275 miles and seven hours today through a winter storm in my '94 E320T, and 30 minutes short of my destination the wiper stopped running. I bought the car about three years ago and the wiper was sluggish back then, so I opened up the housing and lubricated the gears like everyone says (although the actual faceplate for the housing was missing and I really just pulled up the plastic cover). It helped somewhat, but would still occasionally struggle and then stop; I could usually get it running again by working the control switch back and forth.

Finally today, it just stopped mid-swipe and wouldn't move no matter what I did with the switch, and then I started smelling the unmistakable odor of burning electrics as I assume the motor tried and tried and tried to get the wiper to the park position but simply couldn't. It did eventually park, but I dared not use the wipers again for fear of having to bail out into the snow as the car burst into flames.

Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated: is the motor toast? Why did working the switch back and forth used to get it going again? Is there something else I should investigate?

__________________
Robert Fini

'12 ML350 BlueTec, 100k
'06 E320CDI (x2)
'05 T1N Sprinter 2500/Pleasure-Way Plateau TS, 70k
'97 C36AMG, 319k (son's)
'94 E320T, 249k
'93 190E Sportline LE, 168k (daughter's)
'84 190E-2.3/5spd (Stage Rally Racer)
'66 230 W110 Sedan (Barn Find, Vintage Racer build in progress)