My Outback has a windshield wiper problem. The wipers slap the bottom of the window glass, and the left wiper slaps the A pillar. The noise is really annoying.The wipers are traveling too far across the glass. I think the problem stems from the wipers being frozen to the windshield in last winter's snow storm. I didn't realize they were frozen, so they didn't move with power applied. With wipers stopped, I can move the wiper arms up and down the windshield.about an inch and a half by hand before feeling resistance. I don't think that much free play should be happening. Do I need to replace the entire wiper transmission mechanism, or are there bushings, or something to replace, to take up the movement slack to fix the problem??

 

Thanks!

Saw a thread on this on subaruoutback a week or two ago.  1LuckyTexan posted a link to a good write up.  Should be similar.  I didn't feel like fiddling around with the Dorman bushing parts on the same problem/repair on my Civic.  I just bought a used transmission from fleabay (no motor) and swapped it in-problem solved.

Saw a thread on this on subaruoutback a week or two ago.  1LuckyTexan posted a link to a good write up.  Should be similar.  I didn't feel like fiddling around with the Dorman bushing parts on the same problem/repair on my Civic.  I just bought a used transmission from fleabay (no motor) and swapped it in-problem solved.

Thanks for the info and link. That is exactly the write-up I was needing to read. Now to get er fixed.

Parts listed in the link:  Dorman 49447 kit.

 

http://www.dormanproducts.com/itemdetail.aspx?ProductID=17896&SEName=49447

 

Edited October 7, 201411 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

Thanks for all the info on bushing replacement. My thoughts are.........how can you tell which bushing(s) need replaced?? Would it be obvious by seeing that they are cracked, or broken into pieces??

 

I went on line to check out Dorman 49447 kit, but it doesn't say that the kit will repair Subaru wipers, just several other brands of cars. Are repair bushings generic?? The picture of the HELP kit # 49447 does look generic in application.  My concern is mistakenly buying bushings that won't fit my car, don't want to do that.

 

Thanks for all the help and advise.

The plastic bushings break out of the metal rod so easy to spot.  Dia. od the ID & OD would be what you need to select a close match.

The plastic bushings break out of the metal rod so easy to spot.  Dia. od the ID & OD would be what you need to select a close match.

Thanks...........Rooster2

Bought the HELP kit  # 49447 wiper plastic bushings as pictured on this thread. I could't find any in the package assortment that would fit well. Best I could do is find one that I had to clip off two tabs and insert using pliers to make a super tight fit. Seemed to work okay on testing, but tonight in a rain down pour on the interstate, the bushing came loose. I can hear the wiper motor working but wipers aren't moving. Guess none of the kit bushings will fit my 99 OBW. I drive by a Subie dealer tomorrow, I will have to source a bushing there.

 

Thanks everyone for the advise. The "how to" access the bushing instructions were great.

Pull one rod from a yard

Pull one rod from a yard

Yea, that is a good option, except a yard is a good distance from where I live. I went to a Subie dealership yesterday, talked to the parts desk guy. As I suspected, wiper bushings cannot be ordered separately. Subaru will sell the arm with 2 bushings for $63. I declined, but then was surprised when the counter guy suggested sourcing the bushings fitting an 89-92 Nissan Maxima. Maybe, I can source that at a parts store, or on line. If not, it is off to a yard.

Update..................Finally, I hope, got the wipers fixed. It turned into a nasty time consuming project. Went to a yard on Saturday that said they had a 99 Leggie on hand, which is the same year as my Leggie. That was wrong info. Searched high and low, there was simply no 99 Leggie on the lot. I snagged a wiper rod from a 91 Leggie as a last resort, but that turned out to not fit a 99. So tried to swap a bushing from the 91 rod to a 99. That didn't work. Those factory bushings are somehow manufactured into the rod, and trying to remove a bushing will only result in breaking it. Finally, got an aftermarket bushing from a parts store designed to fit a Nissan, to fit the Subie rod. It was a bear to get that bushing to fit into the Subie rod hole, but got it to fit good and tight. For anyone reading this in the future, be advised that you are far better off getting a complete rod with good bushings from a yard, or spend $63 to order a new one from the parts counter at a Subie dealer.

 

Hope I never need to work on a Subie wiper mechanism ever again.

Anytime ive replaced these bushings on other cars they're a royal PITA to press into the linkage rods. I always end up using a couple of sockets taped to a vice to shove them into the rod. Find a suitable sized socket to press on the large end of the bushing. Tape the bushing to the socket, tape the socket to the vice jaw. Tape a socket that just slightly larger than the small end of the bushing to the other jaw. Fit the rod over the bushing and hold with one hand, turn the vice with the other hand and "clunk" it pops together.

I have tried using pliers, but those usually damage the new bushings. A c-clamp could work but you need about 5 hands to hold everything.

Anytime ive replaced these bushings on other cars they're a royal PITA to press into the linkage rods. I always end up using a couple of sockets taped to a vice to shove them into the rod. Find a suitable sized socket to press on the large end of the bushing. Tape the bushing to the socket, tape the socket to the vice jaw. Tape a socket that just slightly larger than the small end of the bushing to the other jaw. Fit the rod over the bushing and hold with one hand, turn the vice with the other hand and "clunk" it pops together.

I have tried using pliers, but those usually damage the new bushings. A c-clamp could work but you need about 5 hands to hold everything.

Good advise, I will remember this..............Rooster2

Grab a set or two from a slef serve yard, when you don't need them.  Spares

Grab a set or two from a slef serve yard, when you don't need them.  Spares

Good idea, Thanx