Windshield Wipers Stuck Up

[Dark Ride]

I just bought my 98 Grand Prix and I turned on the windshield wipers and when i turn them off they go to the up position and stay there. I pulled the fuse when they were down, and turned to switch to off and the second i plugged the fuse back in they went back up, and stayed there.

 

Any ideas, its really annoying

 

Thanks, Mitch

[1990lumina]

This has been discussed before...I can't remember if the problem was figured out or not though...I'll try doing a search for you!!

[1990lumina]

http://www.w-body.com/forum/index.php/topic,23254.0.html

 

^^ That might help

[Dark Ride]

my delay works fine, they work fine until i try to turn them off, but when they are turned off and are supposed to "park" at the bottom of the windshield they stop straight up and down.

[1990lumina]

Oh crap...sorry I must have misread your post!, Bump

[Psych0matt]

my thought is that someone took them off of the gear thing when in the up position to do something, and when they put the arms back on it had cycled back to resting. dunno if that makes sense (or applies to our cars)

[digitaloutsider]

It's either the switch, or the motor. Search on ClubGP or RegalGS.org. It's a common problem.

[rockfangd]

sounds like the motorwent bad and the wipers were left in the up position so when the new motor was put in the wipers are backwards (in other words when the wipers are off they are up, ad when they are on they go down) does that sound about right

[Dark Ride]

sounds like the motorwent bad and the wipers were left in the up position so when the new motor was put in the wipers are backwards (in other words when the wipers are off they are up, ad when they are on they go down) does that sound about right

yeah they go down when they are on, and up when they are off, but they were down when i bought the car, its only now that I turned them on that I can't get them to go back down

[Psych0matt]

Big hammer?

[Andrew]

why have i not heard of this problem! i hope i dont ever have it.

 

someone must remember the solution if its common. c'mon guys.

[Hairdo12]

I've seen a ton of 2nd gen W's with the wipers stuck up around here. It is actually so common that I see a different GM with that each day. Mostly W's but I've seen Sun Flowers and that Chevy van (whatever its called) with them stuck up.

[GP1138]

I've seen a ton of 2nd gen W's with the wipers stuck up around here.

 

I actually see that a lot, too.

 

Maybe see if you can take them off and put them where they're supposed to be when they're stuck up.

[5speedz34]

It's either the switch, or the motor. Search on ClubGP or RegalGS.org. It's a common problem.

 

x2. Motors are common problems on GM's.

[rockfangd]

try disconnecting the motor and move the arms down and reconnect the motor. but make sure that the wiper switch in the off position before dismounting the motor

[Dark Ride]

Alright, I tried taking the wipers off and putting them in the down position and that didn't help, when i turned them on they tried to go past "park" and hit that thing that they're supposed to rest on. So people keep saying its a motor or a switch, the motor seems to work just fine, except when i shut them off, it goes all the way down like its supposed to and then comes back and stays there. So I'm kinda thinking its a switch, correct me if I'm wrong. What switch am I looking at replacing?

 

 

Thanks, Mitch

[rockfangd]

I say i still think it is the motor . The motor and switch are probably fine. The motor was probably replaced from a salvage yard and was disconnected when the wipers were up. Or the wiper motor that was on there went bad and they didnt position the wipers correct when they put in the new motor. make sure the switch is in the off position. Disconnect the motor. Put the wipers in the rest position and reinstall the motor tnat should be all

[digitaloutsider]

READ THIS THREAD FIRST:

http://www.clubgp.com/newforum/tm.asp?m=1969721

 

Here's what GM says to do:

 

[rockfangd]

[Dark Ride]

Thanks for the link digitaloutsider, i'm willing to bet thats it, im going to fix it once it warms up.

[billj3cub]

The parking pawl has gotten stuck. It is a 1.25" long piece of metal that pivots on one end and is free swinging using gravity and centrifugal force. It is external to the motor and is exposed as part of the Stack-O-Plates that is on the output shaft of the motor and to which the wiper push rods are attached. When you turn the wipers off the motor will reverse direction and the pawl will swing outward using gravity and centrifugal force where it can jamb against a stationary tab mounted on the motor/wiper frame. This will allow the parking Stack-O-Plates-and-Spring gizmo to do their magic which puts the wiper arms in the parking position. If the pawl never swings out and engages the stationary tab then the wipers will swing through half a swing at which point a cam/switch that is internal to the pulse board (the cover on the motor output gear, three T20 Torx screws to remove) will tell the motor to stop because it thinks the wipers are nicely parked but instead the wiper arms will be stuck in the "Hello, I'm a dork" raised flag position.

If you can't see the pawl, you can feel for it around the edges of the motor output Stack-O-Plates. You can spray a light lubricant like WD-40 on it and wiggle it to get it to swing freely again. Do not use heavy oils or grease because the tab relies on gravity to swing and must move very freely to move to the outward parking position.

 

WARNING: Use caution while working around the wiper mechanism. If the key is on and the wiper lever is set to "Intermediate" then the motor can start unexpectedly. If your fingers are down there in the wrong place, the mechanism has more than enough power to break bones and/or peal the skin right off of them. Don't be afraid, just be deliberate and methodical and always be aware if the motor/electronics are energized.

It is very easy to remove the motor/wiper assembly so do not hesitate to do so. It is much easier to see what you are doing and confirm that this parking pawl is clean and free swinging. If the wiring harness is long enough then confirm that the mechanism is working after cleaning before reinstalling the motor/wiper assembly. Make sure you test the unit in approximately the same position as it would be when installed because the pawl relies on gravity to swing into position.

 

Unfortunately, my parking pawl was worn enough that I could not get it to reliably swing out just using gravity even after thoroughly cleaning and lubing with Deep Clean (like WD-40) spray. I had to add a small loop of a spring (like from a retractable ball point pen but bigger) around the end of the pawl to hold it in the "swung out" position. When the motor runs in the forward direction the pawl harmlessly swings out of the way when it passes by the stationary tab. I put one loop of spring around one tab on the end of the arm and around one tab of the clip that limits the swing of the arm. The loop of spring applies very light pressure but that is all it needs. I will try and post pictures of all this.

 

If you remove the Stack-O-Plates assembly from the motor output shaft (T30 Torx) to access the pawl to put a spring on like I had to then you will need to remount the assembly in the properly timed position. Leave the output plates and arms unmounted from the motor output shaft, plug the motor in, then turn the wipers to "Intermediate". When the motor stops then turn off the ignition switch or quickly disconnect the motor. The motor is now in the correct position. Remount the Stack-O-Plates so there is about 1/4" to 1" space between the pawl and the stationary tab. Test the unit to see if it reliably does all its parking gyrations then remount the motor arm assembly. Test it again a number of times before you put the cowl cover and wipers arms back on. You are now done. Try not to wear out the wipers by constantly turning them on and off for the next few hours of driving just so you can marvel at your handy work. )

 

Buy the way, if you turn the wipers off and they just wiggle a little bit while the motor goes jerk-jerk-jerk-jerk trying to do its parking thing then you need to alter (slightly) the relationship between the cam/switch arm inside the pulse module (again, the cover on the motor output gear, three T20 Torx screws to remove). There are two switch/contact arms in the center of the pulse board. The one closest to the board that engages the plastic cam mounted to the board is the one you want to change slightly. The other free floating arm is driven by the cam on the big motor output gear and is the contact to let the electronics know the output gear has rotated half a turn and the wipers are now parked. I bent the one arm closest to the pulse board away from its cam just slightly so that only about 3/4 of the "hook" on the end of the arm (you will know what I mean when you look at it) is hitting the ramp on the cam (the cam spins clockwise). Verify that the electrical contact actually opens a bit when the arm is riding on the high part of the cam. You may have to adjust and verify a number of times to find that sweet spot where it runs reliably. It took me half an hour of fiddling. O_0

[Dark Ride]

Where were you four years ago? I never did get it fully fixed, but at least they aren't stuck up.

[billj3cub]

If your wipers work just fine on "intermittent" (they sweep across the windshield and return to the bottom of the windshield then wait about 5 seconds until the next sweep and repeat) but when you turn them to the "Off position then they stop in the up position rather then park then the parking pawl probably has a broken spring and is not working correctly. The pawl is a 1.25" long piece of metal external to the motor and is part of the Stack-O-Plates on the output shaft of the motor and to which the wiper push rods are attached. When you turn the wipers to "Off" the motor will reverse direction and the pawl will catch on a stationary tab that is part of the motor/wiper frame. This will hold the wipers in the down position while the motor continues to run and allow the parking Stack-O-Plates-Spring-Wrapped gizmo to do its magic which drags the wiper arms down into the extra low "parked" position. If the tiny spring that holds the pawl in the out position breaks then the pawl will not engage the stationary tab. The wipers will then continue swinging upward through half a swing at which point a cam/switch that is internal to the pulse board (the cover on the motor output gear (three T20 Torx screws to remove) will tell the motor to stop because it thinks the parking Stack-O-Plates gizmo has finished doing its job but instead the wiper arms will be stuck in the "Hello, I'm a dork" raised flag position.

 

WARNING: Use caution while working around the wiper mechanism. If the key is on and the wiper lever is set to "Intermediate" then the motor can start unexpectedly. If your fingers are down there in the wrong place, the mechanism has more than enough power to break bones and/or peal the skin right off of them. Don't be afraid, just be deliberate and methodical and always be aware if the motor/electronics are energized.

It is very easy to remove the motor/wiper assembly so do not hesitate to do so:

Remove the plastic covers off the wiper arm retaining nuts.

Remove the wiper arm nuts with a 13mm socket.

Twist and pull with your finger tips and finger nails at the base of the small rubber squirt tubing off the hard plastic squirt delivery tubes.

You may have to yard up and down on the wiper arms pretty hard to get them loose from their tapered shafts. Don't be a mindless gorilla but be brave and keep at it. They will come loose.

Remove the cowl cover by pulling or prying out the center of the six retaining push pins. Then lift the cowl cover up then out at a 45 degree angle. You will find the cover is a very tight fit between the right hand wiper shaft and the weatherstrip at the base of the windshield. Be brave and keep pulling and prying until it comes loose.

Reinstalling the cowl cover and getting the rubber weather strip over the cover is the hardest part of the whole job. Use putty knifes (slowly and carefully!) or a very small slender screwdriver. It took me half an hour just to do this part of the job that. ugh.

Remove the 3 bolts holding the wiper assembly.

Disconnect the electrical connector by squeezing the retaining tab that you cant see on the backside of the connector. You have to squeeze real hard.

Lift the wiper assembly out.

 

Remove the Stack-O-Plates assembly from the motor output shaft (T30 Torx) to access the pawl to put on a spring. I wrapped one and a half loops of spring around one protrusion on the end of the pawl and around one tab of the stationary clip that limits the swing of the pawl to hold it in the "swung out" position. The loop of spring applies very light pressure but that is all it needs. This will all make sense when you are looking at the pawl mechanism. I cut off one and a half loops from a spring like what you would find in a retractable ball point pen but bigger. Use what spring you can find even if it from a ball point pen. When the motor runs in the forward direction the pawl harmlessly swings out of the way as it passes by the stationary tab. Bend the stationary tab in or out as necessary so the pawl engages straight on to it. I will try and post pictures of all this.

 

Before remounting the whole Stack-O-Plates gizmo assembly you will need to set the motor into the correctly timed position. Plug the motor in, then turn the wipers to "Intermediate". When the motor stops then turn off the ignition switch or quickly disconnect the motor. The motor is now in the correct position. Remount the Stack-O-Plates so there is about 1/4" to 1" space between the pawl and the stationary tab. Tighten down the T30 Torx bolt (blue lock tight recommended) then test the unit to see if the pawl engages to the stationary tab and lets the parking Stack-O-Plates do all its parking gyrations before you remount the whole wiper assembly. When you are all done try not to wear out the wipers by constantly turning them on and off for the next few hours of driving just so you can marvel at your handy work. )

 

Buy the way, if you turn the wipers off and they just wiggle a little bit while the motor goes click-click-click-click trying to do its parking thing then you need to alter (slightly) the relationship between the cam/switch arm inside the pulse module (again, the cover on the motor output gear, three T20 Torx screws to remove). There are two switch/contact arms in the center of the pulse board. The one closest to the board that engages the plastic cam mounted to the board is the one you want to change slightly. The other free floating arm is driven by the cam on the big motor output gear and is the contact to let the electronics know the output gear has rotated half a turn and the wipers are now parked. I bent the one arm closest to the pulse board away from its cam just slightly so that only about 3/4 of the "hook" on the end of the arm (you will know what I mean when you look at it) is hitting the ramp on the cam (the cam spins clockwise). Verify that the electrical contact actually opens a bit when the arm is riding on the high part of the cam. You may have to adjust and verify a number of times to find that sweet spot where it runs reliably. It took me half an hour of fiddling. O_0

[jman093]

Sounds like a bot to me.

[atwnrep]

what solution worked for you im gonna go by mechanic today and try to get him to look at this