Wipers are not working

Tiny
PPITTS
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS
Six cylinder two wheel drive automatic 145,000 miles

My wipers are not working this morning, even though they were working just last night and this is the first this has happened. I bought new in 1999 and this has not happened before. Also, where is the fuse box located in the car?

Paul
Friday, January 22nd, 2010 AT 7:08 AM

15 Replies

Tiny
MIRROCK
  • MEMBER
  • 22 POSTS
Fuses would be first place I would check to. I do not own one of these cars, but typical places for the fuse panel is behind a removable panel on the side of the dash, drivers side when you open the door. Or in the engine compartment driver side.
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Friday, January 22nd, 2010 AT 7:32 AM
Tiny
EAGLE13579
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
  • 1993 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS
Six cylinder front wheel drive 102,000 miles

when I turn the headlights on the windshield wipers quit working. Also, on the dash the green lights for the signal lights stay on as if the flasher is on, but does not flash. Wipers will work, turn on the headlights and you hear a clicking noise and the wipers turn off.
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,179 POSTS
Hi,
electrical problems are hard to identify via the Internet, but I will give you a few things to check. To me, the problem with the signal light staying on sounds like a bad tail light bulb. The brake lights and signals work in the same bulb. If there is a ground problem or a bad socket, the power is back fed through the system allowing the light to stay on. Start there first. Remove one bulb at a time to see if the signal light goes off.

As far as the wipers, can you tell where the clicking is coming from?

Joe
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
EAGLE13579
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I am going have to check closer, but the clicking sound is coming from the general area of the wiper motor. It seems the motor does not have enough power to work the wipers right. They wipe up okay, but do not have enough power to wipe back down. It will stall about half way down and I can push the arm and they wil go back down and wipe up again. I watched the signal lights on the dash and as the wipers go up, the lights go off and as they come back down and stall they get brighter. I am going to try a new wiper motor and see if that helps. Any help you can give me will be appreciated. Gary
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,179 POSTS
Gary,
Before getting the new motor, try to run a separate ground for the motor. See if that helps. It sounds like a ground problem.

Let me know what you find.

Joe
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
EAGLE13579
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Thanks Joe. I had already ran a ground wire to the motor and the frame, nothing. I have noticed that each setting of the windshield wiper switch has a affect on the dash lights. For example if I put the wipers in high, the signal indicators gets real bright and as I go through the settings, intermittent either dims them or turns them off. Yet when I turn them off the lights gets bright again. Also, the fasten seatbelt light does the same thing. When I turn the headlights on the lights in the heater adjustment goes out, I bought this car new, so know it has never been in a wreck or had any wires cut or spliced. Once several years I did have a ground problme. I could open the door and the wipers would start working! I used the wire from the underhood light as a ground and everything worked fine until about a month ago. Thanks for your tips. Gary
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,179 POSTS
Hi,
I hate to say it, but I think you have a ground problem again. However, this time I think it has to do with the Body Control Module (BCM). This is a computerized device that runs many of the items you have described. However, to check it will require special test equipment. Let me know what you find.
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
EAGLE13579
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Thanks, I am going to run down all the ground wires today in the harness and make sure one has not broken or has the insulation scraped off. I found a diagram of where the grounds are located. Will let you know and again. "Thanks"
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KANCAR
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 1984 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 83,000 MILES
Four cylinder front wheel drive automatic 83,000 miles

It was working fine. Let my friend work on it to fix gears. He took apart the dashboard for that. After he got done the windshield wiper stopped working.
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
EAGLE13579
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Found the problem. The ground wire coming out of the wiring harness on the driver's side next to the strut tower had come loose. It was corroded and looked like it had been loose for a while. Thanks for all your help, Gary
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,179 POSTS
Hi,
Is the motor running? Are you getting power to the motor?

Joe
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KANCAR
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Not sure what that means. The car starts fine and everything else works if that is what you mean.
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,179 POSTS
Hi,
I am referring to the wiper motor.
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
APREMO
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1993 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 105,789 MILES
Six cylinder front wheel drive automatic 105,789 miles

My windshield wipers are not working all of a sudden they just stopped, turn signal works, cruise is good and so are brights. Just wondering what my be the problem and or what it might coast with various parts?
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,179 POSTS
Hi,
The wiper motor may have gone bad. You need to check if (with the wipers on) there is power to the motor. You could use a test light.

Let me know what you find.

Joe
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 AT 2:56 PM (Merged)

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