Managed to grenade my rear end in my Jeep today so it looks like I'll be back in my Dakota for a week or two til I can fix it or replace the axle and driveshaft. No big deal, but my wipers don't work anymore and I need to fix them tomorrow before it rains over the weekend.

They cut out one night when it was raining a couple months back and since I never drive the truck anymore I hadn't bothered fixing them. I can see the motor moving when they're on when they're on through the cowl cover so I assume the linkage just came apart. Common issue? I know how to get the cowl cover off but I don't see how the wiper arms come off to get the cowl cover off over them?

 

Lift the Wiper arm up as much as you can then pull out the tab that is sticking out. If you have not done this for some time you may need to use a needle nose pliers to get a good grip on it too do so. Then they just pull off with a good tug.

To remove the cowl open the hood and pull off the weather stripping that is on the cowl and it will reveal about 5-6 screws. Undo all of these then there is one at each end by the hood hinge. Then just lift it out.

 

you will need to undo both the wiper bases and remove everything from under the cowl. nylon press on bushings/keepers need replacing. NOTE: linkage has to go back on exactly as it came off is very easy to forget which end went where or to flip them over, etc. so be careful. also make sure you hear the nylon keepers snap into the end of the linkage.

 

when taking the wiper arms off, if they seem to stick i found that wiggling the base of teh arm back and forth slightly helps.