You are not my mechanic, I will take it in if the problem continues, etc.
The driver side wiper isn’t connecting to the windshield. I mean, when I run the wipers, it isn’t making contact with the surface of the windshield. This happened on one set of wipers so I replaced them and problem persists. I’m automobile-impaired so if there’s something obvious to look at before I take it to the shop that would be appreciated. Car is 2006 Chrysler Sebring Touring.
Sounds like the hinge (where the wiper arm connects to its shaft) is binding up due to corrosion or obstruction, or else the spring (that provides the tension to push the wiper against the windshield) has stretched/broken. Also, how much of the wiper assembly did you replace? Just the rubber squeegee-edge, or the entire load-distributing assembly that clips into the end of the swinging arm? If the former, consider replacing the latter, which may be binding up due to corrosion/crud.
Check for all three of those conditions, and replace parts as required.
I’m not your mechanic. Take it in if the problem continues.
[sub]Wait, aren’t you Ben Kenobi?[/sub]
It will probably help to get familiar with the parts involved. Refer to this picture.
At the lower right you can see the base of the wiper arm, attached to a (barely visible) spindle coming out of the bodywork. An inch or two from its end is a hinge, where the main body of the arm connects to the base. The other end of the arm is attached to the wiper blade, which contains the rubber element (or refill) which contacts the glass.
Here’s an overly detailed view of the hinge area, showing how much it might flex AWAY from the windshield if its spring were gone. Here’s an upside-down view of an arm assembly, showing the spring. The hinge is at 19.
Here’s a detached arm, showing how its spring makes it bend TOWARD the windshield. It has to be straightened against the spring force to install it, after which the spring force keeps the blade of of the arm pressed against the glass.
Here’s a separate blade.
As Machine Elf said, most likely the problem lies in the arm not pressing the blade against the glass. Most commonly this is due to the hinge getting corroded to where it will not flex freely. If this is the case, sometimes you can free it up with penetrating oil and a lot of flexing it back and forth. If that doesn’t do it, a new arm is called for.
On some designs, there is a little service catch, meant to raise the blade off the glass for easy replacement (top view, bottom view). If it’s accidentally in the “service” position, it will prevent the blade from touching the glass. To reset it, lift on the arm to relieve spring pressure and slide the tab in or out to change its position.
A broken spring is not impossible, but it is rare. As far as I know, it’s only available as part of the arm assembly.
They also sell tensioners which are basically a piece of metal with a spring to keep the wiper pushed against the windshield. I have them on my Jeep, I think they cost $2 or $3. Here’s a pic of them on another Jeep (Jeeps have this problem a lot).
ETA: of course, this depends on whether there is room with your particular wipers. Some wipers go down below the hood and may not have room for anything extra.
I think every car I’ve had has done this in the winter. My last car did it right in the lower part of the driver side. My current car (2010 Insight) does it on the passenger side where it really doesn’t bother me much.
As Gary said, There is a service catch to help remove the wiper arm when replacing the entire arm. If this is out of place the arm can ride up on the spindle and reduce spring tension. And on some like the Dodge in question there is a cross hole in the base of the wiper arm to insert a pin (or drill bit) to relieve the tension to again change the wiper arm. That pin may not have been removed. The pin that comes with a whipper arm is quite soft and will bend but will still inhibit normal use.
Then there comes the most common of all whipper arm problems. Even people who live in the north where there is snow every year are to lazy (to much of a hurry) to clean the snow from the windshield and so importantly, the area where the arms park. A buildup of ice, yes the snow will turn to ice there, will cause all kinds of damage to the Arms and the whipper mechanism as well. I flip out at my family members every time I see them doing that because it is always, “Dad my whippers don’t work”!
All those trendy cars that conceal the whippers require much more winter care.
Rant over. :o
If you only have problems with them in the winter, you probably just need a set of winter wiper blades.
I keep a spray bottle of de-icer in the car for this in the winter. I push on the wipers to break up the ice and then spray them and this gets them working again.
