Ford Orion windscreen wipers not working, help needed

[Reb]

Hi all

The wipers on my 1983 Orion have stopped working, they will only move by a quarter of an inch, then drop back down to the bottom of the windscreen again.
Over the last few days, they have both had a mind of their own. The passenger side one would operate normally, then stop in the middle of the screen while the driver side one would move back and get caught on the passenger side one. Last night, the passenger side one stopped moving altogether while the driver side was working but moving off the screen altogether and getting caught on my door mirror. Now neither one will move more than a quarter inch.
I have noticed that either of them can be moved manually without any resistance from the linkage at all.
Any help would be appreciated.

TIA

 

[Peter.N.]

I'm not familier with your particular car but at least it was made in an age when they could be repaired! There must be a fault in the mechanical linkage which should be fairly simple, if you can get to it. If you cant see it from under the bonnet it must be under the scuttle panel. I am sure if you can see it you will immediatly sus the problem.

 

[Trazor]

You need to investigate how the wiper arms are attached, my bet is their will be nuts holding them on, which need to be tightened.
Do this with the wipers switched off, and the arms in their parked position.

 

[Reb]

Hi all

Thanks for the help Trazor, all sorted. Now have fully working wipers again.

 

[TicklyT]

The taper fittings for the wiper arms can slip if ice has stuck the wiper blades to the windscreen.

Not a big problem, but best to re-tighten the fixings ASAP, otherwise the tapers can wear as they slip.

The arms can sometimes spin round and start wiping the bonnet instead of the screen The rear wiper on our Kangoo did a good job of wiping the rear number plate when we first picked it up - the dealer had tightened the spindle with the blade parked against the wrong side of the screen

 

[Reb]

Lol, Like the sound of always having a clean number plate. All fixed again now.

Just need to sort out the wipers on our subaru forrester and a puncture on my orion, not to mention the lights and brakes on my charger, lol