Troubleshoot Wipers: ultimate DIY...

[maxslomoff]

hey all,
i love this forum and have learned so much about my car that i've always been planing to give back. i've never actually done any of the jobs though, my car is falling a part piece by piece like it has a leprocy . but since the rains are comin i better get started with my fixing and DIY guide makin. but first up a question about troubleshooting the wippers:

SYMPTOMS: malfunctioning wipers. they wont usually turn on, except for sometimes when the switch is in the high position they'll engage. they also don't return to their starting position when you turn them off after that, they just stop right where they are when you hit the switch.

i know there's three parts to the wiper assembly, the motor, the electrical relays and the switch. i know the motors ok because they do move every once in a whie. the switch might be ok since it seems to work in the high position, but maybe some of the intricate workings of the switch have gone bad leaving it crippled. or, maybe the relays are bad.

how best should i trouble shoot this issue?
can you test the relay's some how?

i've taken a few pics of removing the dash. but i still need to go buy the right size hex wrench to get the knee plate off. its something between 6 and 7 16ths of an inch. thanks for any tips before i start.
m

[maxslomoff]

ok. some lessons i've learned:
use mm hex bits for one

i have a 95 and the models between late 93 and 98 put the wiper module behind the glove compartment. there is a whole mess of wires back there and the wires are grouped into different color coded plugs. the plugs plug into "modules" or circuit boards with relays hard wired into them. the wiper module is the one with the blue plug.

i removed this module while the wipers were on full blast to test and make sure this was the wiper module. i poped open the cover to the module and everything looks fine in there. i've read that relays can go bad and burn out and sometimes you can clean them off and they'll work again.

well, when i called the parts store i asked him about weather i should replace this module or if it sounded like i had a problem with the switch. he said its definitely not the switch and probably not the module either.

he recomended that i go through the whole wiper system and clean off the electrical connections with some chemical electrical parts cleaner and then see if that works so i don't end up replacing a part i don't need.

so i'm off to radioshack to see if i can pick up such a chemical and then i'll be on to the happy task of pulling out the wiper module!!!

[maxslomoff]

ok. some lessons i've learned:
use mm hex bits for one

i have a 95 and the models between late 93 and 98 put the wiper module behind the glove compartment. there is a whole mess of wires back there and the wires are grouped into different color coded plugs. the plugs plug into "modules" or circuit boards with relays hard wired into them. the wiper module is the one with the blue plug.

i removed this module while the wipers were on full blast to test and make sure this was the wiper module. i poped open the cover to the module and everything looks fine in there. i've read that relays can go bad and burn out and sometimes you can clean them off and they'll work again.

well, when i called the parts store i asked him about weather i should replace this module or if it sounded like i had a problem with the switch. he said its definitely not the switch and probably not the module either.

he recomended that i go through the whole wiper system and clean off the electrical connections with some chemical electrical parts cleaner and then see if that works so i don't end up replacing a part i don't need.

so i'm off to radioshack to see if i can pick up such a chemical and then i'll be on to the happy task of pulling out the wiper module!!!