W108 windshield wipers won’t turn on - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cnm · #1 07-31-2013, 11:46 AM

Yesterday, my wipers on my 1968 280S (w108) would not turn on whatsoever. I pushed in the wiper lever to engage the wipers and nothing happened. this morning was no different. Any ideas what would cause this?

As an aside, could it be the way I turn on my wipers caused a problem? I normally press in the wiper lever to engage the wipers and once the wipers begin the first sweep, I immediately push in the wiper lever to disengage the wipers (thus getting one clean sweep of the windshield). This gets me by for several minutes in a light rain (i.e. I don’t like to keep the wipers going if I don’t need them). However, on this occasion, I may have pressed in the lever to disengage the wipers too soon (before the wipers even began to engage). Perhaps that may have caused them to stick? Any help you can provide would be most appreciated.

Tomguy · #2 07-31-2013, 01:40 PM

I always did the same on my 108, it COULD be the switch is bad, but more likely...

Press the foot pedal for the washer, see if they wipe. Then try the switch. The foot pedal can get "Stuck" - if they don't wipe, check to see if the plug on the pump is loose. It will prevent the wipers from working. Then check the fuse. Lastly, ensure the wiper motor is tight - mine actually was loose after ~30 years (at the time) of wiping.

cnm · #3 08-01-2013, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomguy

I always did the same on my 108, it COULD be the switch is bad, but more likely...

Press the foot pedal for the washer, see if they wipe. Then try the switch. The foot pedal can get "Stuck" - if they don't wipe, check to see if the plug on the pump is loose. It will prevent the wipers from working. Then check the fuse. Lastly, ensure the wiper motor is tight - mine actually was loose after ~30 years (at the time) of wiping.

Thanks for your reply. The foot pedal does not seem stuck and the plug at the foot pump appears properly connected. Where is the fuse? Could the motor be seized and would there be a way to give it a turn to potentially unseize it? I am hoping/searching for a simple solution. However, after looking at some older posts on this site, it appears that non-functioning wiper can be a major PITA to diagnose and fix.