unintended feature: self-adjusting passenger windshield wiper

**charliekuney** · 04-15-2011, 04:24 PM

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person who deals with this. My driver's side wiper sits flush with the bottom of the window, but the passenger one arcs upward and irritates the shit out of me. I've removed it (the whole wiper arm, not just the blade) several times and re-installed it at a lower angle but it always ends up...up again after I use it for a couple of days. I use Bosch Icon wipers, with an oversized driver's side (factory is 19/19, I run 24/19

). I would expect more irritation with the larger wiper, but it doesn't do anything annoying.

**YK86** · 04-15-2011, 04:48 PM

Are the splines on the wiper arm and also on the shaft side still good? If it was used while the nut was loose, the splines may have rounded off.

If they are good, make sure you hold the arm flat while you tighten the nut as they will move around even with the nut tight as the splines aren't meshing.

It may also be time to replace the plastic bushing on the linkage under the cowl cover. If you hold the driver's side while wiggling the passenger side and you see excessive movement, the bushing is worn out.

**lostforawhile** · 04-15-2011, 06:09 PM

if the assembly is worn out, you might get lucky and find the entire thing in a yard in better shape, it's not that bad to change out. I got one years ago in perfect shape ,it hangs in my garage for future use if needed

**charliekuney** · 04-15-2011, 07:58 PM

Being in Washington State we use our wipers a lot. I did hold down the arm while I tightened the bolt, and the splines look fine. I will look into the bushing once I get time. Also, the arms do move a lot if you wiggle them.

**YK86** · 04-16-2011, 04:34 AM

The arms moving around is normal but holding one down and having the other arm wiggle is not.

**stat1K** · 04-16-2011, 06:35 AM

the arms really shouldn't move when the motor is off. if they do it's the linkage that is worn. they're held together by these shitty little plastic ball joints and those break and crack all the time. especially if you're in a state that gets a lot of rain. my civic's wipers took a shit out here in just about 1.5 years. they had never really been used all that often and then got a bunch of use all at once. i replaced the motor first and it didn't do anything. then i replaced the linkage and it doesn't do it anymore. mine was my driver side though, it would go too far past the windshield seal and get stuck, so i would then have to roll the window down and get it unstuck with my hand while it's pooring rain lol.