Fitting a windscreen wiper linkage on a Ford KA 2009 model ....

[mrs.chappie]

Please does anyone have any idea if this will be a tricky/long job?

Thanks for any replies. x

[mrs.chappie]

Thanks doc. x

The linkage is underneath the bonnet and it joins the motor to the wipers (so OH has just told me).

We've been told that because it's so new, there isn't a part available off the shelf in the UK and it will have to come from Germany. The garage have quoted us 2 weeks but said it could be longer as it will be on back order (not sure what that is, but hey ho).

Anyhoo, I got on t'internet and found a breakers yard who say they have one and can send it to us by the beginning of next week. Problem now is that the garage won't fit it, they say the will only fit new parts, and parts they have supplied themselves.

Btw, the part didn't develop a fault - OH switched the wipers on while they were iced onto the windscreen. They were stuck so solidly that it snapped the linkage underneath the bonnet. :o(

[AlBags]

Your garage needs sacking. Get a linkage and instruct a local garage to fit it. Easy job you could do yourself in the garage.
Should save you loads of money too.
I cannot see that effecting ANY warranty .. except related items .. which TBH is unheard of.

[AlBags]

PS. Backorder is when the dealer is waiting for delivery from factory .. or outside manufacturer. Ford buy most parts in.

[mrs.chappie]

Thanks very much for reply, Al. x

The part from the breakers yard is £58 which includes £15 delivery.

It's from a car that was apparently involved in an accident and the back half of the car was crushed but the front was untouched. The Ford garage quoted us £250 to supply and fit .... so hopefully, as you say, we will save some cash.

The problem is that it is such a new car (the new shaped KA). It wouldn't have been difficult to get the part if it had been the old shaped KA. I stressed to the breakers yard, we need the part from a 2009 model and they assure me that it is. I just hope that the right part comes. :o(

Do you have any idea (roughly) how long it would take a garage to fit it? Would we be looking at a full day's work? Our local garage in the village won't fit it so we'll have to look further afield to get the work done.

Thanks again for reply - much appreciated.

[mrs.chappie]

Sorry doc, didn't see your reply there.

We asked if they'd give us a courtesy car ... got a definite 'No' .... said the best they could do was ring a hire-car company for us.

[AlBags]

Hi
Price is about right from a breakers .. and they usually know what they are doing, so long as you have supplied Reg and year, etc. There are lots of new/recent model parts in breakers.
If I was doing in my workshop, would take me around 1hour .. probably less. That's all.

[AlBags]

If you know of a mechanic locally .. ask them to do it as a sideline job. There's very little to get wrong with that job.

[mrs.chappie]

That's heartening to read, Al. Hopefully it'll all go smoothly (fingers crossed).

Thanks very much for your help. x

[Mini-Driver]

Had the same problem with my partners Ka and I can confirm that it is a straight forward DIY job. As the part on back order I decided to effect a temporary repair.
Un-clip covers at base of wiper arms
Remove plastic covers from wiper spindle nuts with long nose pliers
Undo nuts on wiper spindle (13mm socket) and remove wiper arms
Undo the three plastic nuts (10mm socket) retaining the plastic shroud at base of windscreen
Remove rubber seal from front edge of shroud
Ease up the plastic shroud and disconnect washer jet
Carefully release corners of shroud from base of windscreen
Disconnect plug from wiper motor
Undo two linkage retaining bolts (10mm socket)
Disconnect loom from linkage
Carefully ease the motor and wiper linkage out taking care with the wiring for the heated screen.
That was it out, the linkage is made from plastic and metal and one of the plastic bits had sheared, So using Aradite precision I glued it back together, holding it together with tie wraps. Left it alone for 24 hrs and as they say in the Haynes manual reassembly is the reverse of the process.
Just want to stress, this is a temporary repair, we have a new linkage on order which I will fit.

By the way, as the Ford KA is derived from the new Fiat 500, and the Ford linkage is made in Italy, a Fiat 500 linkage may, I stress may, fit.

[mrs.chappie]

Thanks very much for that reply, Mini-Driver. I've only just noticed it.

Job now done, we managed to get a part on-line, was delivered to us within 2 days (from a Ford KA that had been in an accident and hit at the back) and a local mechanic fitted it for a very reasonable £30.

All-in-all it cost us about £80. The Ford garage quoted us triple that, so we're well pleased.

Thanks again for typing all that out. x

[oldknowledge1]

Made an account to say thanks to Mini-Driver for detailing the process (10:45 Mon 03rd Jan 2011).
 

To anyone else searching for the process in future. Mini-Driver's comment is all correct , just replaced a front motor. 

Cheers