2011 Hyundai i10 Wipers Sticking

JohnSwift10

The wipers on my Hyundai  i10 are starting to seize and sometimes stop altogether if the windscreen gets dry when using the washer, I haven't driven in the rain for a few weeks.

I have sprayed the bottom of the arms with WD40 and they are a bit better but I cannot see how to access the linkage to properly lubricate it. 

I can't even see the wiper motor, so how do I access it?

Google and You tube are not very helpful, do I really have to remove the dashboard from inside the car?

And the aircon has stopped blowing cold.

Time for a new car?

Lorian

I've not owned a i10 but pretty sure you will gain access to the linkages and the motor by opening the bonnet and removing the scuttle/grille. Make sure the scuttle drains are not blocked with leaves and muck.

Silicon spray would be better for the linkages, wd40 only has a temporary lubricating effect. We very careful not to get either on the windscreen or you will have a smeary mess (use the red straw)

The aircon may have a leak or may just need regassing, most garages can run a test and  fix this. Costs vary it's worth shopping around.

when was it last serviced?

fatbelly

It does sound like a lubrication issue with the wipers. If you're not confident with diy, get a local garage to take a look. It will be putting strain on the motor but at the moment it sounds like a quick and cheap fix.

Air con does play up, particularly if not used for half the year. You should be able to get it recharged for £50ish and then see how long it lasts.

Goudy

I believe there are a few wiper maladies these suffer from.

The first is loose arms.
The nuts can work loose that hold the wiper arms on to the spindles.
When this happens, the wiper motor spins (you can hear/feel it working) but the arms/blades don't move properly (might jump a little) as the spindles are spinning freely in the arms.

Remove the little cap over the wiper spindle nuts and with a box spanner or socket, undo the nuts and re seat the arms on the spindles so the teeth mess properly, then retighten the nuts.
You might want to check the condition of the teeth on both the spindles and arms as it's it's been doing this for a while it can grind the teeth down.

Another issue is the wiper switch.
The mechanism inside the steering column can fail.
You often lose a setting, like intermittent or speed 1 and it may or may not start repeatedly popping the fuse.
It's a new switch to fix this but don't go for used, it'll be just as bad.

The air con wants checking.
Places like Kwik fit plug a machine into the air con system which will then try and recover all the gas in there by creating a vacuum in the system.
If it can't pull a vacuum, there's a leak somewhere, if it does pull a vacuum down it just need regassing.
Often a check is free, but as they recover all the gas, you have to pay to top it up if it's not leaking.
If it is leaking, forget repairing it and wind the window down!

It's probably low on gas though, once the gas pressure inside drops below a certain level, the pressure switch will inhibit the system and stop the clutch on the A/C compressor activating, so the air con system goes dead.

In with the gas is a lubricant, this keeps all the seals moist and healthy.
If you don't use the air con often, the seals dry out and you can get a slow leak.
They should put more in when/if they regas the system and using the air con more will keep the lubricant circulating.