Mark,

Sounds like a toasted rear wiper motor to me.   I've had one fry and get
replaced by the dealer on warrenty (let's see, that would be a while ago, I
bet)  and then had the replacement sieze a few years later and start to get
hot, but I caught it in time.   I removed the whole assembly and worked the
wiper shaft out, then cleaned rust off with 600 grit sandpaper and cleaned
and reassembled with lots of grease.

And so another cautionary note - be sure to remove the wiper arm and the
little plastic hood from the rear wiper and oil the sucker every 6 months
or so if you don't like buying new motors.   Might be a good idea for the
front ones too, but I've never had problems with them.

Dave
87 Wolfsburg
90 Westfalia

At 10:13 PM 10/29/98 -0600, Mark B. Magee wrote:
>Volks,
>On my trip this week to S. Padre Island, and in a S. Texas rainstorm the
>rear wiper quit and my wife reported "burning smells" from rear hatch. I
>did my best to ensure that power was secured to the rear wiper by
>clicking the switch handle until the "burning smell" subsided from the
>rear hatch. Additionally, the fuse (10 amp) did not blow and none of the
>wires to the motor looked as cooked as the smell given off. One wire,
>the yellow chasis ground had gotten fairly hot, but no melted
>insulation. Questions:
>1) Is this symptomatic of a toasted rear wiper motor?
>2) If yes to #1, should I be concerned the 10 amp fuse did not blow?
>2a) Is #2 as well seen when rear wiper motor is toasted.
>
>Anyone had symptoms similar. I can't understand how the fuse did not
>blow if the motor shorted to ground. There is still the electrical burn
>smell remaining in the void of the rear hatch, so I figure the motor
>must be cooked, but I wanted to run this past anyone who has been
>through this lately in case a relay or other component could be the
>culprit.
>
>--
>><>     ><>     ><>     ><>     ><>     ><>     ><>     ><>     ><>
>Shalom                                                    87 GL
>Mark Magee                                            91 Westy
>Kemah TX USA                                      96 Suzuki 4WD Sport
>John 14:6
>