Windshield Wipers are incredibly SLOW!

[BIGSLVRXJ]

The wipers on my 90 are horridly slow! I'm not sure whats wrong with them I'm thinking its the wiper motor. Has anyone else had this problem? I've also been told that it could be the wiper arms and the guy who told me that said itd be $1,100 to tear apart the dash to fix the linkage or something. Is this a common Cherokee problem???

 

[BlueMJ]

The wipers on my 90 are horridly slow! I'm not sure whats wrong with them I'm thinking its the wiper motor. Has anyone else had this problem? I've also been told that it could be the wiper arms and the guy who told me that said itd be $1,100 to tear apart the dash to fix the linkage or something. Is this a common Cherokee problem???

I had a bolt come loose and jam up the linkage...wipers went rreeaallllyy slow, then died all together.

Bought a new motor, and discovered that it was only a linkage bolt...lucky me!

$1000 is rediculous, the wipers are under the "vents" at the outside bottom of the windshield (between the hood and windshield), turn a few screws, pull the wipers arms and yer in. A new wiper motor was like $65 and you can get a used linkage out of a scrap yard for 1/100th of that price. Shouldn't take more than a couple hours for a novice mechanic. The linkage can be a PITA to remove, but it's an acquired skill......

Do not let that mechanic touch your Jeep....EVER!

 

[jneary]

the motor is probably going. also check to see if there is a lot of play in the linkage, if the right wiper hits the lower windshield it should be replaced. no way near $1100 dollars.

 

[BIGSLVRXJ]

Jneary what do you mean by the right wiper hitting the lower windshield?? Like if it hits the windshield trim? Also forgot to mention 2 things...... The wipers stay up anywhere from an inch to 6 inches when shut off and I have to push them down manually. Also I can move them freely which I dont think I should be able to.

 

[Eagle]

The wipers on my 90 are horridly slow! I'm not sure whats wrong with them I'm thinking its the wiper motor. Has anyone else had this problem? I've also been told that it could be the wiper arms and the guy who told me that said itd be $1,100 to tear apart the dash to fix the linkage or something. Is this a common Cherokee problem???

Jaysus, Mary and Joseph!

Mate, your Jeep is a 1990. It's FIFTEEN YEARS OLD! Every one of your posts I see you're asking "is this a common problem with Cherokees?" NO! But there are a lot of things that get old and tired on any brand of autombile after 15 years. Just forget the "common problem" crap and focus on fixing your problems.

And find a new mechanic. The wiper linkage in the Cherokee isn't accessed from under the dashboard, it's accessed by removing the center section of the cowel, that louvered section between the hood and the windshield. It doesn't cost $1,100 to remove that, it involves 6 or 8 screws and about 1 minute.

 

[Colorado_XJ]

Hey there, jeepguy1990. I know this is probably your first vehicle and all, but Eagle's got it right. This is just the way older (used loosely) vehicles are. Lots of things will begin wearing out after 10 years or so. So find a new mechanic or start turning your own wrenches, do some searches here and other 4WD sites, and pick up a shop manual for your Jeep. Lots of this stuff is simple to replace and costs very little. As for your exact problem? I found a new wiper motor for $58 and grabbed great-condition linkage from the salvage yard (as advised by by Blue).

-Rich

 

[BIGSLVRXJ]

Ya you guys got it right this is my first vehicle. Is it that obvious!? Well yeah I suppose that things do just go wrong but the thing is I have heard that what goes wrong on one Cherokee happens often like on a million others like the exhaust manifold. Anyway I will check to see if its the wiper motor and if not Ill get some linkage from the yards. (even I can do that)

 

[Colorado_XJ]

Well, you were only born a couple years before the XJ!! :laugh3:

Check in at the exhaust thread...Eagle pointed out a hanger that might be shot/missing and could cause the leak.

 

[BIGSLVRXJ]

Yeah I cant even drive alone yet and have already blown over 2000 bucks in it. Genius arent I? The hanger on mine is still there and I'm positive its the manifold. Clips/hangers do start to get rusty though so I suppose I can look.
Thanks

 

[BIGSLVRXJ]

In response to me being born just a little before the XJ was. My freind was born after his XJ was so atleast my case isnt that bad.LOL

 

[Colorado_XJ]

Hey, it's stuff like that that makes it memorable. My first car was the better part of a decade older than me. I just wish I would have cut to the chase and bought an XJ first....if I had put the $$ into this Jeep that I put into all the other POS's I have owned.....

 

[90NHXJ]

When the linkage on my 90 got real sloppy I took them apart and tightened them up. The ends of the linkages are just ball and sockets. I took small electrical grommets and cut them in half like you would a bagel. I put one half inside each socket with some grease and put them back together. The grommet half took up some slack in the socket and really tightened things up. It used to shoot past the window and wore a groove in the chrome trim around the window but now they work good other than a tired wiper motor. That was about 5 years ago that I did that and it still works fine.

 

[Beached Bones]

One more fix for sloppy wiper linakges: They slop because of wear in the rubber washers and in the cup around the ball, it gives space to move. To tighten, pop them apart, put a washer over the ball, under the cup and it will fill the gap that opened up from wear. I did this, it tightened right up and the wipers stopped slapping my hood.

any repair done with 3 washers is a good one in my book.

 

[jneary]

yeah i meant the lower windshield molding. its time to replace the linkage and motor. some models come with both pieces. if you go with factory replacements (which i recommend) you wlii need to buy the jumper harness that adapts the new motor to the original harness.

 

[Eagle]

Anyway I will check to see if its the wiper motor and if not Ill get some linkage from the yards. (even I can do that)

You probably don't need a linkage. There are three nylon/plastic bushings that wear out, and that's what causes the slop that jneary referred to and which you described. They are available in a blister pack from all the auto parts chains that carry the HELP! line of miscellaneous parts. Going from memory I think it's number 49445 or something like that. Although it sayts it's for 97 thru 2000 Cherokees, it also fits the older ones. There are 6 bushings in the package, three each of two styles. You use the three that match and toss the others -- I have no idea what they are for or what they fit.

When you replace the bushings, squirt a little white lithium grease into each socket as you snap the ball back in.

 

[sjx40250]

As is usual, Eagle is right, I thought I could just go to the yard and pick up a linkage to fix my problem. It was worse! I did get a motor and linkage out of it and now I have a spare. I tried to buy the HELP PN 49445 (whatever). It was obsoleted and I was able to special order one for $10! Yesterday, I was in Autozone and saw a package of 12 bushings, all white, with three that looked like my black ones. Guess what? New part number with more useless bushings at half the price, 5$. Part number --- well shoot. Its already in the landfill. I think it was 49447.

BTW. Do a search on this subject. I found that the motor connector changed in 91, it think, from round to square like. The newer motor is suppose to be better. My new one went bad so I took the cover off and found the spring wipers were unsprung. Bending them back gave me full funtionality. Relubed and put it back together. Now I have a spare transmission and my choice of motors with two different conectors.

8 screws for the cover. You need to remove the wiper arms first. It is a little tricky to get the assembly out, but it will come with some thought.