1987 wipers and power windows hotwired?

TksStang

Member
Aug 7, 2021
15
5
13
NC
Hey guys, new member here.

I have an 87 GT 5.0 T-Top and am undoing a wiring nightmare from the previous owner. I have tracked down and have the the rest of the electrical system working except for the wipers and power windows. They both work without the key in the ignition. Would the previous owner have hot wired these or am I missing something like a faulty relay or something else? The most irritating issue with the wipers is that the intermittent will not turn off as long as the fuse is in the fusebox. For now I have pulled that fuse until I can figure out where to look under the dash for anything else outside of the round wiper relay that I already replaced as well as the fuse itself. Are the wipers and windows connected somewhere else? Why or how would they both work without the ignition switch?

Side note: I have read that there is another power window relay near the starter solenoid near the firewall but haven't checked that as yet but read that the outside relay box was only for convertibles. Would my T-Top qualify as a convertible? I wouldn't think so but it doesn't hurt to ask I suppose.

Any help would be much appreciated,
Tks
 
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What other electrical gremlins do you have? When there are things that do and do not work according to the key position, one suspect is the ignition switch. There was a recall on them. Watch out for other hacked wires and green creatures.
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There are two breakers in the fuse box. One in position 14 ( power windows ) the other in position 2 ( wipers ).

This wire from ignition switch sends power to the power windows, wipers, AC clutch, and radio. If power is shorting over from ignition switch I'd expect all these fuses to be hot at all times.

2, 6, 11, & 14. This is where to start.

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Hey 90,
Yeah the ignition switch was replaced after the previous owner had the car stolen from him before it got to me. The ignition switch cover was ripped apart around the edges and the switch was replaced. I'm thinking that several things weren't put back together right with the switch. Would you have a color coated description or pictures of the wiring to and from the ignition switch? Ask me to write code for a forum like this one and I am all good but I am horrible with schematics. I never took electronics in trade school but can wire most things if I know the wire colors and where they come and go.
 
The pic I posted is color coded and shows where the wires should be on the connector. The wires are known to get hot and slip out. The previous owner may have stuck it in the wrong spot in the connector. If you take off the bottom of the steering column cover you'll see it.
 
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I had taken the covers off of the column and there are two wires going to the ignition switch and two wires going to the horn. Don't quote me on the number of wires, the car is in my brothers garage and I won't get another look at it until perhaps Saturday. The horn doesn't work by the way so I will check for a hot going to it and replace the pad that helps the horn function or not ground itself is a the way to describe it I think.

But back to the ignition, I may have to pull it again and make sure it is in correctly as well as check the wiring. It has an auto transmission and the park lock won't engage and lock in the park position. That is also a part of the ignition switch too if I am not mistaken. Any advice on how to insert the ignition correctly with the park lock in place? Is there a park lock pin that I have to look for?
 
Yes the wipers and the power windows work without the key in the ignition and that isn't correct for them to be hot all the time. I had to undo a cluster of bad wiring. The battery and alternator area was horrid with live wires everywhere that we had to sort out but I am close to having everything working correctly minus the wipers and windows being hot wired somehow. The intermittent wiper runs constantly unless I pull the fuse or unhook the battery cable.
 
I am a paraplegic so getting to the car for now is a small challenge until I have her road ready again. Reaching the wires is easy enough but I want to make sure I do this correctly, I really do appreciate the input here fellas. I will take and post pictures this weekend.
 
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Pictures would help a lot. The park doesn't work from the key switch itself. The ignition switch were talking about is the electrical part.

Here's a video showing the replacement of the part we're talking about. It's a very common issue...so are burned connectors and wires that plug into the actual part.



View: https://youtu.be/49645fKAP6k
 
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Pictures would help a lot. The park doesn't work from the key switch itself. The ignition switch were talking about is the electrical part.

Here's a video showing the replacement of the part we're talking about. It's a very common issue...so are burned connectors and wires that plug into the actual part.



View: https://youtu.be/49645fKAP6k


Ah thanks a million 90. now it makes complete sense and it is something I know I can get to and I am almost certain mine needs replacing. I hope that the switch along with the other repaired wiring will stop the electrical overheat after about 20 minutes also. If I don't keep it idling it will die and then the car will not crank until it cools down after about another 20 or 30 minutes. That isn't water related but electrical in nature. I wasn't aware that the ignition might have an effect on the idling as the video described. I will pull the part and get pictures this weekend. Thanks again bud.
 
No problem man. That's what this forum is about. The idling issue could be something different but there's a checklist here that can help you figure that out.

At one point non of us knew anything about these cars. It's great to see folks getting to the bottom of issues.
 
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It is a great forum and good people here. I have seen the checklist posts and I'll wait on the idling issue and test it to see if I might have cured it with the horrible wiring that it was before I got the car. I'm knocking one thing down at a time and finally seeing daylight.

I was originally a mustang fan from my youth when my uncle had a 65 or 66 fastback. I had been a Camaro guy for a decade or so but came across this 87 and knew it was my calling. I'm learning as I go like most here have at some point. I enjoy the challenge, I just hate that I have had to overcome a litany of neglect and horrid care of a really decent muscle car. The engine is rock solid and built so they at least got something right. I'm also in the midst of converting to 5 lug for stability with the horsepower from the build. Its a thumper.
 
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I forgot to post a couple of connectors under the driver side dash. I have looked but haven't found these on other threads as of yet. Any ideas what these are or where they connect to? I don't know that the yellow one is required for my car. It is cruise control right?