Frost! ...and a broken wiper.

[BBamm]

So before I give my spiel, I DID read the common problems thread as well as the wiper module thread... This is different.

This morning I remote started my car, almost 10 mins later came out to a still foggy(or so I thought) windshield. I hit the sprayer button to try to speed up the process and lo and behold, my windshield was iced over!! Total shocker!!

My passenger side wiper took off, worked just fine. The driver's side however, didn't move. It's happened once before in a similar situation and all I did was pop it loose and everything was fine. This is different.

This time, the wiper wouldn't move at all. I played with the switch and it moved 2 inches the wrong direction... then i pulled it back up and tried again, it wouldn't move. I manually guided it with the my hand while the other one moved and it stayed all the way up. hit the switch again and it shot off of the side of my windshield and stopped again. I had to manually place it back into resting position.

Did I somehow strip out the shaft?? Is the motor bad? Could it still be that module? Will it possibly reset itself while in the parking deck today?

ANY advise would be MUCH appreciated. To me, it seems quite odd that it would only happen to the driver's side.

EDIT: I know I posted in the non-GXP spot but I figured this could apply to any 00-05.

[nos4blood70]

From what I understand, it's one motor that moves both wipers. So something is stripped. I do not think it is the module.

However I could be wrong, so hopefully someone else chimes in.

[crash93ssei]

They are connected by a shaft that ensures they move the same way, the spindle would be stripped or the nut loose, pop the cap on the wiper arm stud and tighten the nut, that should help if not possibly fix it.

[BBamm]

They are connected by a shaft that ensures they move the same way, the spindle would be stripped or the nut loose, pop the cap on the wiper arm stud and tighten the nut, that should help if not possibly fix it.

Awesome! I hope that's all it is. I'll check it right when I get home.

[BBamm]

If it is indeed stripped, what are my options? Rock auto doesn't list the spindle, is it something I could easily pull from a car at the local yard or is it the entire assembly?

[crash93ssei]

It is the entire assembly with the motor bolted to it. Overall it is not hard to remove, take the plastic cowl piece off and three 10 mm bolts hold the assembly in, remove those and with some wiggling it comes right out. Actually, if you stop by Matts tomorrow during the meet he has a GXP there he bought off me for parts and has all that on it still, I'm sure he would sell that for a good price and I can help with the swap

[BBamm]

Still up in the air on tomorrow, I'm dog sitting for a buddy who will be in Florida picking up a new log truck. Depending on the extent of damage to the spline, I may take you up on that though. Do you know the color of the interior? I need a tan console lid, maybe I can kill two birds with one stone if the price is right.

[crash93ssei]

Interior is gone, now in William Booze's car. You really should make the trip though, it is always a really good time with a bunch of great people!

[zamjohn]

I didn't remove the nut from my 04 SE but my experience with GMs is that it will be the wiper arm end that is stripped. The wiper arm end that is attached to the shaft is made of a softer splined metal which is designed to strip if the wipers are activated and can't move for some reason (preventing greater damage). Remove the wiper arm and I'm pretty sure thats what you'll find. This being the case replace wiper arm.

[1oldman]

This happened to me - sortta, when I first got my '05 Bonneville. Came out to start the car, stuck the key in the ignition, started the car, than as I was moving my hand/arm to exit the vehicle to let it warm up (ice on the windshield), I accidentally touched the windshield wiper stalk and started the wipers. Busted something in the linkage, I think. The youngest son fixed it for me so I have no details, but I was sure glad he did. Hope your's is an easy fix. The youngest son said what happened was "common" on those "model" GM cars. - BC

[bs009]

I didn't remove the nut from my 04 SE but my experience with GMs is that it will be the wiper arm end that is stripped. The wiper arm end that is attached to the shaft is made of a softer splined metal which is designed to strip if the wipers are activated and can't move for some reason (preventing greater damage). Remove the wiper arm and I'm pretty sure thats what you'll find. This being the case replace wiper arm.

Most likely you'll just need to replace the wiper arm or you could try and tighten the nut. I've had to do this with almost all of my cars so far.

[BBamm]

Thanks everyone!! Luckily it was just the nut. It was almost completely off!!! How it got like that, I dunno, but everything works fine now.

Hope everyone is having fun at the meet, it's not looking like I'll make it. I'd like to though, I need to hook up to a tech 2 b/c of a stability control issue....

[RJolly87]

No worries, we all have a loose nut once in a while.

Glad it was an easy fix!

[00Beast]

I had the nuts come loose on me during a big rainstorm once. It was exciting, to say the least...