windscreen wiper motor

[elmo]

My windscreen wiper motor has finally given up it's will to live.

has anyone ever replaced the motor in their own car?

I can see the front of the motor mount on the left hand side of the engine bay (as looking from the front), but can only really see the bracket and the two Torqex screws holding the motor. Can't really see how the motor will fit through the gap from the front.

Has anyone changed this themselves? Is it straight forward or a PITA? I can't see how to get the torqex fitting into the mounts to get the motor out. There is only about 25mm between the top of the screws and the windscreen.

Anyone have any experience doing this?

Cheers

[xyber]

Do you know 100% it's the motor? Could just be the common seized mechanism problem, mine got slower and slower until it just stopped

it's easy enough to do, wipers off, plastic trim off, motor mount screws out and abit of jiggling. I managed it without touching the ECU case aswell

[elmo]

Thanks xyber,

I think the mechanism must be seized. We got the first bit of rain the other day and I had the wipers on for a few minutes. After an initial slow start, the wipers got a lot better. I think I will take them apart this weekend and give them a proper oil.

Cheers

[xyber]

Not worth it mate, the mechanism was updated with a better version with better seals and weather caps. The drivers side spindle rusts solid. I was amazed the motor moved it at all because I put in in a vice and swung on it and it didn't budge. Brand new one is only about £45 from TPS/VW

[elmo]

Thanks Xyber,

It was the drivers side mechanisms that was seized as you said. Have not had the need to replace the unit as it has been dry the last couple of weeks, but with a recent downpour the wipers seized and we had to call out the AA to get home.

Got an new mechanism from Audi which cost approximately £60, which came with the new seals as you confirmed. Again it was the drivers side which had seized and I can confirm that I have scrapped every part of both hands trying to get the old unit out. Would have gladly paid for somebody else to scrape their knuckles as badly as mine!

Job done! but to get the old wipers arms off you need to warm them with a hair dryer and be patient. Many windscreens have been broken in this task. To get the room required to get the mechanism out you also need to loosen the ECU and the ECU box, and move them out of the way. after that it is pretty straight forward.

Again, it was the drivers side which had seized, but all is well again with the car.

Thanks Xyber for all your useful and correct information.

[xyber]

No worries mate, glad it's sorted. I got cut to bits aswell and very nearly lost my temper and put a hammer through the screen haha

Great being able to drive in the rain again though

[chunky79]

do you have the part number for the new unit guy's??

cheers

dunc

[xyber]

8E29555603 I have on the invoice, but the last number(s) have been cut off by TPS's printer

[chunky79]

8E29555603 I have on the invoice, but the last number(s) have been cut off by TPS's printer

Better than nothing, i will give them a call thanks. Tried to remove the old unit last night to strip down but couldn't remove the plastic strip under the windscreen

Dunc

[elmo]

Chunky,

The part number is A8E2 955 603 C for the bracket. The price paid at the Audi Stealer was £55.89 (Ex-VAT).

Get plenty of plasters!

Th plastic water deflector is part number A8E2 819 403 A0 1C and was only £12.54 (Ex-VAT). My one was broken by the previous owner and I was plesantly suprised that it only cost 12 quid. It is held on with three metal push on clips, one at either end and one directly in the centre. Once the clips are removed, the plastic trim comes off very easily by pushing it directly upwards (after the windscreen wiper arms have been removed!)

The wind screen wiper arms were the hardest thing to get off! Use plenty of penetrating oil (leave it over night if you have the time). Heat the base of arm/pivot point with a hair dryer and be very carful not to prise the arm off using the windsceen as a lever point. The passenger side was particularly difficult. I used a 16mm open ended spanner between the base of the arm and a collar located on the mechanism spindle to lever the arm off.

I took the CPU box cover off, moved the CPU on its wires to one side and losened the bottom of the CPU cover in order to get the mechanism out. Once it is out, it is fairly straight forward to swap over, but there will be some setup time to get them stopping and starting in the right place.

Hope you find this of some use and it's not to bad for you.

Good luck!

[chunky79]

Looks like the water deflector has been glued down with the windscreen on mine. remover the clips last night but still no joy. just waiting to hear if i can get the mechanism tonight from audi wolvo £65 inc vat. Got the arms off easy cause i only put the aero's on last year and put copper slip on them. i could be buggered with the water deflector on
Thanks for the help guy's

Dunc

[xyber]

Some lazy <beep> had glued mine on aswell!! Use a Stanley knife carefully and you can get it out

I bought a windscreen wiper arm puller off eBay for £12. Looks like a complicated corkscrew but useful

[chunky79]

well that was 2 hours of struggling. managed to do it with the cover on but only just. as said above, drivers spindle seized solid. these should have never been fit with out a rubber seal on them, very poor design from audi.

dunc

[aligod78]

Attempting this Saturday before it totally locks up on mine... wish me luck?
Am also that much of a newbie that I have to buy grease and socket sets! Will soak everything in wd40 friday.

[chunky79]

Make sure you put a bit of copper slip on the arms before you fit them back on.
Take your time and you will get on just fine

dunc