Hi,
car: 2000 Golf GLS with 77K miles.
problem:
2 days ago, I used the windshield washer to clean my front glass (which causes the wiper to wipe also) and noticed that the wiper blades moved very slowly, but it completed to the rest position. I figured the blades were sticky due to heat and me not having used them for a while.Today, I did the same, and the wipers went half way up and stopped. I tried the wiper switch in many positions, and also switching off and on the engine and finally concluded that the electrics was OK, because I could see the wipers twitch but not move.
Finally I manually tried to move the wipers and found that I could not move the driver's side, but if I pulled (it was on the UP cycle) on the passenger side, both wipers would move. so I pulled it all the way up and then pushed it all the way down. Then I restarted the engine and the wipers were still completing their cycle so they went halfway up and stuck again. So I repeated this 3 times, and the third time (which I think would have ended the cycle) the passenger side wiper with a loud snap decoupled from the motor drive and now swings freely. When I restarted the engine this time, the driver side wiper moved alone but very slowly, but it did complete it's cycle and came to rest.
Clue: There's a rubber washer that goes around the wiper shaft and seals the hole in the grillwork, on the driver's side it is twisted so it's not sealing anything, but on the passenger side, it looks like it has melted with heat.
Questions:
- Are there 2 motors or 1 for the 2 wipers?
- Am I right in concluding that the passenger side motor is seized for some reason and will have to be replaced?
- Will that solve the problem?
- How expensive is it likely to be?
- Anybody see this in their VW? Any recalls or service bulletins?
Can't really drive the car without the wipers, it's supposed to rain all week.
Any information or analysis is greatly appreciated.
Mehelli