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.

Answered by fixitmr
24 questions asked

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?

Response from oakland1000
1 question asked

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

Answered by caradiodoc (expert)
17,329 answers provided