Windshield wipers freezing

[techieman33]

Well we just had our first winter storm since I've had the bronco, and my windshield wipers quit working in the middle of it, it looks like all of the sleet got down in the cowl and froze up the motor, and arms just below the vents. Is there a good way to prevent it? Or do I just need to cover up the cowl along with the windshield?

 

[410Fortune]

wow I have never had an issue like this before, are you sure the motor is geting power?
These trucks have an intermittant wiper controller under the dash, mine lasted 285K miles before it gave up the ghost, I never even knew it was there! I went to the junk yard and picked up about 6 of them, in case it happens again.

The wiper motor is quite strong, I cant imagine the arms and linkage would freeze up enough while they were working to cause this problem, instead I would guess either your motor has failed, the switch inside has failed or the intermittant wiper module has failed.

I would do some testing.

Just FYI my 88 has 295K miles on it now, I am on my second wiper motor, 3rd wiper switch (column mounted multi function stalk switch) and my second intermittant wiper relay control box.

an easy test would be to apply power to the wiper motor while it is hooked up.

I have never had to replace any of the linkage, clips, sprayer hoses, etc and I have taken it all apart many times.

 

[techieman33]

I'm pretty sure something froze up. I ended up dumping a bunch of warm water down into the cowl, and now they are working. Could the motor just be getting weak? My old explorer never had this problem and it got hit with ice a lot worse than this, and it had pretty much the same design.

 

[410Fortune]

I would guess the motor is either getting weak or MORE likely the column mounted switch is getting old

 

[Turdle]

I was just going to post about this--
That ice we got a few days ago got into everything, my gutters are packed with it.--My neighbor has a Ranger with this problem. He stopped his wipers in the up position, thinking it would help keep them out of the ice, well now they are schtucked. I am sure the cowl is packed solid.
He has it parked in the sun now--

 

[410Fortune]

Listen I have had it all done to my BII, freezing rain coming sideways, rained on all day that turned to ice in like 10 minutes, snow packed cowl, the works, hell I think this is my 12th windshield since I have owned it, and the wiper linkage has never frozen up. Is it possible? sure! But I am guessing it would really have to be one hell of a block of ice on all the linkage if your motor is in good shape and its getting power.

If the motor is getting weak then it takes less resistance from the wiper arms/linkage to keep it from turning (dirty/worn stator surface, brushes)
Wiper motors are el cheapo, but before you go buy one I would test the wire signals from the switch and the + and - wires for power.

 

[techieman33]

Thanks, i'll have to dig around more when it warms up next week.

 

[Turdle]

After sitting in the sun for a bit, and about 5 gallons of hot water poured through the cowl--we got 'em running.
I hope you get yours as easily

 

[410Fortune]

wow that must have been some ice storm

 

[Turdle]

wow that must have been some ice storm

Man, I'm telling you Jamie--I have never seen anything like this--I even lived in Colorado--In Loveland and Windsor, 1965-1970. I was there for the big blizzard in 1967,I was a kid and had a blast!!

 

[techieman33]

It took me about 3 gallons to get mine going again. I'm just glad I don't have to tear into the bronco in 10 degree weather.

 

[BilHam]

My problem with the front wipers:
Here we had a couple of inches of snow, then freezing rain on top. I had to chip off the surface of ice to clear the snow from the car. It continued to be sub-freezing the next few days, and there was still ice around the arms of the wipers. The first time I put them on, the passenger wiper was frozen to the windshield; I freed it up and it tried to go up, but there was chunky ice right by the pivots on both sides, and they stopped. I cleared that ice, and they finally went up, but didn't come down. Now when I drive, they try to move every minute or so, I can see them tense up then relax. They have managed to move a few inches, about a third down, but they don't do anything but strain and relax. It's finally warmed above freezing, and I'm parked in the sun. Is there a nut to loosen to help it move,or maybe the hot water trick?

 

[techieman33]

I'd try the hot water, that's what mine were doing, you should be able to look down the vents and see if the arms are frozen in a block of ice.

 

[Nasty350LT1]

Well we just had our first winter storm since I've had the bronco, and my windshield wipers quit working in the middle of it, it looks like all of the sleet got down in the cowl and froze up the motor, and arms just below the vents. Is there a good way to prevent it? Or do I just need to cover up the cowl along with the windshield?

That happened to me last week on my "Explorer"...

I just got a bucket of hot water and carefully poured

4 - 5 gallons on the vent area, between the windshield and the hood.

It freed up my wipers and now everything is fine.

This never happend to me before, I was baffled at first.

 

[rookieshooter]

This has happened to me before also. Now I don't recommend this for the timid or ones that have more good brain cells then I. But one of the reasons I cut out that firewall to expose the windshield motor and linkage is just for that reason. You can see the exposed motor and linkage. This was not the main reason for doing this, but for more air flow to carb or heat reduction to engine compartment. But it will surely let more of that hot air from engine to reach those frozen linkages. An added benefit would be all that heated air defrosting the windshield Through those cowl vents.

 

[TedJ]

BOTH my explorers did this. We had really crappy sleet storm here. Like 2 days later I got out on the highway, looked out the window, and went "Hmm window is dirty" so I press the stalk in and wipers go up, spray covers window, and the wipers stay up, mind you i'm on the highway

After some peering out of the corner of the window and swerving, I managed to pull over and unplug the wiper motor, remove the wiper arms and then wipe the window down so i could see. Took 2 days in the sun and they starterd working again.

Few days after that, I jump in the parts truck to find some stuff, and there is snow on it, so i clean it off, then jump in and hit the wipers to get the rest of it. Up they go, and up they stay. Me and my friend just broke down laughing bacuse I had just got done telling him about my adventure with the first truck.

We went inside and got a big bucket of hot water, and all was well again.

-Ted