Diagnosis for wiper problem

OAKLAND1000

MEMBER
1994 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY
6 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
145,000 MILES

What needs to be replaced in a 1994 Chrysler Town & Country minivan if the windshield does not work: the wipers stopped mid window when turning the wiper switch on, then the next day, when fiddling with the switch, the wipers moved to the stop point and they refuse to move now, no matter how much fiddling one does with the multifunction switch. The washer works so the fuse is OK (both the wiper motor and wiperfluid pump are on the same fuse).
Is it the multfunction switch or computer module? Where are these located and how do you remove and test?

3 Replies

FIXITMR

MECHANIC
9,990 POSTS

Make sure the ground connection to the wiper motor assembly is good. Cant work without it. This is common on many vehicles. They rubber insulate the mounting bolts to avoid noise transfer and have to add a ground strap to make a good ground. These usually come loose/corrode and fail.

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Saturday, January 1st, 2011 AT 2:12 AM

OAKLAND1000

MEMBER
2 POSTS

I'll check the ground wire when I open it up. But, I'm placing my bet on the multifunctional switch on the steering column as I've read in here that that is often what goes. I just don't have any idea how to take it apart. Would I just start dismantling the steering column? Is the switch easy to replace? BTW where is the computer module that relays the signals to the wiper motor?

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Saturday, January 1st, 2011 AT 1:45 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,873 POSTS

Leave the switch in the "low" or "high" setting, (not a delayed setting), then go out and tug gently on a wiper arm. If it suddenly moves, even a little, you have a bad ground as fixitmr said. That is WAY more common than a switch that is bad in every position.

You can also identify a poor ground by poking the motor with a test light. Ground the clip lead of the test light to the battery negative or a clean, paint-free spot on the body or engine, then touch the probe to the metal case of the motor or the metal plate it's mounted to. If the test light lights up when the switch is in the low or high setting, you need to run an extra ground wire between that plate / motor and the body.

Caradiodoc

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Monday, January 3rd, 2011 AT 3:52 AM