mx5cartalk.com

Some of you may have seen a couple of my previous posts on another thread about my recalcitrant windscreen wipers.
In short, I never use the wipers/washers because I never take the MX5 out if it looks like rain. Last week however I broke my rule and of course it rained.
This was fortuitous however because I found that the wipers didn't work. (Didn't surprise me a lot as they hadn't been used in 15 years)
Took it in to my mechanic today and he pulled the wiper motor out and said it was fine so might be the Wiper Control Relay.
He couldn't find out where the relay was and so I said I would have a look in my Workshop Manual and let him know.(Doesn't even mention it in the Manual)
On the way home however, I noticed a acrid burning smell and on reaching home I flipped the bonnet and found that the Wiper motor was the source of the smell and too hot to touch.
I disconnected it and phoned the mechanic and after a discussion decided it was Auto Electrician time.
It goes in next Thursday and looks like I might now be up for a new Wiper Motor as well as whatever caused the problem.

Have you checked to make sure the mechanism can actually move freely?

Wiper motor may have been trying to move the arms but couldn't and got hot and bothered as a result......

Have you checked that the mechanisms (wiper arms and joining rod) actually move and are not seized in one place?

Sounds like the motor is straining if it is smoking.

Could have something to do with your new windshield. Are the wiper arms fitted correctly and not jammed?

Hi Guys, thanks for your suggestions.
The wipers do not move when the wiper-stalk is actuated (that was the original indication that something was wrong), so I do not know whether they are jammed or not.
My mechanic did not leave them in a 'parked' position when he finished checking the motor - so it seems he moved them manually, I however cannot move them at all.
(he said he checked the motor to make sure it was not seized or burnt out)
I did not try to use them on the way home today so the motor should not have been trying to move them.
It does appear that whatever he has done has caused the problem as the motor did not overheat a week ago when I found that they didn't work.
He seems to think there is some sort of electrical fault - earth leakage was mentioned. I know absolutely nothing about electrics so it is all mumbo-jumbo to me.

Rocky wrote:My mechanic did not leave them in a 'parked' position when he finished checking the motor - so it seems he moved them manually....it does appear that whatever he has done has caused the problem as the motor did not overheat a week ago when I found that they didn't work...

It's very easy to check if the wiper arms are jamming by lifting them or removing them to run the motor. I think your mechanic has really broken it.

The wiper mech need to be disconnected from the motor to check if it is ceased or jammed. And offering resistance to movement to the motor. If it all just mild shell with black paint, so rust can be an issue. Especially after 13 years of no movement. Although now it sounds like the motor is stuffed.

Probs good to avoid your spannerman paying for a new motor from your local Mazda dealer, even if it is stuffed. They last 100s of thousands of kms so one off a wrecker would be more cost effective.

Avoid paying for new motor. One off a wrecker could last longer than the car.

And you can probably find the same motor in any 90s Mazda.

Yes, good suggestions Re a replacement motor. I will be asking the Auto Electrician to source one from a southern wrecker. It will probably not be used in the next 15 years either.

with cars use it or lose it seems to be a pretty good mantra. I use my wipers every week- if I go on a run and pick up some bugs or dust on the windscreen the washer gets triggered followed automatically by the wipers. Earlier we talked about air conds and the same applies- use them every month minimum. I ignored an intermittent squeal which turned out to be a shot bearing in the a/c compressor which in turn chewed the housing and it was not repairable. A new compressor as opposed to an unknown used one is expensive and now I use the thing regularly I still foggily remember the days when I drove 1950's cars and demisting / defogging was a safety pain. Cut potatoes and hankies never were much use.

Rocky wrote:It will probably not be used in the next 15 years either.

I'm not sure what the deal is up there in sunny Qld but down here in NSW the wipers are tested as part of the Rego inspection process, so they get at least one run every year!

Nevyn72 wrote:

Rocky wrote:It will probably not be used in the next 15 years either.

I'm not sure what the deal is up there in sunny Qld but down here in NSW the wipers are tested as part of the Rego inspection process, so they get at least one run every year!

Pretty sure QLD is like Vic, no rego inspection.


Here in Vic you get a roadworthy certificate done when you transfer a car into your name, and never have to get another until you either sell the car, let the rego lapse, or have the police apply a defective vehicle notice to it (from having an obviously unsafe item, or illegal modification)

No, no annual inspection in Sunny QLD.

A mate with a background in mechanics/electronics suggested that there may have been two faults in the wiper 'system'.
Firstly an inoperative "disengaged" wiper motor, and secondly a seized wiper linkage.
When my mechanic inspected/refitted the motor he unknowingly changed the status of the motor from permanently 'disengaged' to permanently 'engaged', which was then unable to move the seized wiper linkage, hence the fusion.
Makes sense to me, but what would I know.