fuse should be the 15A as this powers the original CCt (wiper) and the outer position in line with the take off wire should have the 5A as this is for whatever that wire feeds (dash cam?) hence any extra strain on the wiper and the poor little 5A is not man enough and will die

John

[erindad]

According to this diagram there is no fuse where there should be .