Hi all,

I have a 2000 SC2. When I go to turn my wipers on, they only go one speed and do not shut off. The only way to get them to turn off is to turn off my car. However, they seem to work perfectly fine when I'm just in accessories. Any ideas on what's going on?

Thanks!

 

The wipers work correctly in accessory position but not in run position? Interesting!

 

1) What speed do they work on in RUN position? INT 1, 2, 3, LOW, HI?
2) Is it always the same one they work on when turned on in RUN position?
3) If the car is in the run position and the wipers are on at the single speed, and you turn the key off ONLY TO ACC, do the wipers immediately begin behaving normally on all settings?
4) Is the behavior 100% reproducible?
5) Does only 1 setting on the switch work, or do all settings on the switch produce the same speed at the wipers?
6) If you leave the car in ACC position, turn on the wipers, have them function normally, then start the car without touching the wiper switch, do the wipers keep operating fine or do they go back to the one speed deal?
7) Do the wipers behave the same when it is raining vs when it has not rained for several days? I know it's a nasty sound but we need to know.
8) have you had any previous problems with the wipers, wiper motors, or windshield washer pump?
9) Do the wipers ever intermittently stop functioning in the mddle of a sweep?
10) Does the "OFF position on the wiper switch function normally inn ACC position?

 

Hi

1) When car is in run, they work in low and any speed faster than low. It appears that INT basically doesn't exist. However, if I put my car in run without actually starting it, everything seems to work fine.
2) Yes, always the same speed unless I put them in a higher one.
3) No, I have to turn my car all the way off otherwise they keep running.
4) Yes, this happens every single time.
5) Upon further experimentation, everything works except INT and they won't shut off. If I push my lever down just to swipe my windshield a few times, that will work but then won't shut off.
6) They go back to the one speed when I do this.
7) This behavior only just started a few days ago. I did have a previous similar problem a year ago. Refer to answer 8).
8) Last year, probably around the same time this year, my wipers sometimes would not power on or would just start going in a faster speed than intended. If I switched them into the off position, they would either stop or run a few more times and then stop. If I left them on, they would eventually return to their normal speed. When this happened, I pulled the wiper motor out and without disconnecting it, tested my wipers again. They seemed to work normally so I put the wiper motor back in and they worked normally until recently.
9) I don't remember my wipers ever stopping in the middle of a sweep.
10) Yes. I tested eveyrthing in accessories and all setting worked.

Thank you!

 

B&R has a wiper motor for $35. I'd start there, they probably have several S cars in stock. They are south of town on the left, on 99w down by Les Schwab.

 

Indeed this is truly bizarre. There is a microprocessor built into the wiper module. If the solid state stuff has gone bad, the microprocessor behavior may be different at 14.4 V (car running, alternator charging), vs acc position (engine off, battery at 12.6 V). The current paths are identical in the two cases -- the question is what IS the current and WHERE / HOW is it flowing through the circuit.

Add this to your observation that your physical manipulation led to changes, and you have either a bad internal connection /malfunction or a wiring/harness issue.

I'm w Andy on this one

RockAuto has a few different ones. I think you want the 5 terminal version -- remove the harness and check.

ACDELCO 21114557 GM Original Equipment was used in SC, SL, and SW from 1991 to 2000, so if you are looking for used, confirm this is the one in the vehicle and you have a greatly expanded set of vehicles to pull from