I recently had a problem with my driver's side wiper arm, as it would rise off the windshield at the most critical point (my vision field).

I followed the fix at "Bay 13" for this problem but when I went to tighten the arm, it was already as snug as it would go. I then pushed down on the arm and checked the swipe clearance. It now makes contact but it seems I can move the arm back and forth with my hand as though it had no locknut on it at all! The passenger side wiper arm now gets caught in the driver's side as it moves. What happened? Is some internal spline shot? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I had the driver-side wiper problem too. The Bay 13 fix worked for a while, but it eventually bent back. If you look carefully at the wiper arm when it is stopped at the extreme left, you will see that it does not make contact because the arm hits two metal stops on the cast aluminum piece. These stops keep the arm from fully contacting the windshield. My fix was to take out my Dremel tool and carefully grind down the 2 stops, so the wiper arm can move through a wider angle of motion. The aluminum is easy to grind down with a round Dremel bit. Just be careful not to cut through the spring. Has worked well for me.

Dave H.

93 854GLT 96 855

Dave, I would like to try your Dremel fix, but could you please help me to identify the two metal stops that are on the cast aluminum piece. Are they under the spring?

The stops are on the top end of the cast aluminum part of the wiper arm, right at the hinge. Lift up the arm, and at the base of the spring you should see a flat spot on each side where the upper part of the arm hits when it is fully extended. Just grind these down with a Dremel or small file, until the upper part of the arm can rotate farther toward the windshield. They are not under the spring, but if you are not careful, you could accidently cut into the bottom part of the spring.

Dave H.

93 854GLT 96 855

Did it today Dave, worked like a charm. Thanks for the info.

take the arm off, clean splines (both on the arm and on the post)with stiff brass brush, or similar, re-fit and tighten. Usually does the trick. The splines get filled in with soft metal and then the post turns without moving the arm. Has happened to many of us.

good luck.

Claude

Thanks for your message Claude. Will try it tonight. I guess if that does not fix it, I'm off to the dealer for a new wiper arm.

Before you buy a new wiper arm, see whether you have the same failed part I found on my '94 850. Take off the wiper arms and the formed plastic air dam underneath them that stretches the width of the windshield. I bet you will find a washer/seal on the driver side wiper post that has failed. Mine looked like a lttle flattened donut with a big bite out of it. I just ordered a replacement yesterday; in the mean time the wiper seems to work just fine with no seal at all. (As it happens, today was the first rain of the year in Southern California where I live.)

I did the Dremel idea and it's worked ever since.

Had the same problem with my 94 850. Had to bend the section of wiper arm that fits between the spline and the spring hinge. This part of the arm should be only one inch off the surface of the window. Mine was a good two inches off the window. Not an easy part of the arm to bend (aluminum). Had to take it off the car to bend it. Worked well after.