2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER wipers

(3) Install and tighten the nut that secures the
wiper arm to the wiper pivot shaft. Tighten the nut
to 24 N´m (18 ft. lbs.).
(4) Wet the windshield glass, then operate the wip-
ers. Move the right (wiper) control stalk of the multi-
function switch to the Off position, then check for the
correct wiper arm position and readjust as required.
(5) Engage the pivot cover with the wiper arm
hinge pin, then push the pivot end of the cover down
firmly and evenly until it snaps over the wiper blade
pivot end.
(6) Reconnect the washer nozzle hose to the elbow
fitting on the cowl top panel near the pivot end of the
wiper arm.
VAWIPERS/WASHERS 8R - 25

WIPER BLADE
DESCRIPTION
Each wiper blade is secured by an integral latching
pivot block to the hook formation on the tip of the
wiper arm, and rests on the glass near the base of
the windshield when the wipers are not in operation
(Fig. 26). The wiper blade consists of the following
components:
²Superstructure- The superstructure includes
several stamped steel bridges and links with claw
formations that grip the wiper blade element. Also
included in this unit is the latching, molded plastic
pivot block that secures the superstructure to the
wiper arm. All of the metal components of the wiper
blade have a satin black finish applied.
²Element- The wiper element or squeegee is the
resilient rubber member of the wiper blade that con-
tacts the glass.
²Flexor- The flexor is a rigid metal component
running along the length of the wiper element on
each side, where it is gripped by the claws of the
superstructure.
All Sprinter models have unequal length wiper
blades with non-replaceable rubber elements (squee-
gees). The left (driver) side wiper blade is 60.0 centi-
meters (23.5 inches), and the right (passenger) side
wiper blade is 55.0 centimeter (21.5 inches). These
wiper blades also include an anti-lift feature. The
wiper blades cannot be adjusted or repaired. If faulty,
worn, or damaged the entire wiper blade unit must
be replaced.
OPERATION
The wiper blades are moved back and forth across
the glass by the wiper arms when the wipers are
being operated. The wiper blade superstructure isthe flexible frame that grips the wiper blade element
and evenly distributes the force of the spring-loaded
wiper arm along the length of the element. The com-
bination of the wiper arm force and the flexibility of
the superstructure makes the element conform to
and maintain proper contact with the glass, even as
the blade is moved over the varied curvature that
may be encountered across the glass surface. The
wiper element flexor provides the claws of the blade
superstructure with a rigid, yet flexible component
on the element which can be gripped. The rubber ele-
ment is designed to be stiff enough to maintain an
even cleaning edge as it is drawn across the glass,
but resilient enough to conform to the glass surface
and flip from one cleaning edge to the other each
time the wiper blade changes directions.
REMOVAL
NOTE: The wiper arms and wiper blades for this
model are both unequal in length, with the longer
arm and blade being installed on the left (driver)
side of the windshield.
(1) Turn the wiper control knob on the end of the
multi-function switch control stalk to the On posi-
tion. Cycle the wiper blades to a convenient working
location on the windshield by turning the ignition
switch to the On and Off positions.
(2) Lift the wiper arm to raise the wiper blade and
element off of the glass, until the wiper arm hinge is
in its over-center position.
(3) To remove the wiper blade from the wiper arm,
depress the pivot block latch release tab under the
tip of the arm and slide the blade away from the tip
Fig. 26 Wiper Blade
1 - PIVOT BLOCK 4 - FLEXOR
2 - SUPERSTRUCTURE 5 - ELEMENT
3 - CLAWS 6 - PIVOT PIN
8R - 26 WIPERS/WASHERSVA

towards the pivot end of the arm far enough to dis-
engage the pivot block from the hook formation on
the end of the arm (Fig. 27).
(4) Extract the hook formation on the tip of the
wiper arm from the opening in the wiper blade
superstructure ahead of the wiper blade pivot block/
latch unit.
CAUTION: Do not allow the wiper arm to spring
back against the glass without the wiper blade in
place or the glass may be damaged.
(5) Gently lower the wiper arm tip onto the glass.
INSTALLATION
NOTE: The wiper arms and wiper blades for this
model are both unequal in length, with the longer
arm and blade being installed on the left (driver)
side of the windshield.
(1) Lift the wiper arm off of the windshield glass,
until the wiper arm hinge is in its over-center posi-
tion.
(2) Position the wiper blade near the hook forma-
tion on the tip of the arm.
(3) Insert the hook formation on the tip of the
wiper arm through the opening in the wiper blade
superstructure ahead of the wiper blade pivot block/
latch unit far enough to engage the pivot block with
the hook (Fig. 27).
(4) Slide the wiper blade pivot block/latch up into
the hook formation on the tip of the wiper arm until
the latch release tab snaps into its locked position.
Latch engagement will be accompanied by an audible
click.
(5) Gently lower the wiper blade onto the glass.
Fig. 27 Wiper Blade Remove/Install
1 - HOOK
2 - WIPER BLADE
3 - WIPER ARM
4 - RELEASE TAB
VAWIPERS/WASHERS 8R - 27

WIPER LINKAGE
DESCRIPTION
The wiper linkage and pivots are concealed within
the engine compartment below the cowl top panel
(Fig. 28). The ends of the wiper pivot shafts that pro-
trude through dedicated openings in the cowl top
panel to drive the wiper arms and blades are the
only visible components of the wiper linkage module.
The wiper linkage module consists of the following
major components:
²Linkage- The two wiper drive links are each
constructed of stamped steel. The left (driver) side
drive link has a plastic socket-type bushing in one
end, and a plastic sleeve-type bushing in the other
end. The socket bushing is snap-fit over the ball stud
on the left pivot crank arm, while the sleeve bushing
is fit over the longer ball stud on the wiper motor
crank arm. The right (passenger) side drive link has
a plastic socket-type bushing on each end. One end of
this drive link is snap-fit over the exposed end of the
longer ball stud on the wiper motor crank arm and
captures the sleeve bushing end of the left drive link
beneath it, while the other end is snap-fit over the
ball stud on the right pivot crank arm.
²Module Bracket- The linkage module bracket
consists of a long tubular steel main member that is
crimped to a molded plastic pivot bracket at each end
where the wiper pivots are secured. A stamped steel
mounting plate for the wiper motor is secured with
welds near the center of the main member and is
then secured with screws to the underside of the cowl
top panel.
²Motor Crank Arm- The wiper motor crank
arm is a stamped steel unit with a round hole on the
driven end that is secured to the wiper motor outputshaft with a nut, and a long ball stud secured to the
drive end.
²Pivot- The two molded plastic wiper pivot
brackets are secured to the ends of the linkage mod-
ule bracket tubular member. The crank arms that
extend from the bottom of the pivot shafts each have
a ball stud on their end. The upper end of each pivot
shaft where the wiper arms will be fastened each is
tapered and externally serrated with a threaded stud
at the top where the wiper arms are secured by a
nut. Each pivot shaft operates within a housing
formed in the pivot bracket featuring a large external
flange near its center and external threads near the
top. The pivot housings are secured to the outer sur-
face of the cowl top panel by a large washer and a
nut threaded onto the outside of the housing where it
protrudes through the cowl top.
The wiper linkage module cannot be adjusted or
repaired. If any component of the linkage module is
faulty or damaged, the entire wiper linkage module
unit must be replaced.
OPERATION
The wiper linkage operation is controlled by the
output of the wiper motor through the wiper motor
crank arm. The wiper motor crank arm, the two
wiper drive links, and the two wiper pivots mechan-
ically convert the rotary output of the wiper motor to
the back and forth wiping motion of the wiper arms
and blades on the glass.
REMOVAL
(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative
cable.
Fig. 28 Wiper Linkage Module
1 - PIVOT SHAFT (2) 4 - PIVOT CRANK ARM (2)
2 - PIVOT SHAFT HOUSING (2) 5 - DRIVE LINK (2)
3 - MODULE BRACKET 6 - MOTOR CRANK ARM
8R - 28 WIPERS/WASHERSVA

(2) Remove the wiper arms from the wiper pivots.
(Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/WIPERS/WASHERS/
WIPER ARM - REMOVAL).
(3) Remove the five nuts that secure the ventila-
tion housing to the dash panel and the underside of
the cowl top panel (Fig. 29).
VAWIPERS/WASHERS 8R - 29

(4) Pull the ventilation housing forward far enough
to disengage the housing from the studs on the dash
panel, then lower the housing until it rests on the
top of the engine.
(5) Disconnect the wiper motor pigtail wire connec-
tor from the vehicle wire harness connector.
(6) Remove the nut and washer that secures each
wiper pivot housing to the outside of the cowl top
panel (Fig. 30).
Fig. 29 Ventilation Housing
1 - NUT (5) 3 - CABIN FILTER HOUSING
2 - WASHER (5) 4 - VENTILATION HOUSING
8R - 30 WIPERS/WASHERSVA

(7) Remove the two screws that secure the wiper
linkage module motor bracket to the flange on the
underside of the cowl top panel.
(8) Remove the wiper linkage module and wiper
motor from the underside of the cowl top panel as a
unit.
(9) Remove the wiper motor from the wiper link-
age module. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/WIPERS/
WASHERS/WIPER MOTOR - REMOVAL).
INSTALLATION
(1) Reinstall the wiper motor onto the wiper link-
age module. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/WIPERS/
WASHERS/FRONT WIPER MOTOR -
INSTALLATION).
(2) Carefully position the wiper linkage module
and wiper motor to the underside of the cowl top
panel as a unit (Fig. 30).
(3) Install and tighten the two screws that secure
the wiper linkage module motor bracket to the flange
on the underside of the cowl top panel. Tighten the
screws to 6 N´m (50 in. lbs.).
(4) Install and tighten the nut and washer that
secures each wiper pivot housing to the outside of the
cowl top panel.
(5) Reconnect the wiper motor pigtail wire connec-
tor to the vehicle wire harness connector.
(6) Reinstall the ventilation housing onto the dash
panel and the underside of the cowl top panel (Fig.
29).
(7) Reinstall the wiper arms onto the wiper pivots.
(Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/WIPERS/WASHERS/
WIPER ARM - INSTALLATION).
(8) Reconnect the battery negative cable.
WIPER MOTOR
DESCRIPTION
The wiper motor is secured with three screws to a
motor bracket integral to the wiper linkage module
bracket located below the cowl top panel in the
engine compartment (Fig. 31). The wiper motor out-
put shaft passes through a hole in the motor bracket,
where a nut secures the wiper motor crank arm to
the motor output shaft. The two-speed permanent
magnet wiper motor features an integral transmis-
sion, an internal park switch, and an internal Posi-
tive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) circuit breaker.
The wiper motor cannot be adjusted or repaired. If
any component of the motor is faulty or damaged, the
entire wiper motor unit must be replaced.
Fig. 30 Wiper Linkage Module Remove/Install
1 - NUT & WASHER (2) 4 - COWL TOP PANEL
2 - PIVOT (2) 5 - MOTOR BRACKET
3 - SCREW (2)
Fig. 31 Wiper Motor
1 - TRANSMISSION
2 - PIGTAIL WIRE
3 - MOTOR
4 - SCREW (3)
5 - OUTPUT SHAFT
VAWIPERS/WASHERS 8R - 31

OPERATION
The wiper motor operation is controlled by the
vehicle operator through battery current inputs
received by the wiper motor from the wiper switch
circuitry of the multi-function switch on the top of
the steering column, and from the wiper relay on the
fuse block underneath the steering column. The
wiper motor speed is controlled by current flow to
either the low speed or the high speed set of brushes.
The automatic resetting circuit breaker protects the
motor from overloads.
The park switch consists of a contact disc and
three contacts. The contact disc is mechanically fas-
tened to and rotated with a gear in the wiper motor
transmission. Two input contacts alternately close
the wiper park switch sense output circuit contact to
ground or to battery current, depending upon the
position of the wipers on the glass. This feature
allows the intermittent wipe logic circuit to monitor
the position and the cycles of the wiper motor to pro-
vide the intermittent wipe and wipe-after-wash
modes, as well as allowing the motor to complete its
current wipe cycle after the wiper system has been
turned Off and park the wiper blades in the lowest
portion of the wipe pattern.
The wiper motor may be diagnosed using conven-
tional diagnostic tools and methods.
REMOVAL
(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative
cable.
(2) Disconnect the vehicle wire harness connector
for the wiper motor from the motor pigtail wire con-
nector (Fig. 32).
8R - 32 WIPERS/WASHERSVA