My windshield wiper fell off!

[slcasner]

While detailing my Roadster I pulled the bonnet release handle to clean the underside and the windshield wiper arm fell into the gap. The arm must have been broken some time earlier and leaning against the rear edge of the bonnet, so shame on me for not noticing. The last time the car was exposed to rain was in February. The failure was in the cast piece that mounts to the motor armature. It just fractured leaving the stub on the armature. Fortunately the local SC had a replacement in stock.

So this is a warning that you might want to rotate up the plastic cover over the hub to see if there are any cracks forming on your wiper arm.

 

[Curt]

Both of my Roadsters have had the wiper arm break while driving in the rain. Looks like the area right around the nut at the base of the arm develops stress fractures over time.

Fortunately, my local Service Center has had the arm in stock both times, and the replacement took less than 30 minutes.

 

[dhrivnak]

And it is easy to replace yourself if you just buy the part.

 

[slcasner]

And it is easy to replace yourself if you just buy the part.

Indeed, that is what I did. I put a post-it note on the windshield first to record the orientation of the broken-off stub, then removed the broken part and attached the new one.

 

[wiztecy]

Mine broke there as well, but I was pretty abusive with it. Wiper coming on with the Sector 111 shower cap in place, which stressed the wiper blade... couldn't wipe and was stuck with the motor exerting forces on it.

 

[Vip]

Can you only get the wiper arm replacement from Tesla or is there a third party seller?

 

[slcasner]

Can you only get the wiper arm replacement from Tesla or is there a third party seller?

It is probably the same as the Lotus Elise one, but i have not investigated that.

 

[wiztecy]

It is probably the same as the Lotus Elise one, but i have not investigated that.

Tthe Lotus wiper will fit but its a wee bit different. The angle the arm comes in and the way were its bent is different. The reason Telsa did this I believe is to put more wiper blade force down onto the window while its wiping. There's no benefit of going the Elise wiper arm route here for that Telsa's price is basically the same price Lotus sells them for and you may even loose a bit of wiper performance while dong so. I looked at all this before I bought mine.

 

[Curt]

Tthe Lotus wiper will fit but its a wee bit different. The angle the arm comes in and the way were its bent is different. The reason Telsa did this I believe is to put more wiper blade force down onto the window while its wiping.

This extra force may be the reason they are failing.

Still, not a big deal, and not expensive to replace.

 

[thefortunes]

Wow, Tesla needs to issue a recall. I bet they knew they created a problem with the additional amount of downforce! I should have been give the option of the longer-lasting Lotus arm or the better performing Tesla arm. How dare they!

(Sarcasm intended - getting a little tired of the different "tone" of posts that seem to be prevalent on the non-Roadster forums).

 

[gregd]

(Sarcasm intended - getting a little tired of the different "tone" of posts that seem to be prevalent on the non-Roadster forums).

Amen!

 

[wiztecy]

Mine broke due to my own misfortune, accidentally hitting the wiper switch by the steering wheel too many times that activated the wipers while having the Sector 111 shower-cap on. Stressed out the arm down by the mounting area. Wasn't any defect on Tesla's part.

 

[thefortunes]

Mine broke due to my own misfortune, accidentally hitting the wiper switch by the steering wheel too many times that activated the wipers while having the Sector 111 shower-cap on. Stressed out the arm down by the mounting area. Wasn't any defect on Tesla's part.

Darn it - you aren't helping with my class-action suit.

FYI wiztecy, I ordered the adjustable suspension and bushings from Rob