Author Topic: My wipers are possessed!! (Read 3452 times)

YetiX · « **on:** October 19, 2010, 11:59:10 AM »

Got in my car Sunday to go somewhere. It had been drizzling so I hit the wiper lever to clean off the windshield. Suddenly the washer comes on and won't shut off and the wipers wouldn't stop either. I tried wiggling the lever but no good. I shut off the car and unplugged the washed motor so I woudn't burn it out and re-started the car. Everything seemed fine until I used the wipers again and they wouldn't shut off for a long time. They finally did but now every time I use them they pretty much run for about five minutes before turning off. Really f'ing annoying.

I suspect it's the lever/switch but thought I'd ask if there is some sort of "wiper brain" somewhere in the car I should check too? I'm going to grab a replacement switch tomorrow but if that doesn't solve the problem, then what?

Thanks!

Hey-u · « **Reply #1 on:** October 19, 2010, 02:49:38 PM »

I had the same thing happen this summer. The wipers seemed fix them selves after a week or so and I haven't tried plugging the washer fluid back in yet. Curious to know what it was too.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #2 on:** October 19, 2010, 05:40:43 PM »

The big wide black-case relay in the fuse box is the wiper control unit.

YetiX · « **Reply #3 on:** October 19, 2010, 06:47:45 PM »

Thanks Dave. It's been pouring rain here and my fuse box cover is broken, I wonder if water has gotten in there and possessed the damn things. I'll check that when I get home.

At least now that it's really raining I won't mind having the wipers on.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #4 on:** October 19, 2010, 07:42:54 PM »

It's likely that terminal shorts caused that. I'm glad you brought that up though...it's worth remembering....wet circuit board. Those units seem tremendously durable, thus are pretty common. You shouldn't have any trouble finding one in decent shape if the internals shorted out.

I'd suspect the total number of perfect fuse box cover specimens are dwindling though. Mine always seem to have the little catch bend, break or warp out of shape.

YetiX · « **Reply #5 on:** October 20, 2010, 08:58:13 PM »

Didn't find any water in there today. Pulled the relay just in case and then stuck it back in. No hauntings today but we'll see. :rolleyes:

YetiX · « **Reply #6 on:** October 21, 2010, 05:13:05 PM »

Figured out what it was from a thread on r3v. A spare fuse had come lose and was wedged under the relay. When I pulled the relay earlier I pulled the spare fuse out but it didn't occur to me that it was probably bridging the poles on the relay.