Sticking Wiper

[breadstick]

Hi my wipers stick sometimes when I turn them on once I rub the glass and move them manually they work fine and continue to work, are they just sticking to the glass? If so what can I put on the windscreen to prevent this?

[Clanad]

Here in the U.S., and I suspect in the U.K.,a properly working wiper needs to make a slight turn at the end of each stroke… it's flexible about half way up the width (measured from wind upward to the holder mechanism) but as it grow older is becomes stiffer and doesn't do the little flip. This is when, in my experience, the blade begins to stick on the window. Solution? New blade time.

If this is the course you take and you intend to do it your self, be aware that many newer cars use a different length wiper for each side of the window so be sure you buy the right ones...

[Clanad]

"Measured from the wind screen upward…"

[bookbinder]

Try wiping a bit of glass cleaner on the wiper blades.

[EDDIE51]

Yes. time for a new set of wiper blades. You should change them once a year.

[cactusdriver]

I doubt that the problem is the wipers sticking to the glass - this usually only happens when they are iced up and obviously that isn't the case now. The fact that they work when you nudge them might indicate a wiper motor fault.

[breadstick]

Thing is I got new blades few months ago it happened with old ones and now these ones :(

[TWR]

Does your car get parked under a Tree? If so, "Sap" the stuff is like Glue.

[Noe-schitt]

A failing wiper motor

[breadstick]

How much to get motor replaced?

[TWR]

Breadstick, before you start thinking of spending your money, turn the wipers on & leave on, if they continue for above a couple of mins, you do not have motor Problem, If it's MR Breadstick, check the Connector / Fuse, it could be as simple as that.

[stocksman]

Clean the 'screen using (hand)soap, not washing liquid, and make sure the blade is also cleaned, same method. Do you use a good washer bottle additive? It makes all the difference.

[bhg481]

Are you sure it's the wiper blade sticking to the windscreen and not the motor failing to start? Do you see the blade trying to move and sticking or does nothing happen?
There are two electrical feeds to the wiper motor, one from the switch and the other directly from the battery - the latter goes to a switch INSIDE the motor. When you switch on the wipers the first feed starts the motor. This operates the internal switch so the motor is also fed directly from the battery. If you switch off the wipers the motor continues to run, fed by the second feed, until the blades reach the "parked position", when the internal switch turns off the motor. If there is a problem with the feed via the wiper switch the motor may not start because it is not being supplied with power. Moving the blade manually may be enough to operate the internal switch and start the motor.
Perhaps the wiper switch is faulty or maybe it's the relay between the swich and the motor which is giving problems.
If you can operate the wipers with the blades off the windscreen (I can't on my car because they catch the bonnet) you might be able to find out whether it's the blades sticking to the windscreen or the motor failing to start.