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Windshield wipers quit working?

Tiny
DUMBMINER
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 DODGE DAKOTA
Windshield wipers slowed down one day and quit working completely the next day. They will move by hand.
Monday, March 7th, 2011 AT 8:30 PM

28 Replies

Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
It sounds like the wiper arm became loose here is the instruction in the diagrams below to help fix it.
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Monday, March 7th, 2011 AT 9:02 PM
Tiny
WFIELDING
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2003 DODGE DAKOTA
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 50,000 MILES
No power to fuses? Wanted to check wiper switch on steering column. Could not get lower cover off steering column covering switch. Tilt lever in the way. Couldn't get lever off. Any advice? Thanks for any help.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
Before you can remove the tilt lever handle and then the shrouds, you must first remove the steering wheel with a puller. May want to test wiper relay before venturing into steering column.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SMSHERRON
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 DODGE DAKOTA
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 53,000 MILES
It is a cloudy rainy day. I stopped at the drugstore for 5 minutes. When I stop the wipers are on a delay mode, working fine, and stop in a up posture.
When I come out, start the truck, (1996 Dodge Dakota) the wipers do not move.
In the delay mode I still hear a 'click' sounds as in the switch when the wipers are suppose to move.
What are some possible causes? Possible solutions?
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,747 POSTS
Hi:
You need to see if there is power to the wiper motor. Unplug the wiring and check, with the wipers and key on, if power is there. If it is, the motor has gone bad.

Let me know what you find.

Joe
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BRITTAFIRE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 DODGE DAKOTA
Early one morning my wipers decided not to work. I can hear some noise like the motor is trying to work. I just replaced the motor and it still not working. I'm not sure if it is the switch that went bad. My question is how do I find out if it is the switch or not and if it is how do I go about replacing it.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,747 POSTS
Check to see if there is power to the wiper motor. If there is, the switch is doing its job. I would then recommend that you remove the cowl at the base of the windshield and check the wiper linkage to make sure nothing has jamed.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MADMIKE1735
  • MECHANIC
  • 951 POSTS
Having your original wiper motor go bad, it may have shorted, and blown a fuse. Before over thinking, check and verify your fuses are good. The combination switch is a bit costly.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
PAUL VERHIL
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Tightening the mounting bolts holding the wiper motor in place on the firewall, especially the one with the metal "ground strap" did the trick for me. Now I take back the $65 buck combination light/ wiper steering column switch. Lesson: checking the grounding on older vehicle electrical problems is probably a smart idea!
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,873 POSTS
Good answer, but that's not the full solution. That brass strap has arced away under the bushing the bolt goes through. Continued arcing will make the problem occur again. The permanent solution is to find a bolt on the motor or mounting plate where a ground wire can be attached. Connect the other end of the wire to a paint-free point on the body. Use nothing smaller than 12 gauge wire. If there is no bolt to loosen, drill a small hole in the mounting plate, then run in a self-tapping screw, or you can drill out one of the five rivets on the motor's switch plate, and replace it with a screw.

Thanks for adding your experience.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BRANDON0221
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
  • 1995 DODGE DAKOTA
V8 two wheel drive automatic 166,000 miles.

My wipers stopped working the other day. When I turn them on it just makes a clicking noise in the dash and no movement at all from the wipers. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
Can you hear the wiper motor running when the wipers are switched on?
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BRANDON0221
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
No I do not hear the motor running when I turn them on.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
Check fuse #10 (20-amp, yellow fuse), should be located by the parking brake and hood release, under dash.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BRANDON0221
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
I have checked the fuse and read in the owners manual that this also is connected to the windshield wash fluid pump and that still sprays fluid, but does not engage the wipers afterwards.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
Okay, wiper motor is most likely culprit then.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BRANDON0221
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Alright, I will check it out and get back to you.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JONLOOMIS
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1993 DODGE DAKOTA
  • 3.9L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 120,000 MILES
I have replaced wiper transmission and switch as well as the motor. Still have the problem.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BRANDON0221
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Ended up being the ground to the motor.
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Do you have the intermittent wiper system or the two speed wiper system?

I suspect you have the intermittent wiper system and if so, the intermittent wiper module is the likely issue.

We can confirm this by measuring voltage on the circuit coming from the module however, we need to do this when the issue is happening. I provided the wiring diagram to do that.

Let me know if this is how the vehicle is equipped and what you find. Thanks
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Monday, November 23rd, 2020 AT 10:29 AM (Merged)

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