Any Mechanics Around? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Crazy Flamer · 01-30-2007, 01:43 PM

I'm having a problem with my windshiled wipers. They don't work. I try to turn them on and they make a sound like they are trying to pop up, but they just don't pop up.

Seeing as how we are expecting snow, I'm a little concerned. Could it just be a spark plug? Any adivce people could give me would be great!

GoinAllTheWay · 01-30-2007, 02:14 PM

Spark plug? That's got nothing to do with your wipers.

So the motor that opeartes the wipers is working? If that is the case, what likley has happend is this. When you turn on your wipers, it fires up a small motor that is connected to a long arm and that arm slides back and forth, your wipers are connected to that arm. I would guess that the point where that motor attaches to the arm has popped off or something. Just get in there and do a visual on all the linkages, I'm sure you will find something has come loose. Depending on the year/model of car, it's pretty easy to fix. There should be some kind of grill right below your wipers that you can remove to see the linkages.

Just out of curiosity, did this happen after you had not used the wipers in sometime? What can happen is if your wipers go unused for a while, they can "stick" to the windshield and the next time you use them, the may not come unstuck very easily and the linkage suffers under the stress causing something to pop lose. Happened on one of my cars all the time.

TimSJ · 01-30-2007, 02:31 PM

I would agree that you likely have a problem in the wiper linkages somewhere

Incinerator · 01-30-2007, 02:32 PM

yup, dont need a mechanic for it, if you dont feel like fixing it yourself crappy tire can probably do it for $20

shane_c · 01-30-2007, 03:49 PM

When I had my VW Jetta the wipers stopped working. You could hear the motor going but the wipers wouldn't move. The dealer charged me $200 to fix it. Which was basically labor costs because they had to take a bunch of stuff apart to get at the linkage and fix what turned out to be a bolt that came off the linkage. Long story short, don't buy a VW because it would break every other week and it was only a 2000, and don't get repairs done at a dealer unless you're under warranty

brownie · 01-30-2007, 06:37 PM

Something else to check is the wiper arm,where is attaches to the spline,there is an acorn nut which could have come loose,check that before ripping apart a bunch of plastic peices to get at the linkages.But its probably a loose nut or a bolt on the linkages came off.Hope this helps.

maverickeastwood · 01-30-2007, 06:43 PM

The wipers make noise. for how long? a couple of seconds? If the noise is of short duration, i would look at the wiper motor. some of these have a "park" feature that hides the wipers below the hoodline. change it out. if the noise is steady, i would go with the previous poster.

jar_e · 01-30-2007, 10:47 PM

I feel bad to derail CF's thread but I didn't think my comment warranted it's own...

I am also having some vehicle trouble and don't know squat about vehicles. I had a minor incident on my commute to work one morning (back in Nov/Dec, when things were icy). Anyways, I ended up sliding trying to avoid an oncoming vehicle and ended up going over a curb. It was relatively slow speed (< 20 km/h) but ever since than my vehicle has had a tendancy to drag to the right. It's not a huge thing, I've managed for a few months now, but it's definitely noticable...does anyone know what it could be and what the cost of something like this would be? Would it be simple as exchanging the tire (there is some damage to the rim/tire area) or is it something more severe?

Thanks...and crazy flamer, I hope you don't mind.

Dion · 01-30-2007, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jar_e

I feel bad to derail CF's thread but I didn't think my comment warranted it's own...

I am also having some vehicle trouble and don't know squat about vehicles. I had a minor incident on my commute to work one morning (back in Nov/Dec, when things were icy). Anyways, I ended up sliding trying to avoid an oncoming vehicle and ended up going over a curb. It was relatively slow speed (< 20 km/h) but ever since than my vehicle has had a tendancy to drag to the right. It's not a huge thing, I've managed for a few months now, but it's definitely noticable...does anyone know what it could be and what the cost of something like this would be? Would it be simple as exchanging the tire (there is some damage to the rim/tire area) or is it something more severe?

Thanks...and crazy flamer, I hope you don't mind.

Could be your alignment is out of wack. I'd get that checked first.

A front end check would be a good idea also.

jar_e · 01-30-2007, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dion

Could be your alignment is out of wack. I'd get that checked first.

A front end check would be a good idea also.

Thanks Dion...I appreciate it a bunch. Any idea on cost? A few hundred? Thousand plus?

Incinerator · 01-30-2007, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jar_e

Thanks Dion...I appreciate it a bunch. Any idea on cost? A few hundred? Thousand plus?

depends how bad, a minor adjustment would only cost you about $60, what you described sounds like nothing a couple hundred bucks at the dealership won't fix.

Dion · 01-30-2007, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jar_e

Thanks Dion...I appreciate it a bunch. Any idea on cost? A few hundred? Thousand plus?

An alignment should cost under $200. As for a front end inspection, book an oil change ask the shop to check the front end while they're at it. Changes are hitting the curb knocked the alignment out of wack.

IIRC Southside Frame and Alignment on 58th - off Blackfoot- does great work. Address - 433 58 Avenue SE - (403) 253-2337

jar_e · 01-30-2007, 11:04 PM

Incinerator/Dion, thanks a ton....glad to know I can always rely on CP! I have tomorrow and thursday off so I'll see if I can get something figured out this week. Thanks again.

Dion · 01-30-2007, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jar_e

Incinerator/Dion, thanks a ton....glad to know I can always rely on CP! I have tomorrow and thursday off so I'll see if I can get something figured out this week. Thanks again.

Keep us posted on what you find out!

Jake · 01-30-2007, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Incinerator

depends how bad, a minor adjustment would only cost you about $60, what you described sounds like nothing a couple hundred bucks at the dealership won't fix.

The same thing happened to me once but alot worse. I had to rotate the steering wheel 180 degrees to get my car to go straight. It cost over $3000

Incinerator · 01-30-2007, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake

The same thing happened to me once but alot worse. I had to rotate the steering wheel 180 degrees to get my car to go straight. It cost over $3000

wow how hard and WHAT did you hit to make the wheel go 180? that's f'd up for sure, definitely not just the alignment...

Crazy Flamer · 01-31-2007, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jar_e

I feel bad to derail CF's thread but I didn't think my comment warranted it's own...

I am also having some vehicle trouble and don't know squat about vehicles. I had a minor incident on my commute to work one morning (back in Nov/Dec, when things were icy). Anyways, I ended up sliding trying to avoid an oncoming vehicle and ended up going over a curb. It was relatively slow speed (< 20 km/h) but ever since than my vehicle has had a tendancy to drag to the right. It's not a huge thing, I've managed for a few months now, but it's definitely noticable...does anyone know what it could be and what the cost of something like this would be? Would it be simple as exchanging the tire (there is some damage to the rim/tire area) or is it something more severe?

Thanks...and crazy flamer, I hope you don't mind.

I don't mind at all. Perhaps others can post their car troubles if people are willing to give adivce.

As far as the wipers go, they were moving up and down very slowly a few days ago and have since stopped. I tried looking and seeing if something was disconnected, but you might as well speak to me in Korean because I had no idea what I was looking for. So I took it in today and they are going to check it out for me!

Thanks for everyone that offered advice.

jam26 · 01-31-2007, 12:12 PM

My g/f's car had this problem about a week ago. Busted linkage. She busted it by trying to remove about an inch of ice from her windshield with the wipers.
Took it to the shop, there were seven other cars there with broken linkages. Cost about $250 to get it replaced but she had it back by the end of the day.

Incinerator · 01-31-2007, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jam26

My g/f's car had this problem about a week ago. Busted linkage. She busted it by trying to remove about an inch of ice from her windshield with the wipers.
Took it to the shop, there were seven other cars there with broken linkages. Cost about $250 to get it replaced but she had it back by the end of the day.

Maybe you should teach her how to use an ice scraper...I'm guessing she's a blonde?