w202 wiper problem

[white-zed]

sorry to bring this subject up again guys but i need a little advice my wiper on my w202 started to hesitate on the screen at around 45 degrees from either way, andyway looked at the link to grease it but i have the screwed cap on mine so that idea was out the window anyway it strted working again till tonight it hesitated twice then started again but the wiper does not run in a mshape if you get what i mean it runs as a normal left to right and i can manually pull and push the arm in/out does this mean i need a new part?

also i looked on eurocar parts and they do a wiper arm gearbox for around £260+vat is this the correct part? they it's a genuine part their part number is 491220010 cheers for any help in advance guys

 

[C220GJS]

Sorry to hear about your problem, if your wiper is able to move in and out independent of the drive mechanism you will have to remove the complete wiper motor/drive unit,this link shows how ; http://members.lycos.nl/mbenz/windshield_wiper.htm ;.
There may be 3 reasons for lost drive if the motor is running,(1)the large nut on the back of the drive head may have slackened (2)the nylon gear inside the drive head is slipping on it's shaft(3)the nylon gear has stripped. The first is just a matter of resynchronising the wiper and tightening the nut, the second can be repaired by drilling through the gear and shaft then fitting a roll-pin to stop it slipping, but if the gear has stripped the drive head will need to be replaced as the gear is not available separately.
I'm surprised to hear you say your drivehead has a screwed on cover ,I thought all W202 cars had the clip on type.
This may help you dismantle your drivehead;http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=66429.
Hope this helps,

 

[white-zed]

thanks for the reply i'm pretty sure the gear has stripped in mine as you can hear a faint noise (like gear teeth slipping past easch other) as the wiper runs. luckily i've sourced a second hand unit so that'll greased before it goes on. the cover of the mechanism on mine is def screwed on but looking through my service history it was replaced by mb 2 1/2 years ago so perhaps the new ones are screwed?

 

[C220GJS]

If it was replaced by MB 2 1/2 years ago I would be looking to have them replace the unit FOC as the life of such and expensive component should be longer than this , contact the dealer who did the replacement. Also, if the head is screwed together I think they may have used an old stock earlier unit.

 

[philharve]

Hi white-zed

I initiated a new thread on this very subject about a year ago and it eventually gained '5 stars'. The thread contains pictures explaining the problem and a description of the solution.

Stalling wipers in a W202 can result in some very expensive repairs if not attended to quickly. There's a simple remedy: re-grease the slider mechanism that permits the wiper to reach out into the corners of the windscreen as it wipes.

If left untreated the usual result is stripped gears, usually in the wiper motor gearbox. They are made of nylon and the teeth sheer off when the wiper starts to stall due to lack of lubrication. Less likely to happen is that the gearbox at the base of the wiper arm will strip. The effect of the wiper stalling places considerable force on the motor gearbox which eventually fails: it's the weakest link. You'd think M-B would have designed an electronic cutout to protect the motor. Sadly, no!

The standard M-B soltion will be to replace the whole assembly: the wiper and gearbox, the transmission plate and the drive motor. This task can be accomplished with a couple hours but the cost of parts alone will be well over GBP700.00. I know, it happened to me. Fortunately my indie, a M-B trained engineer, investigated and only replaced the motor. Its gears had stripped which caused a clicking sound when the wiper was activated. That's what you would have heard.

A GBP350.00 bill was most unwelcome but it could have been much worse. I am now the wiser and will take immediate action if the wiper starts to stall again. A few pennies worth of grease would have saved the day.

The wiper problem is a well known W202 weakness which is why M-B reverted to using 2 wipers in later models.

Regards

Phil

 

[JONRW]

Mine did this last year, it had a hesitation about it @ '12 o'clock', I thought nothing of it and squirted a load of good old WD40 about the sliding mechanism - its worked a treat since !?@$"

Sigh of relief reading the costs that could have been involved.

 

[David Pemberton]

Hi

My car (W202 220CDI W/2000) has been suffering from a similar problem. I found this http://202tech.mkosonen.com/howto/wiper.html and the Haynes manual very helpful.

I thought that the turtleshell cover at the base of the wiper arm was held on by screws so I look off the whole thing per the Haynes manual. Actually I hadn't looked carefully enough and it's a clip on cover - a small mirror would have saved me 30 mins. But it did let me clean everything and, as a "bonus" I discovered the air-box drain was blocked and it was filling with water.

Spray-on lithium white grease seems to have worked well to lubricate the mechanism. I'm also reducing the friction on the screen (and the load on the wiper) by using a glass treatment (CarPlan Nanomeric Glass Sealer) which is working very well.

Best wishes

David

 

[philharve]

Spray-on lithium white grease seems to have worked well to lubricate the mechanism.

Hi David

I have been wondering what lubricant was used. Thanks.

As stated above, I failed to lubricate the wiper gearbox thinking it was a 'wiper dragging issue' and it cost a packet to repair. I will carry some grease in my car in future. My indie advises inspecting the gearbox every service and re-grease as necessary. However, don't leave re-greasing longer than 4 or 5 years because that's when wiper stalling may manifest.

I was interested in hearing about the drain hole. If the cavity fills with water the moisture could impair the lubricant and prevent the wiper arm moving axially with expensive consequences.

JONRW recommends a squirt of WD40 and its use is mentioned elsewhere. However, this procedure should only be regarded as a 'get you home' measure. Re-greasing is the only effective longterm remedy.

I've never actually removed the 'turtle shell' myself. How easy is it to unclip? Is figure pressure alone adequate? There are some excellent picture of the wiper gearbox overhall elsewhere in this forum.

I've read the Haynes item on wipers.

Regards

Phil

 

[David Pemberton]

Hello Phil

Once the long-cover at the base of the wiper arm is removed (a fairly high pressure and a worrying snapping click as it came off - but OK no damage) the turtle shell cover comes off on my car with just finger pressure. As I mentioned a small mirror (like a dentist or powerder compact) will help you look under the turtleshell to see where the clips are so you know where to prise the cover.

I agree about WD-40 being a stop gap. The teflon or lithium based greases are water resistant and longer lived. It's such an quick and simple job it should be added to the "B" service list.

Best wishes

David

 

[bigasotonuk]

WD40 is a water displacer shouldnt be used as a lube, silicon greases i,ve used have low melting point. i just used a general purpose grease never had a problem since 2yrs ago now.l

 

[r.uppal]

The remedy

i have spent a small fortune rectyfying this problem.
Its a worm drive and the metal worm is weak, hence breaks and chews up the plastic gear. You can buy a new motor of ebay that lasts about six months if it doesnt rain alot, or bite the bullet and buy one from Mercedes for £300 odd sell the car and buy a vauxhall tigra, the only thing you miss is this forum!!!!!

 

[Aussie Nick]

Wiper problem

I know this problem well as it cost me a thumb nail which is still growing out.Try using waterproof grease which normally is colour coded blue or red.If you need to replace the mechanism you will have to ensure that when you reassemble you ensure that you observe the timing marks on the alloy housing. these are usally marked with two raised dots and one raised dot.if you dont locate exactly in accordance with these marks wipers will not do W pattern and will operate past edge of windscreen.Try placing wiper arm with motor on windscreen and running through wiper proposed action with motor disconnected from power supply. You will need another person to assist you. the plastic cover in the middle of windscreen is very difficult to unclip.

 

[ae1whia]

Hi All
Great thread
Our old w202's wipers were sticking after a run down south last week, saw the original thread and did the biz with lithium grease, now working a treat!
Definately a £££ saver this

Thanks to all

Andy

 

[Halcyon-Pure]

Had to replace my wiper motor today. Quoted 282 pounds for a new replacement plus fitting! Visited www.1stchoice.co.uk and secured a second hand replacement part for just under a hundred, then had a local garage fit it for a further fifty; three months guarantee.

I'll share this website with the forum as it proved to be excellent for me, though make sure your local garage is prepared to fit a part they haven't sourced themselves as many refuse.

 

[Uva81uy]

Sorry to hear about your problem, if your wiper is able to move in and out independent of the drive mechanism you will have to remove the complete wiper motor/drive unit,this link shows how ; http://members.lycos.nl/mbenz/windshield_wiper.htm ;.
There may be 3 reasons for lost drive if the motor is running,(1)the large nut on the back of the drive head may have slackened (2)the nylon gear inside the drive head is slipping on it's shaft(3)the nylon gear has stripped. The first is just a matter of resynchronising the wiper and tightening the nut, the second can be repaired by drilling through the gear and shaft then fitting a roll-pin to stop it slipping, but if the gear has stripped the drive head will need to be replaced as the gear is not available separately.
I'm surprised to hear you say your drivehead has a screwed on cover ,I thought all W202 cars had the clip on type.
This may help you dismantle your drivehead;http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=66429.
Hope this helps,

Hi all. I’m having the problem nbr 2. Thinking in replace the whole gear with the shaft, but it doesn’t have an screw. How you can drill the gear and the shaft to put a roll pin with no breake nothing !