Horrible incident with my mazda today, i am driving down 71 coming home from work. it is absolutely pouring rain, all of a sudden it looked like my wipers touched as they began to come up. nothing happened so i thought nothing of it, about 2 minuttes later they touched again, this time, catastrophy. the passenger blade is ripped off the windshield and the arm that holds it is bent into the shape of a question mark. the driver side arm becomes completely deteched from the window and is swinging wildly as it has now become part of the passenger wiper, as they say in saving private ryan....."IT'S FUBAR"
Windshield wiper issues
- Thread starter curacer1
- Start date
djltoronto
Member
- :
- Mazda 3 Sport
curacer1 said:
How on earth did this happen?
have any pictures?
Take it to the dealer and don't mention how fast you were going. I've read other reports of the same thing happening on the 3, so don't think it was just a fluke.
The other reports were claiming windshield snow did it, but I wouldn't be sure of that. I've put many cars and trucks through winter conditions but never had a wiper fail like that. It appears to be weak linkage, but of course they'll deny it.
The other reports were claiming windshield snow did it, but I wouldn't be sure of that. I've put many cars and trucks through winter conditions but never had a wiper fail like that. It appears to be weak linkage, but of course they'll deny it.
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- 2003.5 Titanium MSP
never had that problem with mine, but when I took my moms Mz3 for a test drive, and went super fast, I noticed they kinda slowed down a bit...and my speeds also seem to slow down when ur going about 200km/h
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G
GimmeA3S
RonH said:
Doesn't matter how fast he was going....that's a design flaw. If you can't use your wipers on the highway, what good are they? Warranty.....
Badger Biker
Member
- :
- 2001 Jeep Cherokee Limited
I would agree. Take them into your dealership and go for a warrenty. That should NOT be happening.
pics of my problem, and since your there check out the rest of my project, and give me some feedback http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/739136/4
Badger Biker
Member
- :
- 2001 Jeep Cherokee Limited
Bull s***.
Talk to your dealer some more, service manager. Then start pulling the ranks, that is uncalled for.
mobomelter
Member
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- 2004 Civic Si
yeah that has to be a design flaw. my 3 has seen 90 (not for long because i don't like tickets) and i've had the wipers on before at over 80....
It's not a design flaw. It's factory workers not tightening the bolt that holds the wiper arm on enough. It's happened to many owners, but most didn't have a bad problem. They took it to the dealer and they tightened the bolts to proper specs and solved the problem.
It seems there are a lot of 3's that have numerous loose bolts and nuts, especially in the doors, causing the window to make a noise when putting it up.
It looks like the factory was trying to manufacture these cars too fast to keep up with the demand, maybe speeding up the assembly line, who knows.
Mine was built 12/04 and I've had no problems, except my passenger window make a little noise putting it up. I'm going to mention it my next oil change in March. Loose power window motor bolts is usually the cause. But I don't want the oil jockey taking off the door panel to fix it. I'll get a tech to do it.
It seems there are a lot of 3's that have numerous loose bolts and nuts, especially in the doors, causing the window to make a noise when putting it up.
It looks like the factory was trying to manufacture these cars too fast to keep up with the demand, maybe speeding up the assembly line, who knows.
Mine was built 12/04 and I've had no problems, except my passenger window make a little noise putting it up. I'm going to mention it my next oil change in March. Loose power window motor bolts is usually the cause. But I don't want the oil jockey taking off the door panel to fix it. I'll get a tech to do it.
mobomelter
Member
- :
- 2004 Civic Si
RonH said:
yeah that makes more sense.
guitarchick
Member
Mikey444 said:
Not sure if I should be glad to find stories like this...or deeply concerned. Have noticed wipers running "slow" for quite some time now, even at full speed operation. Sometimes the passenger's side is slower, sometimes the driver's. They have never actually STOPPED working and dealer has never found a problem with them. But this AM, in torrential downpour with my 2 LARGE dogs in the backseat, the driver's side ceased to function at all. Then it somehow got crossed up with the passenger's side before I could shut wipers off and pull off road. Stopped, separated them, tried to start them again. BOTH started up normally and function correctly for about 5 seconds. Then they went beserk! Driver's side flew up and over driver's side of the car, while passenger's side continued to work normally. Raining so hard that I absolutely could not see otherwise, so had to roll down driver's window and peer out it to get home, with driver's side wiper sticking off side of car. Needless to say, both me and driver's side of interior were soaked. Called dealer and have service scheduled for Monday (if not raining, as they are 30 miles away...and yes, they actually asked me why I couldn't bring it in today...gee, I don't know why...maybe because I can't see to get there?). Told them I assumed this was covered by my warranty as car is barely 2 years old. Also mentioned various problems that I have seen in forum about wipers. Said they never heard of any such thing. As for warranty, said it depends on damage done to wipers and if I was the cause of it. I was driving down a main road in my town, going 35-40 mph. I fail to see how I could have been the cause of it. Oh, this should be fun.
wiper problems
Well I've had two similar episodes, and I can pretty much tell you what the problems was.
The first was in a '86 Sentra where the little plastic knut that held the linkage between the passenger and driver's side wiper arms (so they move in tandem) was worn down and the linkage would fall off the driver's side causing the driver's wiper to stop. Then the passenger's side wiper would swing into the stopped driver's side wiper and knock the wiper blade off of the arm. Inconvienient you might say.
The second was in my wife's '02 Elantra where the knut (and actual metal knut, not plastic) loosened on the driver's side wiper. So the wiper was still being driven, however it just spun inside the wiper arm vs. moving it. Luckily it stopped high enough on the windshield that the passenger side one didn't hit it. Unluckily it happened on the interstate while it was snowing, and a semi was passing me and splashing slush all over the car. Couldn't see anything for about 5 seconds. (boom01)
My thought is that it's like the second example there. The knut tightening down on the wiper arm isn't tight, and should just need a little torquing. Now since your wiper arm was damaged by it they should definitely be replacing it under warranty. If they give you crap about it ask them to show you where in the owners manual it says the windshield wipers do not work over a certain speed. If we're not supposed to go 70 in this car then why is it governed at 118? Also did the broken arm scratch up the windshield after the blade got knocked off? If so you could try to tack that on as well.
Well I've had two similar episodes, and I can pretty much tell you what the problems was.
The first was in a '86 Sentra where the little plastic knut that held the linkage between the passenger and driver's side wiper arms (so they move in tandem) was worn down and the linkage would fall off the driver's side causing the driver's wiper to stop. Then the passenger's side wiper would swing into the stopped driver's side wiper and knock the wiper blade off of the arm. Inconvienient you might say.
The second was in my wife's '02 Elantra where the knut (and actual metal knut, not plastic) loosened on the driver's side wiper. So the wiper was still being driven, however it just spun inside the wiper arm vs. moving it. Luckily it stopped high enough on the windshield that the passenger side one didn't hit it. Unluckily it happened on the interstate while it was snowing, and a semi was passing me and splashing slush all over the car. Couldn't see anything for about 5 seconds. (boom01)
My thought is that it's like the second example there. The knut tightening down on the wiper arm isn't tight, and should just need a little torquing. Now since your wiper arm was damaged by it they should definitely be replacing it under warranty. If they give you crap about it ask them to show you where in the owners manual it says the windshield wipers do not work over a certain speed. If we're not supposed to go 70 in this car then why is it governed at 118? Also did the broken arm scratch up the windshield after the blade got knocked off? If so you could try to tack that on as well.
