How to Remove Rear Wiper Assembly (Tutorial)

[A Psycho Martyr]

So if there's anyone out there like me that doesn't use their rear window wiper, I'll show you how you can remove it for a nice clean look on the back of the car.

Here's what I'm starting out with.

You want to pop the plastic cover off where the wiper goes in the window

Undo the nut and your wiper arm will come off

Now you undo THIS nut and the piece you use to pull your window up will come off
(NOTE: this nut may be reverse-threaded)

Now open your window up and this is what you'll see

To get that black box open you'll need to pop some clips. Here are the first two...

Now the rest are circled here. No tools necessary. Just squeeze with your hands and pull and you should be able to undo them. Once these are loose, the ones in the back just come undone.

Okay you're in the wiper motor compartment now. Now what you wanna do is remove the WHOLE assembly from your window. To do that you remove THESE two nuts...

Now that you have it out, you need to remove the wiper motor so you don't have that rod sticking out of your window. The whole silver piece must come out for you to do this. Remove these screws to get it out.

There is one more screw hidden under the "plug" for the motor. Here it is...

Now that you have the metal part out of the plastic box, flip it over and remove THESE three screws to take the motor assembly out

Now would be a good time to remove the rubber seal from the hole in your window. Pushing it in from the outside is the easiest way I found to do this.

Now you need to find something to fit the hole in your window to seal it off.

I searched and searched for what I could use and I came up with two solutions. One is a beer bottle cap. A bead of silicon, caulk, or hot glue around the inside should do the trick of keeping water out.

You can sand this down and polish it like I did, or even sand and paint it to match your car. Another option is having an overlay made. MIGHT cost 5$ and you could get ANY color.

The second thing I found that I could use was the one I chose. I had some rusty golf clubs hanging up in my shed, so I pulled the top of the rubber handle off one and it fit very snug, so I know it sealed. Little tire shine on it to clean it up and it looks good as new.

Okay now we have to put the metal piece you took the motor off of back onto the black plastic box. Do so with the three screws you took out of it, and then put THAT whole piece back on the inside of your window.

Now pop the cover back on the plastic box and you're good to go.

(TIP!!!)
Assemble all the pieces you removed and store them somewhere safe so that if you decide to put it back on you can.

hehe....you're welcome GenVibe!

[ramenboy...]

dude,
gotta love the beer cap cover. nice touch if you didn't sand it down

good write up

[A Psycho Martyr]

Quote, originally posted by ramenboy... »

dude, gotta love the beer cap cover. nice touch if you didn't sand it down good write up

Thanks. I may have left it if it were a heineken or a blue moon.lol

[ramenboy...]

Quote, originally posted by A Psycho Martyr »

Thanks. I may have left it if it were a heineken or a blue moon.lol

hahaha y ou got a point there

[bull77]

clean!

[A Psycho Martyr]

Quote, originally posted by bull77 »

clean!

I hope I see some people doing this and posting a pic here. It'd be nice to know I helped somebody out.

[cp_stunna_2011]

i just have to take credit for this lol, i really havent done much for genvibe but now a feel a more a part that I started this hopefull trend.......

Attached files

[A Psycho Martyr]

Hopefully seeing yours, then mine people will take a liking to it. You tha #1 Stunna!

[June]

Sweet writeup. I think I'm putting this on the spring to do list.

[jkm311]

My crazy mind instantly goes to: "What to do with the wiring?!" I'm envisioning a public service announcement assembly mounted to face drivers behind me: "SLOW DOWN" "GET OFF MY A$$" "BACK OFF," etc.

Think about the possibilities! It could be on at your intermittent preference, all the time, or not at all. Hillbilly? Yes. Fun? For awhile. I guess that's why Psycho told us all to hold onto the wiper assembly!

OK, I'll stop.

[Wolfman213]

I'm probably going to do this! I've been wanting to put one of those "decals" that cover the back window like on trucks, but it wouldn't really work with the wiper. Never thought about removing it!

[TONY TAT2]

I dont like my rear wiper either.

[A Psycho Martyr]

Quote, originally posted by jkm311 »

OK, I'll stop.

PLEASE...keep going. I'm lovin it! lolz

[jkm311]

Quote, originally posted by A Psycho Martyr »

PLEASE...keep going. I'm lovin it! lolz

I don't know a whole lot about electrical work, but I bet there are many good and evil alternate uses for the wiper assembly's wiring!

Annoying tailgater-communication-module just happened to be the first thing that popped into my head.

Hell, it could just intermittently blink "EAT AT JOE'S."

[jake75]

In the "old days" on the Plymouth Voyager I think the rear wiper and rear window defogger was an extra cost option, or perhaps only available as part of a package. I know I would never have wanted to be without that "option". Face it ladies and gentlemen, removing the rear wiper is not going to make any significant difference in the "beauty" of our beast. I like being able to see out of the rear window when it rains or snows. Perhaps that ought to be a mandatory safety option. But - to each his own as they say.

[star_deceiver]

I don't think it's physically possible for Psycho Martyrs car to be dirty... so being rear-wiperless isn't an issue and it looks good!

Mine however get's used at least once per week so it will be kept!

+1 for "Eat at Joe's"!!!

[A Psycho Martyr]

Quote, originally posted by jake75 »

I like being able to see out of the rear window when it rains or snows.

I tend to keep a coat of Rain-X AND a coat of wax on my windows all the way around and my sideview mirrors as well, so rain poses no problem for me. And I live in Alabama so snow....well it RARELY visits us.

Quote, originally posted by star_deceiver »

I don't think it's physically possible for Psycho Martyrs car to be dirty...

Thanks for noticing It's a perk of my car club. If your ride gets durty and you need help, at LEAST one member is willing to help you wash and wax. My own rule

[jake75]

I will admit that I am a member of the cult that thinks washing a car will just wear out the paint, and remove that protective layer of dirt. A friend lost his job and is starting a car wash and wax business - initially just door to door - so I think I will soon hire him to do some washing and waxing. He needs the work and I really should take better care of my rides.

[TONY TAT2]

*&^%$# !!!
Was just looken at my rear wiper,the red buds from the maples are all layen on the blade,then I noticed on the hatch where the spoiler is, the paint is flaken off on both sides of the hatch by the weather stripeing !!!

[A Psycho Martyr]

ouch that sucks. I'd hit it with rubbing compound and then just keep wax on it to keep it from getting any worse. My roof is pretty bad actually. There's like almost NO shine. A friend from the car club and I are gonna be fixing it soon tho. I got a show coming up.

[BadBrew]

I've been trying a few times last year to remove this nut but it seems stuck or has been tighten way too much... I don't want to break the window while trying to get it out...
I don't want to remove the wiper, I only need to paint the finger tab cuz it lost all the black plastic coating on it and turns out ugly greyish cheap metal...

[A Psycho Martyr]

Quote, originally posted by BadBrew »

I don't want to break the window while trying to get it out...

I just used an adjustable wrench to get mine off. I think no matter how tight it is you'll be safe takinjg it out tho. There's a big piece of rubber in between the metal and the window. So no metal is touching glass.

I mean don't hold me responsible if something goes wrong, just from MY experience I say go ahead, give it some elbow grease..
Give it another shot when the weather permits and lemme know how it goes.

[TONY TAT2]

I just took the arm off,it was stuck on the drive spline so i had to wak it a few times to get it off,the glass didn't break.Ididn't remove the motor etc,just put a black rubber sleve over the shaft,it looks better than the arm.i gave the car a good wash &no other paint flaken anywhere but the hatch,did see some paint bubbles on the right top side of the hatch above the other flaken spot,think I'll clean them up & touch up paint em like ya said.Ihate leaven the car at a body shop just to have that small area repainted.Im sure somwhere down the line the paint will get messed up on other parts.

[A Psycho Martyr]

Quote, originally posted by TONY TAT2 »

I hate leavin the car at a body shop just to have that small area repainted. I'm sure somewhere down the line the paint will get messed up on other parts.

I know what ya mean. I'm not having a body shop touch mine til I'm ready to have the WHOLE thing painted.

[A Psycho Martyr]

bump...

just curious if anyone else has done this

[mr.clutch]

PsychoMartyr, I am a old man (46) using my vibe just for a good millage daily driver so I don't usually cime in.I removed my wiper last year because they are more of a catch all than functional. The thing I was wondering is with out the metal bracket your window will not lock & now their is not a handle on your glass too open it.IMO.... The glass being able to open was one of the reasons to get 1st over 2nd gen. When I did mine I left the bracket & the handle just pulled motor assem. All electric & functionality is unchanged.

[A Psycho Martyr]

Well my rear window still locks.
And when I turn my key to open it, I can still raise.
Still 100% functional, just w/o a wipet and I have to grab the rim of the window to raise it instead of the handle

[A Psycho Martyr]

bumpity

[Persephone]

XD I used this thread to get your wiper installed on my car this morning. lol

[A Psycho Martyr]

cool, cool. Any luck with the passenger seatbelt light?

[Persephone]

Tadaaaaa!

It was really easy to get in. Thanks.

[Raven]

A Psycho Martyr, you didn't mention in your original post that the nut holding the little window opening tab is reverse thread.
I just mangled mine to pieces trying to get it off. Only after did I read some old threads and discover this problem.
From what I read, the nuts on the black buttons on the window are also reverse thread.
If this is so it may be worth editing your original How To.

[A Psycho Martyr]

Sorry to hear about your parts getting messed up

If I had noticed that during the removal I would have put it in the tutorial.

I will go back and edit it tho to warn ppl.

I have no way of checking mine since I sold it, but maybe Persephone will let us know if hers was reverse threaded.

[Persephone]

Nope, it was not.

[A Psycho Martyr]

....don't think so

[trailrider650cc]

If anyone is interested to sell their wiper motor assy with the bracket. I am interested. Mine is rusted out and seized. I will be waiting for your message.

Thanks!

[Zvibe2004]

^^^ mine siezed up before, i just took the assembly out and took some fine grit sandpaper to the shaft of the wiper motor and inside the housing to get all the crud out of it. spray some good lithium grease on all the moving parts inside of it to keep everything moving nice and smoothly before you throw it back together for good measure and it should be gold for a long time

[A Psycho Martyr]

bump for the Spring 8)

[omega2551]

Thanks, this just saved my day. I got out of my car this afternoon to realize the rear wiper was flopped down along the back door and thought I was screwed. Turns out that little nut right underneath the plastic part that pulls off had just come loose.

[hotbug1776]

Had to do mine as well, went to repair the buttons on the rear glass, turned the nut, and the threads disintegrated instantly. 10 years of the elements took their toll.

[ctgottapee]

for gen2, the process is a bit easier

There is a nut under the wiper blade arm cap, but no more nuts after that (likely because you can no longer open the glass). My nut was badly corroded and it wasn't easy to remove. If you put to much pressure on it, it will start turning the wiper arm crank spindle which will likely not make the motor/gears happy if you are going to use it again.
You'll need a way to plug the whole after. I'm debating putting a rear camera in this spot.

vibeWiperArmNoNut.jpg (102.84 KiB) Viewed 10045 times

The Hatch Panel cover is all held on by plastic push rivets. There is a small indentation on the bottom left to gain access to pry the first one; it all pops off easily. [This is a good time to add some extra noise insulation. I'm going to beef up the insulation used, put some dynamatt like strips on both the plastic cover and metal hatch, and put some rub strips between the spots where the plastic panel members join together.

vibeHatchPanelBehind.jpg (116.43 KiB) Viewed 10045 times

The wiper motor is still mounted on a bracket held on my 3 10mm hex bolts. You can remove the whole bracket as it doesn't attach to the plastic cover, and take off the whole assembly after disconnecting the power connection.

vibeWiperMotor.jpg (56.46 KiB) Viewed 10045 times