wiper/multifunction switch question

[94gts]

ok i looked at a bunch of old threads but didnt come up with what i was looking for

my intermittent wipers dont always work. I will rotate the knob to where i want them set at but sometimes nothing will happen. If I jiggle the knob i hear a clicking from somewhere in the dash and then they will work, sometimes. There are NO probles with the turn signals. do i just need to replace the assembly or is it something else?

 

[gcomfx.com]

ok i looked at a bunch of old threads but didnt come up with what i was looking for

my intermittent wipers dont always work. I will rotate the knob to where i want them set at but sometimes nothing will happen. If I jiggle the knob i hear a clicking from somewhere in the dash and then they will work, sometimes. There are NO probles with the turn signals. do i just need to replace the assembly or is it something else?

Good post. I'm currently a "jiggler" too when it rains. I was going to replace the whole switch assembly as well, but thought it might be a waste of time and money if the problem is somewhere else.

 

[v6v8swap]

Look at the "Official How-To Thread" at the top of our forum (the last entry). I did a little write-up on how I got mine working again. I had the same issues as you two guys and it has been working for about 3-4 years now. It's worth a shot before replacing the mulitfunction switch. Hope it helps! Good Luck.

 

[gcomfx.com]

Sweet... I'll try this very soon. I think I can find that cleaner stuff. You get it at Wally World, a parts store, or electronics store?

 

[94gts]

thats definately worth a shot. my car has a lot of goopy stuff in there, no idea where its from though.

just to make sure i understood you correctly, you spray it UNDER the rotating part?


i too am tired of jiggling

 

[Zero Signal]

Ever since my hood flew up and pushed the wipers through the windshield, my wipers haven't budges once. I wonder if this might help I could never figure out why they wouldn't work unless they're jammed.

 

[mytight95]

if that doesn't work i have one of those assemblys hanging around the shop.... poss. two cant remember


jason

 

[v6v8swap]

Paul, Wal-Mart might have the right cleaner, if not Autozone or other parts stores should have it. It will be called electronic parts cleaner or zero residue cleaner. Sometimes, it will say electronic relay cleaner..something like that.

Kyle, the cleaner should come with one of those little extention tubes/straws, use that. Direct the stream of cleaner into the gap between the knob (the part that turns for the wiper on/off/interm) on the end and the main lever. Be sure to twist the knob through it's range a few times when the cleaner is in there to clean out the switch/timer contacts. It will dry out really quickly, so compressed air is not really necessary. I sprayed and worked the switch like 4 times to make sure that it was getting clean. Let me know if you need some pics or anything and I'll try to help you out with that. The car is at home and I'm at the office, so it's not here handy. But, I can get the pics if you need them. Just let me know.

John, that sounds like that the wiper motor itself got damaged/jammed and possibly may have burned out. Maybe even the linkage from the motor to the wipers got bent or disconnected somehow. On my old pickup, one wiper would work and the other wouldn't. It was coming apart at the linkage and I ended up safety wiring it so it wouldn't come apart anymore. Cheap fix but that worked for a while until I got the new plastic piece to put it together right. Can you hear the motor working when the wipers are on?

Hope this helps you guys out.

 

[BadAndy]

Paul, Wal-Mart might have the right cleaner, if not Autozone or other parts stores should have it. It will be called electronic parts cleaner or zero residue cleaner. Sometimes, it will say electronic relay cleaner..something like that.

Kyle, the cleaner should come with one of those little extention tubes/straws, use that. Direct the stream of cleaner into the gap between the knob (the part that turns for the wiper on/off/interm) on the end and the main lever. Be sure to twist the knob through it's range a few times when the cleaner is in there to clean out the switch/timer contacts. It will dry out really quickly, so compressed air is not really necessary. I sprayed and worked the switch like 4 times to make sure that it was getting clean. Let me know if you need some pics or anything and I'll try to help you out with that. The car is at home and I'm at the office, so it's not here handy. But, I can get the pics if you need them. Just let me know.

pic would be cool!!!

John, that sounds like that the wiper motor itself got damaged/jammed and possibly may have burned out. Maybe even the linkage from the motor to the wipers got bent or disconnected somehow. On my old pickup, one wiper would work and the other wouldn't. It was coming apart at the linkage and I ended up safety wiring it so it wouldn't come apart anymore. Cheap fix but that worked for a while until I got the new plastic piece to put it together right. Can you hear the motor working when the wipers are on?

Hope this helps you guys out.

 

[gcomfx.com]

C R C CHEMICALS - CLEANER (11OZ ELECTRONIC CLNR)
Part No: 5102 = $4.49 at Oreillys.

I think Wally World has a bottle of it, but it's a pump spray type bottle (like Armorall is in). The pressurized can would probably be better in this situation.

 

[v6v8swap]

Here's the stuff that I have used:

I think this is the same as what you mentioned Paul. The aerosol can will probably be better in this situation like you mentioned. I will get pics of the lever when I get home.

 

[WhiteDevil]

I remember on my old S-10 the wipers would intermittently not work and it turned out to be a dieing wiper motor.

 

[v6v8swap]

O.K. guys here are the pics.

You'll see a small gap on your lever where the knob rotates on it (my handy screwdriver is pointing to it). Try to push the knob up or to the side just a little bit to make the gap a little larger where you can see it and be able to spray the cleaner into there and then just follow the write-up. One more thing I just thought of....use some safety glasses/face shield/goggles when you are spraying that cleaner in close quarters. That stuff could fry your eyeballs pretty easily and better safe than sorry. Rather have rain on the windshield than fogged-up/non-functioning eyes. If you have any more questions, be sure to ask. I'll help you any way that I can. Hope this helps some of you out on the cheap. Good Luck!! :SNSign:

 

[gcomfx.com]

Great pics.... you either have one fast camera or really steady hands.

 

[BadAndy]

O.K. guys here are the pics.

You'll see a small gap on your lever where the knob rotates on it (my handy screwdriver is pointing to it). Try to push the knob up or to the side just a little bit to make the gap a little larger where you can see it and be able to spray the cleaner into there and then just follow the write-up. One more thing I just thought of....use some safety glasses/face shield/goggles when you are spraying that cleaner in close quarters. That stuff could fry your eyeballs pretty easily and better safe than sorry. Rather have rain on the windshield than fogged-up/non-functioning eyes. If you have any more questions, be sure to ask. I'll help you any way that I can. Hope this helps some of you out on the cheap. Good Luck!! :SNSign:

you are the man!!! thanks for the pics!!! I thought i would have to take it apart