So, I have this major problem with my wipers not working. They were sporadically working, but now they are stuck. It is snowing, and I really just want to go snowboarding, but not being able to see will be an issue. Please Help! Is there anything quick and easy I can check before I have to admit they are totally broken? By the way, it is a A6 Quatro

 

I don't know of any quick or easy fix, but it's possible that a relay took a dump. You could locate that relay, find another in the car that is rated the same, and swap the two to see if they work reliably. If so, buy a new relay for it. You could also pull the fuse(s) and scrape the blades in case they're crudded up and not making clean contact. It's probably more likely that it's your wiper motor though (I would think), and the higher your mileage, the more likely the motor would be to be worn out due to use and age. Don't take that as gospel though - I'm just throwing out an idea here.

 

Do yourself a favor and start looking for a cheap replacement motor. I found one for 40. The problem is in the connection between motor and wiper arms. Go under there and tight that bolt, 13mm i think. It sucks to reach but you have to. You'll need to reset that bolt, and readjust the wipers so everything is in synch. If you do get it reset, make sure you clear the snow of the windshield before using the wipers cause the strain will make it go out of synch again. Ultimately you do need a new motor.