#2435751 - 01/09/12 10:00 PM
Windshield wipers skip
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Member
Registered: 08/09/11
Posts: 479
Loc: Colorado, United States
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97 MGM. My drivers side windshield wiper skips across the windshield. The passenger side does not do this. I have replaced the wipers a few times, and it still skips. It doesn't skip as badly if I am stationary, but if I am going down the road, it gets progressively worse as my speed goes up. Any suggestions?
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1997 Mercury Grand Marquis LS. 103K KYB Gas A Just Shocks, HPP Rear Sway Bar, Poly rear bushings, P71 Front Sway Bar, Dual Stereo, JBL GTO 8" subwoofer, Scosche HD speakers all around, tinted windows, Headlight Relay Upgrade, Drain plug installed in transmission pan. SOLD MGM
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#2435761 - 01/09/12 10:13 PM
Re: Windshield wipers skip
[Re: dwebb]
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I know nothing
Posting Addict
Registered: 06/05/10
Posts: 19872
Loc: I can see Detroit from here!
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Check your wiper arm. They can get bent/twisted and not hold the wiper at the proper 90* to the windshield, which will cause them to skip. Mine usually end up twisted after the winter from moving the snow. Easy enough to fix, just twist them back until the wiper looks like its at 90* to the glass.
Another thing, the springs in the wiper arm that hold the wipers on the glass does get weaker with age. This can be compensated for to an extent by bending the arm. Eventually tho, it just becomes nessesary to replace them.
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-Steve 2006 Audi A6 ~132k miles, stock. 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis LS HPP ~100k miles, slowly acquiring modifications. 1997 Town Car Cartier ~145k miles, Ported Plenum, Gutted Airbox, Contour E-fan Retrofit, Dual exhaust with Magnaflows, cats deleted, MSD Ignition, KYB Gas-A-Justs, P71 front bar, air ride reinstated, Projector retrofit, Caddy 4-note horn retrofit, Wood rim steering wheel retrofit, holistic weight reduction as the parts fall off.. 1996 Mercury Grand Marquis GS 117,485mi. R.I.P. 7/14/12
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#2435784 - 01/09/12 10:36 PM
Re: Windshield wipers skip
[Re: dwebb]
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Over the Hill
Registered: 09/07/09
Posts: 3834
Loc: West Bend, WI, USA
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Exactly what BigMerc said, I had to do the same thing to my driver side arm the other day. Happy to report, no more skipping.
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1999 Deep Wedgewood Blue & Rust P71, 21x,xxx miles, full cloth interior, 3L55 RAR, BH1976 Headlight Relay Harness, and a few other mods. Former Chippewa Falls, WI PD car. I'm the 3rd owner of car. Now with Mustang Wheels, Honeycomb Grille, and Ford AM/FM CD player with RDS. Download your Owner's Manual FREE from the Ford Owner's Site
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#2435837 - 01/09/12 11:31 PM
Re: Windshield wipers skip
[Re: dwebb]
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Member
Registered: 03/09/08
Posts: 152
Loc: from the BannedLands
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I had the same problem, same side on my 1996 MGM. Replaced the wiper arm (about $20) and it's much better, but still not 100%. I think that's about all I can do, though.
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1996 MGM GS
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#2435854 - 01/09/12 11:50 PM
Re: Windshield wipers skip
[Re: dwebb]
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Rookie
Registered: 03/08/11
Posts: 52
Loc: N/A
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I've had perpetual wiper problems on every car I've ever owned (no kidding). You can try any and all of the following, mostly in the order below. 1. Clean windshield with acetone, paint thinner, ammonia, vinegar, or some other concoction. Probably won't stop the chatter. 2. Clean windshield with Bon Ami or some other non-scratch cleanser. This removes surface contaminants that chemicals won't touch. You know you're done when water sheets off the glass, not beads. 3. Try different wiper blades. Some brands work better than others, depending on the design of the blade and shape of the glass. My '03 CVPI skipped until I installed OEM Motorcraft wipers, though I think I got lucky. 4. Buff windshield with glass compound. Might not work if the glass is heavily etched. Makes a mess, too. 5. Bend wiper arms as described above. You want the angle of the blade to switch direction when the arm changes direction. 6. Install new wiper arms (or new arm springs) as described above. The greater the force on the blade, the less likely it'll skip -- though there is a point when too much force is a bad thing. 7. Check wiper linkage bushings and replace linkage if necessary. Sometimes, the bushings will get sloppy and the excess play causes chatter as the wiper moves across the windshield. 8. Replace windshield. Years of wear and tear can etch the glass and make the surface almost sticky, causing chatter. 9. Replace car. Seriously. I did this with a Cadillac Eldorado one time because I couldn't take it any longer. Oh, and don't ever use Rain-X or wax on your windshield. You'd think the slippery surface would alleviate wiper chatter, but it makes the problem worse (though I believe it largely depends on the vehicle and geometry of the wiper system, as some people don't have a problem). Put that stuff on and you'll be starting over at step #1 above. Goooood luck! I hope you fix your problem, though I don't envy you.
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#2435894 - 01/10/12 01:10 AM
Re: Windshield wipers skip
[Re: dwebb]
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Member
Registered: 08/09/11
Posts: 479
Loc: Colorado, United States
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Humm, I've been using the Rain X wiper fluid in the fluid tank. The orange stuff. I'll try to bend it a bit and see if it works better. Are new arms expensive?
_________________________
1997 Mercury Grand Marquis LS. 103K KYB Gas A Just Shocks, HPP Rear Sway Bar, Poly rear bushings, P71 Front Sway Bar, Dual Stereo, JBL GTO 8" subwoofer, Scosche HD speakers all around, tinted windows, Headlight Relay Upgrade, Drain plug installed in transmission pan. SOLD MGM
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#2435921 - 01/10/12 02:05 AM
Re: Windshield wipers skip
[Re: dwebb]
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I know nothing
Posting Addict
Registered: 06/05/10
Posts: 19872
Loc: I can see Detroit from here!
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The wiper arms are usually about $20 each, not too bad.
_________________________
-Steve 2006 Audi A6 ~132k miles, stock. 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis LS HPP ~100k miles, slowly acquiring modifications. 1997 Town Car Cartier ~145k miles, Ported Plenum, Gutted Airbox, Contour E-fan Retrofit, Dual exhaust with Magnaflows, cats deleted, MSD Ignition, KYB Gas-A-Justs, P71 front bar, air ride reinstated, Projector retrofit, Caddy 4-note horn retrofit, Wood rim steering wheel retrofit, holistic weight reduction as the parts fall off.. 1996 Mercury Grand Marquis GS 117,485mi. R.I.P. 7/14/12
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#2436102 - 01/10/12 11:34 AM
Re: Windshield wipers skip
[Re: dwebb]
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Climber
Registered: 11/18/08
Posts: 650
Loc: Parkersburg, WV
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Where can I find wiper linkage bushings? Mine have a ton of play, and that might be whats contributing to my problem...Maybe the rainx too.
_________________________
'01 Crown Vic. P73. 145k. Ex college president's car. Mods so far:Bumper tuck, Sony Xplod head unit, sidemarker blink mod, New OEM headlight housings from ADTR, BH1976 Headlight Relay Harness, $40 junkyard 70mm TB (More to come as $$$ permits)
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#2436300 - 01/10/12 06:29 PM
Re: Windshield wipers skip
[Re: dwebb]
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Member
Registered: 08/09/11
Posts: 479
Loc: Colorado, United States
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Perhaps I'll just go get a new wiper arm. Are they hard to replace?
_________________________
1997 Mercury Grand Marquis LS. 103K KYB Gas A Just Shocks, HPP Rear Sway Bar, Poly rear bushings, P71 Front Sway Bar, Dual Stereo, JBL GTO 8" subwoofer, Scosche HD speakers all around, tinted windows, Headlight Relay Upgrade, Drain plug installed in transmission pan. SOLD MGM
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#2436364 - 01/10/12 08:42 PM
Re: Windshield wipers skip
[Re: dwebb]
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Climber
Registered: 11/18/08
Posts: 650
Loc: Parkersburg, WV
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Nah. Just open the hood, lift up on the arm, there will be a little tab where the arm hooks to. Pull it out as far as it will go. Pull the arm off. It might be a bit of a pain. Then reverse to reinstall.
_________________________
'01 Crown Vic. P73. 145k. Ex college president's car. Mods so far:Bumper tuck, Sony Xplod head unit, sidemarker blink mod, New OEM headlight housings from ADTR, BH1976 Headlight Relay Harness, $40 junkyard 70mm TB (More to come as $$$ permits)
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#2436375 - 01/10/12 09:02 PM
Re: Windshield wipers skip
[Re: dwebb]
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Climber
Registered: 08/16/02
Posts: 851
Loc: Chattanooga, TN
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Perhaps I should take comfort in knowing others are having this same problem - even with new blades. Somehow, it just doesn't make me feel any better.
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Gaither '04 GM GS '02 CV LX HPP
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#2436530 - 01/11/12 12:06 AM
Re: Windshield wipers skip
[Re: dwebb]
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Member
Registered: 08/09/11
Posts: 479
Loc: Colorado, United States
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Oops, just bought one from auto zone for 7 dollars.
_________________________
1997 Mercury Grand Marquis LS. 103K KYB Gas A Just Shocks, HPP Rear Sway Bar, Poly rear bushings, P71 Front Sway Bar, Dual Stereo, JBL GTO 8" subwoofer, Scosche HD speakers all around, tinted windows, Headlight Relay Upgrade, Drain plug installed in transmission pan. SOLD MGM
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