windsreen wiper not working

[Bob Penny]

Can any one help with this please?
1999 Sl 500 R129
Noticed the wiper was getting slow for a week or two, 2 days ago it would not work, gave it a shove and no problem. Now Wiper not working at any speed, whirring noise coming from control unit.

Control Unit changed approx. a year ago

 

[television]

Lift the plastic cover and tighten the nut

 

[Bob Penny]

Thanks Malcolm,
will give it a try to-morrow, but it has now set off the indicator problem I had a year ago as well - left works ok but right results in right then left then right and so on. Does this point to yet another control unit, if so can they be repaired?

 

[television]

Dont forget that the N10 relay controls the flashers and the wipers,but if you can hear the wiper motor running, then this should not be the relay

 

[Bob Penny]

This is now solved, so to help anyone else, here goes

W/screen wipers stopped and then so did the indicators, After a while the left worked ok but right resulted in right then left then right and so on.
A year ago had indicator problem - replaced hazard switch and control unit - all ok for a few months then indicator problem started again so sprayed the control unit connections with WD40. I think I was lucky as no more problem till 3 weeks ago and the start of this thread.

Took car to "Merc-Star in Radcliffe" on a rain free day, who replaced the ignition switch that was not passing out the correct voltage 3 hours labour (diagnosis and fitting) + switch(£50) = £270 including VAT. Fantastic service and problem solved.

Hope this helps someone else.

 

[television]

Thanks Bob for posting back, many ignition switches do go down, one went on my last SL 129

 

[pancholi]

Lift the plastic cover and tighten the nut

same problem here on my 1991 sl500...
i can hear the motor working but the wiper does not move..
silly question ...is it a simple matter of lifting(any advice) the plastic cover on the root of the wiper blade and tightening a bolt as suggested?
THANKS

 

[pancholi]

just been trying it on the car. my car has a metal cover where the wiper arm starts from the bonnet...

 

[pancholi]

oh dear, my steel wiper housing cover plate is the hidden screw design....have tried to find other threads...no success.......any ideas how i get to them? thanks

 

[shurdle]

As per above post, does anyone know how to remove the steel housing. I have this same problem. Thanks

 

[hotrodder]

It's remove wiper mechanism from car and strip it to lube that type properly i'm afraid. Some have improved a slow/semi-seized wiper by drilling a small hole at the base of the 'turtleshell' cover and using a spray grease but i'd pull it all apart and do it properly personally

There's a 'how to' guide on one of the forums that's pretty clear, a search of this forum should get you the links. I still have the old wiper from my car kicking around, can document stripping and rebuilding it if needed/useful for the forum

Basically you've some trim to remove from the windscreen base and bulkhead area, strip out the heater blower motor and then the wiper can be removed (easier to handle if the wiper blade/arm is removed first). The bolts holding the turtleshell cover on are only accessible after the turtleshell has been split from the rest of the mechanism. As well as a nut for the sweep linkage there is a circlip or e-clip that needs removing to allow the turtleshell to be slid out, arm needs to be in the vertical position for removal as there is a relief in the casing for gear clearance.

 

[shurdle]

Not the news that I wanted to hear, but thanks very much for the reply. At least I know what I'm up against now.

 

[Dec]

As hotrodder, you need to remove the mechanism but before you do can you give a little more info about your symptoms, can you move the wiper arm/blade by hand at any point on the screen when the wiper is off, how is it on the different speeds?

Dec