I have just noticed that my windscreen wipers are going slow and the 2nd speed is not much faster if at all. I have never had any problems with wipers before so I would like your views. Could it be the linkage or is the motor on the way out.

Hope you can help

Shappy

The linkage in Octavia wipers are prone to seizing. They often slow down shortly before they die completely. I removed, stripped, cleaned, greased and refitted my linkage in around an hour.

I agree with the above

They are not that expensive to replace either

Sarah

The linkage in Octavia wipers are prone to seizing. They often slow down shortly before they die completely. I removed, stripped, cleaned, greased and refitted my linkage in around an hour.

Thanks for the reply

Having a quick look at the job please tell me if i am wrong.if the plastic strip just below the wipes is removed then the linkage will be in veiw. could you give me a quick run down how it all comes apart inc the plastic strip. I noticed that if i removed the rubber seal on the right hand side it seemed to be lifting, is there anything fastening it down at all, and how is the linkage held together do you need any special tools to remove it.

Hope you can help

Thanks

Shappy

1) Using masking tape, mark the position of the wiper blades on the windscreen to allow you to line them up correctly on refitting. Remove the plastic caps from the wiper arms using a small flat bladed screw driver

2) remove the nuts holding the wiper arms on, they are 13mm

3) Remove the wiper arms, I wiggled gently to release them but some people have said they needed a puller to get them off

4) Remove the rubber seal which runs across the bulkhead (visible with the bonnet open. The seal just pulls off.

4) The scuttle panel (black plastic under the wiper arms) just clips into place. I find removing it from the top first to be the easiest method but others may not agree. Once it's unclipped it will come away in two halves, bare in mind that the pipes to the windscreen washer nozzles are still attached to just rest the two pieces somewhere convenient.

5) You will now be able to see the linkage, it's held in place by three torx screws, I can't remember the size off the top of my head, sorry. Remove these three screws and lift the linkage out, as you remove the linkage, disconnect the wiring from the motor.

I did the next bit on a work bench

6) Looking at the linkage you should see the two spindles which the wiper arms attach to, each spindle has a circlip which needs removing. I used a small flat-bladed screw driver to prise the circlip off, make sure you have a finger in the way to catch it or it will shoot off into the distance, never to be seen again!

7) I think there is a washer next, just lift that off. You should now be able to slide the inner and outer parts away from each other, you may need to turn the motor by hand slightly to get the linkage into a suitable position to allow the spindle to be withdrawn. If yours is starting to seize, it might be a little stiff to remove.

8) clean any gunk/corrosion off the spindle and out of the 'tube' it fits in. I used a combination of Brillo pad/bottle brush and carb cleaner.

9) Once the parts are clean and dry, apply plenty of grease to the spindles, I stuck some in the tube for good measure although a lot of it gets pushed back out.

10) once you are happy, slide the spindle back into it's tube, it should be a snug fit but nice and free to move, if not you didn't clean it properly :P

11) Replace the washer and circlip. I used a pair of short nosed pliers to put the circlip back on, again take care not to lose it!

Refitting the mechanism is a reversal of removal but it's worth remembering a few points:

1) When refitting the scuttle panel, pay attention to the outer edges, the rubber seal at the top edge of the scuttle panel needs to slide under the window surround. You may need to adjust the height of the bonnet to get the edges of the scuttle panel to sit properly.

2) Take note of which side of the scuttle to fit first. I can't remember off hand but I know one overlaps the other.

3) Before you refit the wipers, turn the ignition on and switch the wipers on and then off. Wait for the motor to stop turning and then turn the ignition off again. This will just reset the linkage to the parked position to allow you to refit the arms.

Sorry if this is not the official Skoda solution, it's how I did mine and it worked! I hope it gives you an idea anyway.

Thanks for that I hope too tackle the job tomorrow. with your notes printed off

Cheers again

I agree with VRSPhil. One to rememeber also, is to attach the washerjet pipes as well if you disconnect them when removing the scuttle panel before you clip the panel back in place.

VrsPhil has covered just about every point. the only points that I add would are:

1) Use copperslip cos it lasts longer

2) Temp fix is a drop of oil down the splindles

3)If the wiper arms wont come off the spindles, try tighnening the retaining nutsto crack the corrosion holding them

4)On mine the spindles had started to seize and pick up bearing metal. I filed this off and put a drill down the bearing.

The whole job took a couple of hours with the most time being spent unseizing the bearings

Also when taking the scuttle off warm it up to reduce the chance of it splitting.

Hi all

I have a similar problem with my wipers so I had a go at doing this at the weekend, unfortunately the bearings were ok, so what’s the solution? The wipers start real slow to about 1/3 of the screen has been wiped then if they don’t stop altogether they then go at normal speed. Sometimes there is a bit of a grinding noise from wipers, I am assuming that a new motor and gearbox assembly is required or is there a fix

Thanks

Thanks to you all

I did on Sunday, one shaft was ok the other was sezied, would just about turn but not withdraw. Got it eventually.

cleaned up and lubed. works a treat.

Thanks

Shappy

Thanks to VRSPhil... Brilliant.

My V reg Octavia wipers were very seized and didn't fancy a

I think the nut had been put on with air tools as the wiper arm assembly was well locked onto the spline (which is tapered by the way...) and had to make a little removal tool to 'crack' it off without destroying the thread.

You can buy a puller from Machine Mart, Ebay, or motor factors. On my Fabia the arms were seized solid on the spindles, but our Lupo and A3 came away easily.

It's wise to copperease the splines before re-assembly.

Spot on instructions and diagnosis, well done A++++++++++++++++

A couple of other things to watch out for - my spindles were seized so badly (oooooerrrrrr) I had to put the securing bracket in a vice (the one with the grommit in it that attaches to the car itself) and it promptly broke (cast ally?) - don't put any undue pressure on cast parts ( I did manage to bodge a repair). Also, the cowl needs to be removed from the windscreen CAREFULLY, grasp it near one end (windscreen side) and gently work free otherwise it'll crack. Finally, on mine, replace the pollen filter at the same time (if fitted) - saves need to remove the flimsy plastic cowling again.

I used copper grease in copious amounts, just ladle it on, especially around the circlip area - they work beautifully now!

1) Using masking tape, mark the position of the wiper blades on the windscreen to allow you to line them up correctly on refitting. Remove the plastic caps from the wiper arms using a small flat bladed screw driver

2) remove the nuts holding the wiper arms on, they are 13mm

3) Remove the wiper arms, I wiggled gently to release them but some people have said they needed a puller to get them off

4) Remove the rubber seal which runs across the bulkhead (visible with the bonnet open. The seal just pulls off.

4) The scuttle panel (black plastic under the wiper arms) just clips into place. I find removing it from the top first to be the easiest method but others may not agree. Once it's unclipped it will come away in two halves, bare in mind that the pipes to the windscreen washer nozzles are still attached to just rest the two pieces somewhere convenient.

5) You will now be able to see the linkage, it's held in place by three torx screws, I can't remember the size off the top of my head, sorry. Remove these three screws and lift the linkage out, as you remove the linkage, disconnect the wiring from the motor.

I did the next bit on a work bench

6) Looking at the linkage you should see the two spindles which the wiper arms attach to, each spindle has a circlip which needs removing. I used a small flat-bladed screw driver to prise the circlip off, make sure you have a finger in the way to catch it or it will shoot off into the distance, never to be seen again!

7) I think there is a washer next, just lift that off. You should now be able to slide the inner and outer parts away from each other, you may need to turn the motor by hand slightly to get the linkage into a suitable position to allow the spindle to be withdrawn. If yours is starting to seize, it might be a little stiff to remove.

8) clean any gunk/corrosion off the spindle and out of the 'tube' it fits in. I used a combination of Brillo pad/bottle brush and carb cleaner.

9) Once the parts are clean and dry, apply plenty of grease to the spindles, I stuck some in the tube for good measure although a lot of it gets pushed back out.

10) once you are happy, slide the spindle back into it's tube, it should be a snug fit but nice and free to move, if not you didn't clean it properly :p

11) Replace the washer and circlip. I used a pair of short nosed pliers to put the circlip back on, again take care not to lose it!

Refitting the mechanism is a reversal of removal but it's worth remembering a few points:

1) When refitting the scuttle panel, pay attention to the outer edges, the rubber seal at the top edge of the scuttle panel needs to slide under the window surround. You may need to adjust the height of the bonnet to get the edges of the scuttle panel to sit properly.

2) Take note of which side of the scuttle to fit first. I can't remember off hand but I know one overlaps the other.

3) Before you refit the wipers, turn the ignition on and switch the wipers on and then off. Wait for the motor to stop turning and then turn the ignition off again. This will just reset the linkage to the parked position to allow you to refit the arms.

Sorry if this is not the official Skoda solution, it's how I did mine and it worked! I hope it gives you an idea anyway.