How to Change a Wiper Motor in a 2000 Chevy Malibu

The wiper motor on the 2000 Chevrolet Malibu is located just behind the firewall, and can be accessed by removing the air inlet grille that is just below the windshield. The wiper motor rotates a crank arm that pivots back and forth across the wiper arm linkage, causing the back-and-forth movement of the wiper blades. To remove the wiper motor, the whole wiper drive assembly must be removed from the vehicle and disassembled. Special tools are required, but generally are inexpensive to purchase and may be available for rental at your local parts store.

Instructions

Removal

1

Mark the position of each wiper arm on the windshield with masking tape. Raise the vehicle hood and support it with the hood prop rod.

2

Disconnect the windshield washer fluid hose for each wiper arm from the t-spit connector that is connected to the hood. Remove the plastic cover that protects the nut for each wiper arm by gently prying it up with a flat-tip screwdriver.

3

Remove the wiper arm mounting nut for each wiper arm with the socket and ratchet. Pull each wiper arm off the wiper arm drive shaft. If the wiper arms do not come off the wiper arm drive shaft easily, use a battery terminal puller to help remove the wiper arms.

4

Remove the three push pin retainers that hold the air inlet grille panel to the vehicle by prying up on the center pin with the flat-tip screwdriver. Remove all three push pins from the grille. Lift the air inlet grille from the vehicle.

5

Raise up on the securing tab for the wiper motor electrical connector and slide the connector out of the plug on the wiper motor. Remove the three bolts that mount the wiper drive assembly to the shell of the vehicle with the socket and ratchet. Remove the wiper drive assembly from the vehicle.

6

Remove the drive link from the wiper motor crank arm with the wiper arm separator. The drive link is what connects the wiper motor crank arm to the drive shaft assemblies for each wiper arm.

7

Remove the two bolts that hold the wiper motor to the wiper drive assembly tube frame with the socket and ratchet. Remove the wiper motor from the tube frame.

Installation

8

Set the wiper motor onto the tube frame of the wiper motor drive assembly. Install the two mounting bolts and tighten to 88 inch-pounds with the inch-pounds torque wrench.

9

Set the drive link onto the wiper motor crank arm. Place the wiper linkage installer tool over the motor crank arm and the drive link; slowly squeeze the tool handles to secure the drive link to the crank arm.

10

Hold the wiper drive assembly to the shell of the vehicle and install the three mounting bolts. Tighten the wiper drive assembly bolts to 88 inch-pounds with the inch-pounds torque wrench. Install the electrical connector into the wiper motor plug.

11

Set the air inlet grille into position. Install the base of each push pin into the mounting holes. Set the center pins into the center holes of the push pin base and press them down until they are flush with the push pin base.

12

Clean the wiper arm drive shaft splines with a wire brush. Set the wiper arm onto the wiper arm drive shaft and line the wiper blade up with the masking tape on the windshield. Install the wiper arm mounting nut and tighten to 18 foot-pounds with the torque wrench. Place the nut protective cap of the wire arm nut. Repeat this step for the other wiper.

13

Remove the masking tape from the windshield. Connect the windshield washer hose for each wiper arm to the t-split connector under the hood. Shut the vehicle's hood.