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sbleiweiss · 09-18-2016, 07:43 AM

This is the second time in two years my windshield wipers have crapped out, and of course during a torrential downpour at highway speed. Both times were exactly the same. Driving along fine with wipers on and all of a sudden both wiper arms go all the way left and bury at edge of windshield and stop. Once stopped I can get them to go back to their home position, but you can see that they are wobbly and looser than normal. Last time when I tried them again they would work a little parked, but do the same thing any time there was any wind pressure at all on them. Anyone seen anything like this before? The first time Thor sent me a new wiper assembly while saying it was not a known problem. It sure is looking like a known problem to me. And a dangerous one too.

ahicks · 09-18-2016, 08:04 AM

Can you expand on how you got the arms back into the park position?

When they sent you a new motor, did you install it, or did you have it done?

When the arms stopped working, can you hear/tell if the motor is still running?

There's a short arm that fastens to the motor (that drives the arms through additional linkage), that's held in place on the motor with a nut. It sounds like maybe that nut has loosened to the point it's allowed the arm to come loose to the point where it's no longer being driven by the motor. Obviously this is just a guess, but it does fit the scenario you describe.

sbleiweiss · 09-19-2016, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahicks

Can you expand on how you got the arms back into the park position?

When they sent you a new motor, did you install it, or did you have it done?

When the arms stopped working, can you hear/tell if the motor is still running?

There's a short arm that fastens to the motor (that drives the arms through additional linkage), that's held in place on the motor with a nut. It sounds like maybe that nut has loosened to the point it's allowed the arm to come loose to the point where it's no longer being driven by the motor. Obviously this is just a guess, but it does fit the scenario you describe.

They sent a whole wiper assembly, maybe more than just a motor. I had a friend who is an auto mechanic install it. I believe the motor was still running because when I went outside the nudged the blades (maybe more than a little nudge) they went back to park by themselves, so they had power.

ctpres · 09-19-2016, 08:09 AM

There has to be a serious design flaw. This IS a safety issue for sure. I am really disturbed to hear that a replacement assembly failed. I have been assuming our replaced assembly was different. Now I will be worrying about ours. Promise if ours fails again I will file a report. It will only get recalled if feds get complaints or somebody dies. I'm sure you are out of wty but try Thor. Be sure and tell them it is your second failure. If they are smart - they will take care of you.

skypilot_1 · 09-19-2016, 08:50 AM

FYI only:
May not be related to your failure. Tiffin has issued a recall on the wiper ARMS of some models and years of their coaches. The arm is coming loose from the spline drive shafts and may fall off.
Just a heads up.
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TomandGloria · 09-19-2016, 11:27 AM

Shell, I know you are on a Ford chassis and I have a Workhorse, but I was having some problems last year and it was a loose connector plug. I started pushing in the connectors at the motor etc and all went back to normal. Just a thought that may be helpful.
Tom

sbleiweiss · 09-20-2016, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctpres

There has to be a serious design flaw. This IS a safety issue for sure. I am really disturbed to hear that a replacement assembly failed. I have been assuming our replaced assembly was different. Now I will be worrying about ours. Promise if ours fails again I will file a report. It will only get recalled if feds get complaints or somebody dies. I'm sure you are out of wty but try Thor. Be sure and tell them it is your second failure. If they are smart - they will take care of you.

Did try Thor Chuck. No, they are not smart. First tried talking to parts, which is who has been very nice to us over the years and who sent the last replacement. Couldn't do it again but transferred me to warranty. Warranty (Tom Overton) said "we don't warranty them forever you know. You can buy one from a dealer."

I will be reporting this to the feds. It should be a recall. Do you know whether the same federal agency that does cars also oversees safety issues on motor homes?

ahicks · 09-20-2016, 08:52 AM

IMHO, you're turning a mole hill into a mountain. A simple breakdown that's inconvenienced you into a national recall.

At least have somebody that knows what they are doing look at it before you waste a lot of your time.

sbleiweiss · 09-21-2016, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahicks

IMHO, you're turning a mole hill into a mountain. A simple breakdown that's inconvenienced you into a national recall.

At least have somebody that knows what they are doing look at it before you waste a lot of your time.

Don't you think wipers that suddenly stop working in a downpour on the Interstate are a serious safety hazard? This has now happened to me twice and to CTPRES once. Who knows how many incidents like this there have been?

greggshere · 09-21-2016, 07:45 AM

RainX might help to keep the windshield clearer in case of a failure. I keep it on my windshield all the time and usually don't even use the wipers. I know it doesn't help the failure issue, but it might help with visibility if it happens.

ahicks · 09-21-2016, 07:52 AM

I would think that since this has happened to you once already, you'd be extra careful regarding who you let work on it this time....

Ask a LOT of questions, and a chance to inspect your broken parts. Make them show you what happened and provide an opinion/reasonable explanation regarding the failure. If you have your old one, show that one to them as well.

I would avoid having the repair done at an RV dealer. Somebody that works on (big) trucks will do the repair in a much more responsible manner.

Re: Rain-X, I've been using Rain-X washer solvent for years. It's about a dollar more than the cheap stuff, so it might cost an extra 2-3 bucks a year. Once you get used to having that protection, you be sold for life.

Best of luck.

ctpres · 09-21-2016, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahicks

IMHO, you're turning a mole hill into a mountain. A simple breakdown that's inconvenienced you into a national recall.

Tell you what sir. We were going down a LONG winding interstate mountain decent in VERY heavy rain and lots of 18 wheelers. Wipers failed with common and now well documented problem OP has experianced TWICE! The only reason we are alive today is I was able follow tail lights of truck in front for several miles. I guess we were INCONVENIENCED! I hope it dosn't happen to you at NIGHT. Somehow this problem only occurs when it is raining and vision is limited.

"007" · 09-21-2016, 03:10 PM

Not knowing what chassis you have I will just say the motor may have a plug which it has control leads and the plug is not water proof.
This link will lead you to what I had to do when water caused problems with the air intake to motor, which could be Ford chassis or the Workhorse I had.
The $15 rubber bulb strip fix the water intake problem and the wiper problem, the wire connector had to be cleaned and dried and taped for more prevention and some people had to change out the plug because of to much corrosion.
Safe travels.

dnystrom · 09-21-2016, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggshere

RainX might help to keep the windshield clearer in case of a failure. I keep it on my windshield all the time and usually don't even use the wipers. I know it doesn't help the failure issue, but it might help with visibility if it happens.

RainX works! I've been using it for years. Until you get this figured out, use it as most of the rain we have run into on the road didn't require using the wipers at all. The water just rolls off and the bugs come off easy.