Renault Clio and the Wonky Wipers

cj73

Help!!

On the way to work this morning my wipers wouldn't work and obviously a guitar forum is the place to seek help.  Moved stalk and relay clicks and motor makes noise as if working but no blade movement.  

Can't remember the last time I had to use them but after realising they weren't working I recalled that last Thursday I heard a clunk noise when driving as if I had ran over something on the road, could a connection thingy have worked loose and fallen off?

I'll need to wait till tonight to have a look but any pointers appreciated.

It's a '14 plate Clio 1.2 btw 

tone1

Sounds like a link rod has fallen off the motor. They run on a metal ball and plastic socket arrangement. They usually pop back on but it’s only temporary as the plastic socket on the link rod wears out. If you can have a look under the wiper blade area it will become more apparent. You may have to remove the wiper arms though 

Wazmeister

Great band name...

ICBM

Not sure about the Clio, but on the previous model Scenic this is caused by a ball bearing in the arm linkage corroding and falling apart. The wiper then makes feeble sideways movements at the bottom of the windscreen and doesn’t sweep up and down.

The bad news is that if it’s this, it’s not easy to change the bearing, and replacing the whole wiper arm is about £100...

ESBlonde

Herself has a Clio, had it from new and does few miles. The link rod broke/snapped on the wiper unit. Replaced the entire assembly with a used unit about 3 years ago. It wasn't very expensive (iirc about £20) and fairly easy to do although the space is tight and you have to wriggle it in.
Also there are two types apparantly, luckily I took the broken one with me to the used renault parts emporium and the got the correct replacement.

cj73

So....

Had a look last night and one of the ball and socket joints on the linkage had separated. ( where the link from the motor joins the link from the wiper - ain't I a technical genius?).  I managed to get it re-seated via the application of vise-grips but not sure how long it'll be before it goes again.