Wonder if anyone can help? I have a 1996 E34 5 Series and whilst driving in light rain a few days ago I hit the intermittent wipers, they got half way accross the windscreen, then stopped in their tracks. Now they do not operate at all, and I haven?t even checked the fusebox as I can hear the wiper motor working upon attempting to switch on the wipers.
Any ideas? My initial theory is a broken connection, but where do I start?
I agree with your theory. Start by making sure that you turned the wipers off before you switch off the ignition, this so the motor returns to the park position. Then open the hood and remove the plastic cover at the rear of the engine compartment over the small compartment between the false firewall and the real firewall. This is where the wiper linkage lives. You'll probably have to remove the wiper arms before you do this. Once you are in you should be able to figure out what linkage has come disconnected.
-Fred W
The wipers in my '95 E34 seized from lack of lubrication. I took the mechanism all apart, re-greased everthing, and now it's fine.
This happenned with my 91 E30 318is. The gear that actually drives the wiper linkage chipped a tooth, so it had a dead spot. Motor would run, wipers wouldn't wipe. If I moved the wipers by hand it would re-engage and they would go until they hit that spot again. Solution was a remanufactured wiper motor - $80 + a couple hours of swearing in the garage.
Kevin Rhodes Westbrook, Maine
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