Wiper motor bad ?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Ben Schneider, Feb 7, 2022.

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  1. Ben Schneider

    Ben Schneider Junior Member

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    3 months ago arrived at parked prius in cold night and wipers did not work. Next morning, warmer and worked ok

    1.5 months ago, same thing.

    Yesterday, wipers stuttered, then stopped.

    This morning, very cold. Wipers did not work. Fuse brown, but not blown. Changed fuse. Wipers did not work rest of day.

    Went to gas station this evening. While cleaning Windshield, moved wipers with hands. Started car. Wipers moved half an inch.

    Still not working otherwise.

    Advice ? 20220206_104257.jpg
     
    #1 Ben Schneider, Feb 7, 2022
  2. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Your contacts where the fuse plugs in could be loose, one side of the fuse shows discoloration like arcing of current could be occurring.

    You're going to have to find a way to get the copper contacts in the fusebox to make better electrical contact with the fuse. That will help provide more current to the wiper motor or relay, whichever the case may be.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #2 xliderider, Feb 7, 2022
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    #3 ChapmanF, Feb 7, 2022
  4. Ben Schneider

    Ben Schneider Junior Member

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    I will try, thank you
     
    #4 Ben Schneider, Feb 8, 2022
  5. Ben Schneider

    Ben Schneider Junior Member

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    Took dielectric grease, swabbed with qtip

    Put on oem wd40

    Inserted, pulled out about 11 times

    Works in a stuttering fashion

    What can I do to make it constant
     
    #5 Ben Schneider, Feb 17, 2022
  6. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

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    Since it works sometimes, I'd check every ground I could find...I've seen rusty connections make electronics act like that. Do you have a multi-meter you can hook up to the terminals and ensure power is constant?
    If power is constant, replacing the wiper motor might be an option...MSRP is $230.04 but McGeorge on-line has them for $153.51 or you might check your car parts store for prices. https://toyotaparts.mcgeorgetoyota.com/oem-parts/toyota-windshield-wiper-motor-8511047240?c=Zz1lbGVjdHJpY2FsJnM9d2lwZXJzJmw9MiZuPVNlYXJjaCBSZXN1bHRzJmE9dG95b3RhJm89cHJpdXMmeT0yMDEzJnQ9Zm91ciZlPTEtOGwtbDQtZWxlY3RyaWMtZ2Fz
     
    #6 ColoradoBoo, Feb 17, 2022
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  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Wear of the carbon brushes inside the wiper motor can also be a thing.
     
    #7 ChapmanF, Feb 17, 2022
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  8. Ben Schneider

    Ben Schneider Junior Member

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    Not working...
     
    #8 Ben Schneider, Feb 17, 2022
  9. Ben Schneider

    Ben Schneider Junior Member

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    Seems to only work when some force is applied to move wipers ...

    Person got out to clean Windshield. While cleaning, pushed wiper and wiper started moving.

    Also, wind blew wiper and wiper moved.
     
    #9 Ben Schneider, Feb 18, 2022
  10. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    What will you try next to pin down the problem?
     
    #10 ChapmanF, Feb 18, 2022
  11. Ben Schneider

    Ben Schneider Junior Member

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    Was out of town, not so easily able to work on car.

    Came back to warm Florida.

    Cleaned mechanism. Took apart wiper motor assembly.

    Wires seem ok. Cleaned area.

    Wipers seem to work.

    Either the cold affected it, not sure still if I should replace motor.

    Other possibility is seating of driver wiper might have affected if motor could go.

    Seems to work now in 65 degrees, as opposed to 30s. Not sure if temperature affected it.
     
    #11 Ben Schneider, Feb 22, 2022
  12. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    If/when you take it apart, you should clean and grease all the pivot points.
    And clean the brushes, or replace them then clean where they contact the motor.
    I can't for the life of me think of what that part is called! "commutator"??
    It should be clean and shiney, and clean the grooves also, carefully.

     
    #12 ASRDogman, Feb 22, 2022
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2022
  13. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding!
     
    #13 ChapmanF, Feb 23, 2022
  14. Ben Schneider

    Ben Schneider Junior Member

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    I will do that
     
    #14 Ben Schneider, Feb 23, 2022
  15. Ben Schneider

    Ben Schneider Junior Member

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    What kind of grease
     
    #15 Ben Schneider, Feb 23, 2022
  16. Ben Schneider

    Ben Schneider Junior Member

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    Can I use dielectric grease or wd40
     
    #16 Ben Schneider, Feb 24, 2022
  17. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Carb or brake cleaner to clean it, then light grease, like bicycle grease.
    You don't need a lot. Maybe plumbers grease?

     
    #17 ASRDogman, Feb 24, 2022
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  18. Ben Schneider

    Ben Schneider Junior Member

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    Opened motor.

    Was maybe 1/2 ounce of dried up seeming to be grease.

    Swabbed black dirt out.

    Sprayed wd40 and coated with dielectric grease.

    Sealed with gasket maker.

    Seems to work but now 1/16 synced in backwards direction when starting cycle. I hope it works fine enough for the cold. In the 80s in Florida.
     
    #18 Ben Schneider, Feb 25, 2022
  19. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Why dielectric grease????
    Don't understand this sentence: "Seems to work but now 1/16 synced in backwards direction when starting cycle.".
     
    #19 ASRDogman, Feb 25, 2022
  20. Ben Schneider

    Ben Schneider Junior Member

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    Dielectric is what I had from other step. Looked usable.

    The wipers move in the wrong direction for an inch or two at the beginning of every cycle. Not horrific but not prefect.
     
    #20 Ben Schneider, Feb 26, 2022
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