Windshield Wipers Won't Work

**Doobydarby** · #1 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 03:02 AM

I have had my 2008 CS for a little less than 3 weeks. Awesome car- Better than I even thought that it was going to be, and I haven't even exceeded 4200 rpm yet.

For the first time, I decided to take a drive tonight in the rain- slight rain, with wet roads. I had just cleaned my Carrera Classic wheels (Dawn/water and they cleaned very easily). I tried to use the windshield wipers (I have the rain sensor option) and they worked intermittently for a couple of minutes and now they don't work at all. The headlight washers work and the spray works on the window if I want to clean the window, but the wipers do not clear the windows nor work in any position. I just read the manual and the operation of the windshield wipers appears to be straight forward. Any ideas?

I am not mechanically inclined, nor have any desire to troubleshoot the problem myself, so I am going to simply take it to the dealer and let them look at it. Perhaps, I am operating the wipers incorrectly, but I don't see how. I was just going to go for a ride in the car, which I find to be very relaxing, almost therapeutic in nature.

Perhaps it has something to do with a fuse, but even if it does, I would want to know why the fuse is not working. But then some of the functions work on the stalk and some don't.

Thanks for any possible insight.

DoobyDarby

**beez** · #2 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 10:57 AM

dooby - that's a bummer, it's probably a fuse, but if so, a trip to the dealer would be a good thing anyway - maybe they can tell you why the fuse blew... or of you're not operating them correctly, they can show you that... or both... anyway, when they do work, the rain sensor is one of the best ones I've encountered... they really work, and increase nicely when it either starts to rain harder, or when you speed up the car...

On a side note, if you wash your wheels with Dawn, then should think about putting some kind of protection on them afterwards. Your wheels are painted with silver paint, then clear-coated, just like the finish on the body of your car - think about putting some Wheel Wax (a sponsor) or Rejex, or some other kind of wax or polymer protection - it will keep them from getting pitted from the brake dust too soon. once you get some protection on them, then clean them with a quality wheel cleaner like P21S (recommended by Porsche, actually) to clean them, and not strip off the wax, or whatever you use.

Good luck with the wipers,

brad

**gfspencer** · #3 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 12:52 PM

I can't help you with the windshield wipers but here's a suggestion for the wheels - try WheelWax. Clean the wheels with a good cleaner - Simple Green - and wax them with WheelWax. They will be much easier to clean the next time they get dirty.

rrosen · #4 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 10:02 PM

Since you have the rain sensors and it was only raining slightly, it might be a sensitivity issue. There's a toggle switch within the handle that is adjustable which might make them work. Click it up a notch and see if that makes it work better. Also, when you turn off the ignition and then turn it back on, the wipers won't start if you left the switch in the intermittent position. You have to turn them off and then on. (Can you tell I had a similar problem

)

Of course if they don't work when you use the windshield washers then there is definitely a problem and the dealer will fix.

**Doobydarby** · #5 (**permalink**) 08-20-2007, 10:50 PM

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate them.

I took the car to my dealer. The wipers probably lasted a max of 10 swipes when I used them for the first time last night. The culprit- The windshield wiper motor. They ordered one and will have it installed by sometime tomorrow. Glad that it happened a block from my house. It would not have been much fun if I was 20-30 miles or more from home.

DoobyDarby