So, we got caught in heavy snow today. My drivers side wiper arm was not making as good of contact as it should, (a problem with Volvo's that I am well aware of) but figured I might try to bend it a bit by hand.

Well, something when wrong. I heard a pop, and the drivers side wiper now rotates free. The passenger side still works fine. Anyways....please please tell me I don't have to pull the dash or go underneath. There seems to be a plastic cover under the windshield, does this come out? How hard of a job am I looking at?

 

Not bad. Remove the wiper arm and see if the shaft is moving, if not, pull that cowl. The first few minutes of this video will show you how to access the wiper motor area.

 

 

Robert- you are the man. Thanks! I will look at it later today!

 

Yes, he is...

.. and next time you want to bend the wiper arm, remove it from the car first..

 

The following might be what caused you to feel a need to bend the arm but unfortunately when it went "pop" it's likely one of the arms in the wipers transmission came off. If you're lucky once you pull the plastic panel you might be able to pop it back on. Some use plastic ball sockets and if the socket is damaged it might be replaceable. I've pulled both the front and back transmissions out and lubricated the shafts leading to the arms but I didn't need to do any repairs so I'm not sure on the 850s if they are replaceable.

It's winter and we all need to remember that the wiper arms are getting buried in rain, sleet, snow and ice. There is a pivot where you can pull the arm away from the glass. That pivot takes a lot of abuse and can corrode and rust and then you lose the tension the spring underneath the arm is supposed to be pulling the blade down to the glass.

If you can lift the arm a couple inches and then release it, it should slap back down onto the glass. If it doesn't this pivot point may be the cause and needs to be lubricated. Any oil will do. You can even pull the dipstick and use a drop off it as that's all it really needs.

Rear wipers on minivans are the worst. A lot of times when you try to pull up it's already stuff and it will feel like it's going to break to try and get it up off the glass. Let it soak with a little PB Blaster.

Use an oil, engine oil, penetrating oil . . . just not WD40. It doesn't get into the joint and stay wet to displace moisture over time and lubricate. It dries out quickly and the benefit is lost. When you wax your car hopefully you lube your hinges and latches, good time to put a drop on each side of that joint on each wiper you have.