Wiper Motor

[Ratcliff]

I have a 1994 E320 Cabriolet and need to replace the wiper motor. I have a new motor but can not find the location of the existing one. Does anyone have any experience with this and can point me in the right direction?

Thanks!

[Robert Goodwin]

It is below and slightly toward the passenger side of the car. This is one proceedure for the job. Others are available in the Mercedes CD or the Haynes 124 Bible:

Blower Motor Removal and Installation

by Ian Read

Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2001 13:46:35 -0500 (EST)

Here is the process that I followed since I could not find the instructions on the CD. Note all fastener lengths and locations, they are all different.
1. Remove the arm cover and hex screw from the wiper arm
2. Remove the two rubber strips from each side of the lower windshield by pulling them straight out.
3. Pull off the rubber weather-stripping that runs right across the inner firewall area.
4. Remove the top outer left and right plastic covers. Each are held in place in with two Philips head screws and are also joined to the top inner two covers with white plastic clips. Pull slowly to remove these fragile clips, ask me how I know. Remove the inner four Philips screws holding the inner top two covers down.
5. Remove the 4 screws holding the C shaped rubber grommet which is below the wiper arm mechanism
6. Pull off the engine side firewall weather-stripping.
7. Just below the weather-stripping there are 4 plastic fasteners which hold the sound insulation to the firewall, the inner two have a flower shape while the outer two are flat with two little holes. All four need to be loosened, the outer two will come right off.
8. After step 7 you can pull the insulation forward slightly and find two Phillips screws which hold the center plastic housing down. Remove these two screws.
9. Remove the upper left in right inner plastic covers.
10. The center grate cover should now come straight out.
11. The wiper assy has four 10mm nuts holding it in place, two are on the far right, and one each under the rotating center piece. Remove these nuts carefully and make sure you don't drop them like I did as they can fall into the center black hole which is not accessible. (MIA one hex screw.) I found a similar one holding the A/C pipe on the left side of the inner firewall near the fuse box which I used to replace the lost nut
12. Move the wiper assy to the right, It is not necessary to disconnect the power cable.
13. Remove the outside temp sensor from the blower motor cover.
14. Pry loose with fingers the blower motor harness on the left of the housing.
15. Unclip the 6-8 metal fasteners holding the blower motor cover down, a couple may require a small screw driver, but be careful again. Remove the cover.
16. Unplug the motor, and release the hold down strap using a pointed tool.
17. Oil bearings with ATF. Check brushes.
As in Haynes (reassemble in reverse of above.)

Ian

[Robert Goodwin]

FYI, the motor usually burns out because the wiper transmission went dry. No matter what, recommend you lube it. While you have it out, the cover on yours should just pry off using the small holes on the back at the 5 and 7 o'clock positions.

[Ratcliff]

I hope this is easier than it sounds. It sounds as if replacing the actual motor is easy once you get to it.

In item #17 you said to oil the bearings with ATF. Are you talking about the bearings in the new motor? Is ATF a standard oil lubricant? When you say to check the brushes. Are these on the new motor? What am I looking for when I check them?

Would you recommend that I buy the Mercedes CD and the Haynes 124 Bible?

Thanks!
Cal

[Robert Goodwin]

I hope this is easier than it sounds. It sounds as if replacing the actual motor is easy once you get to it.

IT IS EASY. ATTENTION TO DETAIL GOING IN AND BACK OUT IS REQUIRED.

In item #17 you said to oil the bearings with ATF. Are you talking about the bearings in the new motor? Is ATF a standard oil lubricant? When you say to check the brushes. Are these on the new motor? What am I looking for when I check them?

THIS REFERS TO THE A/C BLOWER MOTOR. AS LONG AS YOU HAVE DUG ALL THE WAY DOWN TO IT, YOU MAY AS WELL LUBE IT. ATF IS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID. MIXES WELL WITH OTHER LUBRICANTS. ALSO CHECK THE LENGTH OF THE BRUSHES.

Would you recommend that I buy the Mercedes CD and the Haynes 124 Bible?

IF YOU ARE GOING TO TRY TO MAINTAIN THE CAR YOURSELF, YOU ARE GOING TO NEED DOCUMENTATION. THE ONLY REASON YOU GOT THE EASY ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS BECAUSE IAN READ HAD TAKEN THE TIME AND TROUBLE TO DOCUMENT IT IN LAY TERMS.

[Tom Hanson]

Send me your email address and I'll send you the exploded parts view of this set-up.
hanson_anaheim@mbretailer.com

[Ratcliff]

I finally got around to replacing the wiper motor today. You certainly have to be careful and pay attention, but it wasn't too bad.

I noticed the ACC Cabin Filters were terribly dirty. Apparently they were not looked at or replaced at the 60k service.

The new motor seems to work more smoothly than the old motor, but the delay still does not work. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there a fuse or seperate connection that I need to check while I have everything apart?

Robert, you also mentioned using ATF to lubricate the bearings on the AC Blower Motor. Is this located in the box directly below the ACC Cabin Filters?

Finally, do I need to lube anything around the wiper assemble while I am at it??


Thanks!

[Robert Goodwin]

The fan motor is directly below the filters. There are 6 or so little Jesus clips that hold the cover in place. Jesus clips (Jesus, where did it go?). A little 90 degree O ring tool is handy for this purpose, along with a pair of needle nose pliers and a pocket screwdriver. As I recall, the moving joints of the WW system are nylon. Petroleum products usually shorten the life of nylon and plastic. If the joints are dirty, clean them with a little solvent and a brush or parts clean backed up with a cloth to catch the over spray. The cabin air filters on my wifes "95 E300D were completely clogged. So was the screen on top of the evaporator core. When I put in a new evaporator and clean filters, I could almost feel my hair blowing straight back.

[Ratcliff]

Robert, thanks for your help!

Can anyone help me with the following?

The new motor seems to work more smoothly than the old motor, but the delay still does not work. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there a fuse or seperate connection that I need to check while I have everything apart?

Thanks!
Cal Ratcliff

[Robert Goodwin]

The only silver bullet I have on this issue comes from Marshall Boothe. Check your hazard light switch. It MUST be all the way on or all the way off. If that doesn't do it, troubleshooting of the WW switch is indicated.

[Ratcliff]

Thanks for the tip, but that didn't work either. Does anyone else have a suggestion on what might be wrong with my wiper delay?

I also ran into one other snafu.......now that everything is back together the wiper doesn't go all of the way down when it is shut off. It goes full swing when it is turned on, but when it is off it stops about 6 inches above its intended resting place. Any suggestions on this?

Thanks!
Cal

[Robert Goodwin]

Lets try one thing at a time. When you put the linkage back together did it look like the diagram?

[Ratcliff]

Thanks for the suggestions. I couldn't exactly follow the diagram, but it pointed me in the right direction.

When you remove the wiper assembley (to get to the wiper motor) you have to move the mechanism to get to all of the nuts. Apparently you have to get the mechanism back to the rested position before you plug it back into the power. Now it works just fine. For anyone doing this in the future I would suggest marking the lowest resting position prior to disassembling.

I am getting pretty good pulling this apart and putting it back together again.

Thanks again for the help!

In regards to the delay, it appears as if I need to replace the combination relay. I might hold off on this expense for a while.

[Robert Goodwin]

You could play double or nothing. Find a willing owner of a 94-95 E320 who will let you swap relays just to test. Make sure the part numbers are identical. If I had one I would let you try it.

[Ratcliff]

Now that I have successfully replaced the wiper motor and ACC Cabin Air Filters I thought I would restate the directions (written by Ian Read and posted by Robert Goodwin) clarifying several points and pointing out differences that I found with my car (I tried to mark the changes but that did not work). I hope others find this helpful.

1. Remove the wiper arm cover (at the elbow in the wiper arm) and hex screw from the wiper arm. Also remove the wiper arm (otherwise it gets in the way later on).
1(a) Remove the plastic cover over the wiper assembly and with a marker place an alignment mark so that you can get the wiper back in the exact same resting location (see #12(a) below)
2. Remove the two rubber strips from each side of the lower windshield by pulling them straight out. Be careful on this part, as the channels that this fits into may be brittle.
3. Pull off the rubber weather-stripping that runs right across the inner firewall area.
3(a) There is also a plastic piece that fits in behind the battery—remove this also.
4. Remove the top outer left and right plastic covers. Each are held in place in with two Philips head screws and are also joined to the top inner two covers with white plastic clips (remember where these go). Pull slowly to remove these fragile clips, ask me how I know. Remove the inner four Philips screws holding the inner top two covers down.
4(a)
5. Remove the 4 screws holding the C shaped rubber plastic grommet (with vents) which is below the wiper arm mechanism
6. Pull off the engine side firewall weather-stripping.
7. Just below the weather-stripping there are 4 plastic fasteners which hold the sound insulation to the firewall, the inner two have a flower shape while the outer two are flat with two little holes. All four need to be loosened, the outer two will come right off.
8. After step 7 you can pull the insulation forward slightly and find two Phillips screws which hold the center plastic housing down. Remove these two screws.
9. Remove the upper left in right inner plastic coversthree screws in the center of the grate cover.
10. The center grate cover should now come straight out in 2 pieces.
11. The wiper assy has four 10mm nuts holding it in place, two are on the far rightleft, and one each under the rotating center piece. Remove these nuts carefully and make sure you don't drop them like I did as they can fall into the center black hole which is not accessible. (MIA one hex screw.) I found a similar one holding the A/C pipe on the left side of the inner firewall near the fuse box which I used to replace the lost nut
12. RemoveMove the wiper assy to the right, It is not necessary toand disconnect the power cable.
12(a) Remove the old wiper motor and install the new one. Make sure that reinstall it in the same position (so that it fits back in). This is where you need to make sure that the wiper assembly is in the original resting position as mentioned in #1(a) above.
13. Remove the outside temp sensor from the blower motor cover.
14. Pry loose with fingers the blower motor harness on the left of the housing.
15. Unclip the 6-8 metal fasteners holding the blower motor cover down, a couple may require a small screw driver, but be careful again. Remove the cover.
16. Unplug the motor, and release the hold down strap using a pointed tool.
17. Oil bearings with ATF. Check brushes.
As in Haynes (reassemble in reverse of above.)

PS: as long as you are in this deep it is a good idea to replace the ACC Cabin Air Filters.

BE CAREFUL WITH ALL SCREWS AND NUTS AS MANY OF THEM ARE IN TIGHT PLACES AND ARE EASY TO DROP (and lose).