Winshield Wipers Stopped Suddenly, No longer Working. Fuse OK. Ideas?

[morsetaper2]

Was driving and hit the button on the multifuction switch to activate windshield washer & wipers today. Washer worked then wipers go across windshield and suddenly stop. Washer squirts OK, but wipers stuck in middle of windshield. Checked the wiper/washer fuse #5 behind the passenger kick panel, it is fine. When I do activate the wiper I can see wipers move slightly just due to play in wiper linkage, and something is trying to push them. But it doesn't go anywhere. So don't think its the motor. Unless it can just lock up.

As I said, when I first hit the washer button today on the multifunction switch, the wipers began to move and right before the wipers would change direction they just stopped. So it didn't even complete a full stroke.

It has been brutally colder than normal in MD. Highs daily under 20*F, and lows in single digits at night. We had snow and sleet on Sunday. Truck was outdoors and got 6-7" of snow/sleet on it which I cleaned off Monday morning. But I drove truck day before yesterday and all was working fine w/ wiper/washer. It was just today this happened.

I can still drive it. But since the wiper wants to move when I turn it on, perhaps its just ice build up jamming things up. I couldn't detect anything looking through the perforations of the cowl. I'm hoping after driving for awhile it may unfreeze.

But if it doesn't unfreeze, any ideas where to start to fix this? Thanks.

 

[franklin2]

I know on the older trucks it's common for a plastic bushing to break and the arm falls off. This is all down in the grille area in front of the windshield. I am assuming they still use some sort of mechanical arms and linkage in the later trucks, but I have never worked on a newer one.

Can you grab the wipers and move them freely? That is a sure sign a linkage arm may have fallen off.

 

[morsetaper2]

The wipers weren't moving but for the freeplay in the linkage at that time. But it is no longer a problem, it in fact appears it was ice.

Drove the truck for about 1/2 hour went to the gym. Parked on a hill, in direct sunlight, nose pointing down so hot air from motor would flow underhood towards cowl. Was parked about two hours. Came out, started up engine, wipers immed moved to the "home position". Hit the washer, it sprayed, wipers cycled properly, it sounded like marbles. So appears it was locked up and the noise is the linkage moving ice chunks around under the cowl.

I was thinking if they were still locked up, I would warm some windshield fluid and pour it into the cowl perforations in attempt to melt any ice about the linkage. But that approach was not needed.