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Ghost Wipers

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shawn49085

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Kalamazoo Michigan
Well I hope someone can help, I have a 91 with some wipers disfunctions. Well it all started off being the contacts were bad for the cruise control so I replaced the entire turn signal lever and all. Well once I got that replaced and everything back together, hooked up the battery and turned on the pwr and the wipers turned on once. Then after about 3 or 4 minutes again. So I replaced the module under the dash thats attatched to the column. Well still no dice, stupid thing still doing it, but the kicker is the intermediate wipers dont work now, just the mist, low and high. Any ideas before i spend a bunch more money on this thing. Thanks
 
Same thing happened to me many moons ago.

It ended up being worn out wire coating inside the steering column. It's been so long since I did the repair, but I DO know that I replaced the entire wiper wiring harness from the column arm switch to the module and haven't had a problem since.

Good luck, and keep us posted, brother.

And seeing that this is your first post- Welcome to CK5!!! :thumb:
 
Thank you. I will tear that stupid thing apart and see if maybe when I re ran the cruise wire that something happened to the wire. Do you remember if you ordered the wiring from the factory or where did you buy it? thanks again.
 
This was about 12 years ago, and I'm almost positive that it was dealer part back then. But a lot has changed in the last 12 years.........

Just an FYI: the wires were worn out at the pivot point on the steering column. Apparently the previous owner had that ol' farmer's habit of flipping the column up every time he got out of the truck.:mad:

Like I said- keep us updated, brother!!!
 
Well as the saga continues, I have been looking everywhere and called a couple of different dealers, NO DICE. They cannot find a part number for the wiring harness from the turn signal lever to the module, just my luck and it that is the problem I will have to buy the entire wiring harness for that one piece. I am going to try and take the whole thing apart this weekend and see if its not something I can fix myself. I tell ya I am about ready to sell this thing and buy a new truck. Too bad I love this old thing, and well have way too much money tied up in parts and body work. Thanks again for your help and I will keep you informed of my progress.
 
I'm not exactly sure how the wiring works for the wipers but, on my '86 one of the rubber grommets on the wiper motor had worn out and when the body of the wiper motor would contact the body (metal to metal) something would short out and cause the wipers to function. It would happen every time i hit a bump or sometimes just for no reason at all. I'm not sure why this happened, but as soon as I replaced the rubber mounting grommets, the ghost wipers stopped.
 
You turn the delay wipers on and they run non-stop?
The wipers won't turn off?

Check the park switch for the wipers. On my '90 the park switch is located on the driver's side firewall (engine compartment side). You can see the motor and stuff mounted there with several quick disconnect electrical plugs going into it.........can't remember which one right off hand, but one of the plugs controls the park switch.

Anyway, the connector on mine was simply a little loose and corroded. Unplugging it, cleaning it, and reconnecting solved the exact same issues on mine. It still happens every once in awhile after some rough trails and I just make sure the connector is still tight.

........lot easier then replacing the whole harness.......if it takes care of the problem.
 
what model truck do you have?

did you buy a new delco switch/lever, or was it used from a junkyard?

how did you replace the t-sig lever? did you cut and splice or did you have to route it completely down the column to the module/column connection?

try finding a ACDelco parts place, Heres the number for a place down here.
(865)329-3013 Central Auto Parts they might know of somewhere near you
 
I have a 1991 suburban and I had the same problems.
I replaced everything the Cruise wiper switch that included the wiring that went thru the column. The module under the dash. And after all that I replaced the wiper motor and that fixed it.

One year later the same thing happened again, I replaced the wiper motor and all is well.

On my wiper motor there are 2 different sets of wires that plug in so there is like a separate circuit for interval wipers and such.

My wipers would not turn off or go into the correct stop position without using the mist switch. I would have to hold it down till the wipers were in just the right spot and then let go. Otherwise they stopped where ever on the windsheild.

Tim
 
Mine is a 1991 Blazer. I did buy the lever right from GM along with the module which is AC Delco. I dont know if its just coinsidence but it didnt happen until I replaced the lever and I did run the cruise wire down through the column, so I am going to check and see if maybe I did something to the wiring harness in the column but thanks for the added ideas, after I check the wire and connectors I will change the motor, I will let everyone know what I find, any and all new ideas are extremely appreciated. Thanks again
 
No the wipers just pulse once. They start in the park position and go right back to the proper position. This happens only once when I turn the ignition on and then after a minute or two it pulses once. Same thing, so its like the interm wiper is on but its not.
 
I'm quite anxious to see how you fix this problem. My 88' has been having wiper problems since I bought it. My intermittent function does not work and whenever I turn the wipers on high, the washer motor runs too. I've already replaced the motor and the module mounted under the column. I've been told that it sounds like I have a short somewhere (possibly in the column?). For those of you that have done it, how hard it it to get to this wiring and repair it?

Thanks,

Wes
 
I am really anxious to figure out my problem too. Which I havent yet. I tried cleaning the plugs on the wiper motor, and that didnt work. so the only thing left if the motor, which im trying to verify if I need OEM or if I can go with reman for a auto parts store. The wiring harness will me my last option. I cannot seem to find just the wiring harness for the wipers, so if anyone has found it and has a GM part number or something that would be awsome. But for the moment I dont have the money to get the wiper motor at least for another week or so, so I will keep checking the posts to see if there are any new ideas or suggestions, and I will keep everyone informed of my progress and part numbers I find if I can find them. It does sound like you have electrical problems to me, but its a pain to tear that column apart, but looks like you might have to.
 
Just wanted to update everyone, well I took the column apart and nothing seems to be bad there, so I am going to have to try the motor next, hopefully I can afford one in the next couple of weeks. I will let everyone know what I find, if that dosent work then I will order the switch in the column and replace that. If that dosent work I GIVE UP. Need to do the front brakes and a couple other things before snow flies. Thanks again for everyones help and more to come.
 
WOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO its fixed. OMG I never thought I would see the day. You guys are never going to beleive it, but when I had everything apart to replace the control lever I pinched the brown wire that comes off the switch and it was grounding out. Im glad I tore that column apart again before I ordered something else, so it just took some time, and a solder gun and everything is good again(lets keep fingers crossed). Thanks for everyones ideas. At least now everything is new except the switch in the column.
 
ghost wipers/ wipers wont wipe

So I have the same problems as every one else. I dont feel out of place. Everything that might go wrong has. Wipers only work with the mist setting, I lived with it and it fixed it self some how. No intermitend wipers, wipers that go on for a moment on a clear day, wipes that wont shut off. When they would not shut off I had to replace the harness in the colum about 4 yrs ago. and now no wipers at all. Well I just wanted to rant for a moment and say thank you all for the helpfull advice and I will have to look in to the problem more this weekend. I will post something when I get it figured out.

Also is there any easy way to remove and put back on the wiper motor nut that is inside the firewall that holdes the linkage on?

Thanks for the help

BSav

88 GMC Jimmy, 350, 33BFG AT, 2in tuff country
 
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