GP1138 Posted December 7, 2005 Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 This is your specialty, Kevin, but I'm sure others have had this problem too. So I'm driving along and I decide I need to wash my windshield. So I push the paddle, and I wash the windshield, and a few seconds later I smell something funny. I then notice that there's smoke coming from my steering column. So I'm all like "OH BOB SAGET!!!" and my friend's laughing in the passenger seat (though I don't know if he was laughing at the Tourette's Guy video he was watching on my iPod or me) as I try to stop the windshield wipers from doing this little dance they've now learned. The dance goes like this: Home position (down near cowl) Up in delay position Home position Delay position Rapidly. So I then decide to unplug the stalk harness, and I do. The wipers continue to dance, and the column continues to smoke. I've got the window open at this point. I plug the stalk harness back in and the wipers stop dancing and the column eventually stops smoking, but now I've got no wipers. None of the positions do anything. Great. And there's a winter storm warning tonight. So what should I do? Is this related to the turn signal switch, or should I be checking fuses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted December 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 Nobody in an hour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5speedz34 Posted December 7, 2005 Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 OHH BOB SAGET!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted December 7, 2005 Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 Sounds to me like the wiper switch is fried. It is quite common for the wiper switches to take a shit on the "saginaw" columns. You'll have to follow my signal switch write-up down to the part before you remove the signal switch. The wiper switch is buried underneath the metal bar that connects the stalk to the signal switch. When you get that far, remove the metal bar, and IIRC the wiper switch is connected to it via a long pin. Drive the pin out and swap out the switch (the headlight dimmer is connected via harness to the wiper switch as well - IIRC they're sold together as one unit...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted December 8, 2005 Report Share Posted December 8, 2005 L67 swap time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted December 8, 2005 Report Share Posted December 8, 2005 One more thing: The wiper/dimmer harness is on the opposite side of the bulkhead connector from the signal switch harness. Removal/installation from the bulkhead and column is the same as the signal switch harness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runt Posted December 8, 2005 Report Share Posted December 8, 2005 L67 swap time. LOL PWN3D!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryk2003 Posted December 8, 2005 Report Share Posted December 8, 2005 L67 swap time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted December 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2005 ROFL@L67 Well, my wipers started working again partially this morning. I pounded my fist into the switch and the wipers started moving and I was like WTF!!!!!1!!1!ELEVENTYSIXTEEN!!!!! If they still continue to work, I will be doing both the Wiper Switch and the Turn Signal Switch in Spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted December 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Well, my wipers are currently stuck pointing UP. They failed completely on me. I'm going to attempt replacement of the switch today, I bought some snap-ring pliers yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Before you go through the trouble of tearing the column apart, first unbolt and disconnect the bulkhead connector and swap in the replacement switch into the harness (while its dangling freely.) Plug the bulkhead back in and test the switch to see if the wipers return to the normal position. It could be that the wiper motor is fried, or maybe the control module attached to the motor is dead. Either way, that spells "wiper motor replacement." You did say that there was smoke pouring out of the column, so maybe it's wise to swap in that new switch regardless... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted December 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Before you go through the trouble of tearing the column apart, first unbolt and disconnect the bulkhead connector and swap in the replacement switch into the harness (while its dangling freely.) Plug the bulkhead back in and test the switch to see if the wipers return to the normal position. It could be that the wiper motor is fried, or maybe the control module attached to the motor is dead. Either way, that spells "wiper motor replacement." You did say that there was smoke pouring out of the column, so maybe it's wise to swap in that new switch regardless... Well, I have to wait until Monday since the fucking wiper switch costs fucking $80. Goddamn! First fucking part that fails on this car is insane to replace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bossman429 Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Before you go through the trouble of tearing the column apart, first unbolt and disconnect the bulkhead connector and swap in the replacement switch into the harness (while its dangling freely.) Plug the bulkhead back in and test the switch to see if the wipers return to the normal position. It could be that the wiper motor is fried, or maybe the control module attached to the motor is dead. Either way, that spells "wiper motor replacement." You did say that there was smoke pouring out of the column, so maybe it's wise to swap in that new switch regardless... Well, I have to wait until Monday since the fucking wiper switch costs fucking $80. Goddamn! First fucking part that fails on this car is insane to replace. I wouldn't say that's too bad, IIRC the T/S switch for my car (with radio controls) was ~$100. Gotsta do what you gotsta do to get around. At least it's something you car replace yourself and save $200. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 $80 for a wiper switch??? You could pick up an entire column from a boneyard for that. I paid $59 for the boneyard column I bought for my Regal (when the tilt mechanism broke,) but the wiper switch wouldn't move, and I had to swap out the ignition switch, so I ended up swapping out the entire guts from my old column. $80 should at least get you one with a working wiper switch, and maybe even a key for the lock cylinder. Just buy a shifter-less column and convert your car to a console shift! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted December 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 $80 for a wiper switch??? You could pick up an entire column from a boneyard for that. I paid $59 for the boneyard column I bought for my Regal (when the tilt mechanism broke,) but the wiper switch wouldn't move, and I had to swap out the ignition switch, so I ended up swapping out the entire guts from my old column. $80 should at least get you one with a working wiper switch, and maybe even a key for the lock cylinder. Just buy a shifter-less column and convert your car to a console shift! Honestly, that is very much my thinking right now. I wish it could have held out until AFTER Christmas, however. FUCK. I also need the seats for console shift, which I don't have right this moment. I won't have that until early next year, when Chris and Tim and I do the interior swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psych0matt Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 put your left blinker on when you want to use them. thats how mine work :-) I've gotten really good at holding it down to the point where the wipers work but the blinker's not on. It's a gift Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted December 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 put your left blinker on when you want to use them. thats how mine work :-) I've gotten really good at holding it down to the point where the wipers work but the blinker's not on. It's a gift Mine don't work even with either blinker on. I have the switch set to on right now. They haven't come on since yesterday. I have to get a new multifunction stalk, too, since I was in a really bad mood when they failed, and I kinda mangled it by turning it too far. :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Sounds like you might be low on blinker fluid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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