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Killed my front wipers

2K views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  HavokZ 
#1 ·
Due to the crazy weather we've had in the last day on the east coast everything is frozen and iced over.

I made the mistake of turning my wipers on while they were frozen down and I think something snapped. I can hear the motor making some noise, but the arms/blades don't move at all. If I move one wiper with my hand it will move the other one, so I want to say there is a problem with where the motor connects to the wiper transmission...I'm waiting until tomorrow to take my X into my girlfriends garage to let everything thaw out and take a look at what's going on. Has anyone else had this happen to them?
 
#3 ·
The main arm probably went. It's not a bad replacement (or expensive). You have to take off the wipers,then the cowl. Done it a couple of times. this only applies to a first gen.don't know about the second gen. If you're lucky it might just pop on.
I'm hoping it's not a bad fix. I am going to take a peek under the plastic cover tomorrow. Will provide an update!
 
#4 ·
So I took off the wipers and cover to take a look at the linkage today. Brrr...Anyways, it looks like the linkage just came unattached form the motor. I put it back on and bent the cotter pin a bit so it would stay on...Put everything back together and it came off as soon as I turned it on.
?
Has anyone else had this issue and have a remedy? Here is a pic for reference:

 
#6 ·
Good glad it worked. Forgot to tell you, if you have to do it again, I find it a good idea to keep the wipers up off the windshield when going back together. That way if you screw up the placement they don't go down over the cowl or out past the door post. Just watch they may pop off again (loosened up now). At least if it happens you know the cause
 
#7 ·
I had this happen a little while back. Turns out for mine it was the little plastic bushing. It was worn and not holding the ball joint in place. Just kept popping off. Turns out that this size bushing is hard to find. The fix? A Toyota PCV valve grommet.

 
#8 ·
Good to know. I just replaced the arm. Less than $20 and figured while I was there. Also had same problem on my Frontier I had before. Wasn't much fun under an overpass shirtless (t keep it a bit dry) in the rain putting it back on. Luckily in mid summer. Onice bitten twice shy.
 
#9 ·
Good glad it worked. Forgot to tell you, if you have to do it again, I find it a good idea to keep the wipers up off the windshield when going back together. That way if you screw up the placement they don't go down over the cowl or out past the door post. Just watch they may pop off again (loosened up now). At least if it happens you know the cause
I had this happen a little while back. Turns out for mine it was the little plastic bushing. It was worn and not holding the ball joint in place. Just kept popping off. Turns out that this size bushing is hard to find. The fix? A Toyota PCV valve grommet.

Good to know. I just replaced the arm. Less than $20 and figured while I was there. Also had same problem on my Frontier I had before. Wasn't much fun under an overpass shirtless (t keep it a bit dry) in the rain putting it back on. Luckily in mid summer. Onice bitten twice shy.
Well guess what happened again...Went to a hockey game in a snow storm and parked with my wipers on the slow setting so I didn't notice they were on when I started it back up. Started the X up to warm er up and the wipers tried to move and it disconnected again. Good times driving home...

Anyways, the cotter pin that goes through the middle and keeps the ball joints from popping off keeps getting bent and ripped off. It looks like the seat is missing about 30% as you can see in the pics. It may be time to go to the dealer and order a new linkage piece...

Anyone have any other simpler, ghetto solutions?

Pics:




Lookin mean in snow...
 
#10 ·
I'm from Maine and currently live in new york (army stationed me here) so I know a whole lot about the northeast weather and vehicles. Now this hasn't happened to my X yet. But it has happened to most other vehicles. Fortunately most dealerships carry the parts for the windshield wipers or can get them in rather quickly. Just pull in to a Nissan dealer show a tech the part and either they will have one or get one in a few days.
 
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