Windshield wipers dont work sometimes

[brianteel]

on my coninuting effort to finish fixing everyting in the car....the windshield wipers so times dont come on and i have to turn them all the way to high then turn them down and they work fine. anyone ideas have anyone had this happen. it is has been doing this since and has not gotten better or worst.

[1990lumina]

My dad's 1996 Suburban started doing the same thing in the middle of a rain storm on the highway. It was a fairly crazy experience when you can't see oncoming traffic because the wipers work inermitteally.

The problem was cold solder joints in the turn signal/windshiled wiper switch stalk which was replaced free because it was a safety recall - however I don't you will be able to get yours for free.

 

- Jeff L.

[brianteel]

i will get a new stick and try that. it would be awsome if that was the problem

[DiscoStudd]

You're talking about your 95 (or was it 96) Grand Prix, correct? Swapping in a new stick won't solve the problem. The switch is inside the steering column and the stick simply moves the switch. To get the switch out, you'll have to remove the airbag and steering wheel, then tear the column down.

 

For guidance, feel free to check out the write-up I did for signal switch replacement on the 94-96 column. Once you get the lock plate off, the wiper switch is exposed and can be replaced without removing the signal switch.

 

Here's the link to my write-up: http://www.likeabigdog.com/column/94upsignal.htm

[brianteel]

the signal switch is new and you do not need to do all of that to get the stick out i have done before.

[DiscoStudd]

I don't think you're understanding where I'm coming from, so lemme say this one more time: The "stick" (meaning the multifunction lever) merely moves the wiper switch and replacing the "stick" will not solve the problem. I know full well that replacing the multifuntion lever is a matter of yanking it straight out. What I'm saying is the actual switch that the "stick" turns (and controls the wipers) is inside the column. It's also not part of the signal switch (only attached to it.) The reason I included the link to the TSS write-up is because you need to tear the column apart to replace the wiper switch, and I don't have a write-up specifically detailing how to remove it.

 

If you follow the steps in my signal switch document, ignoring the parts about removing the signal switch, you'll see where the wiper switch is located and can go from there. (I have a pic of the column disassembled, with captions pointing out the various components.) The wires for the wiper switch run down the column in the same manner as the signal switch wires. The connector for the wiper switch is on the same bulkhead as the TSS's connector, but on the opposite end...

[brianteel]

i did not understand you the first time. I will have to pull it back part then so i can also fix the horn. any idea what the part number is for the that

[DiscoStudd]

Yep, it's 26049554 .

 

Hope that helps you out!