1999 Saturn SL1 windhshield wipers

Tiny
XMAN00
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 SATURN SL1
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 205,000 MILES
Most of the time the wipers after being turned on, will not turn off. With the wiper switch in the off position then wipers will continue to run on there own, the intermittent stage’s does not work when this happens, but then high setting will work. Then all of sudden after maybe 30 minutes ( with the switch in the off position) the wipers turn off. This problem will continue even after the motor has been turned off and then back on. Then next time the wipers works just prefect work just fine. This problem started about year ago in the summer, then went away over winter and now has come back an is almost a permanent problem.
In order to get the wipers off, I can turn the switch off, and then as the wipers are working, at a time during the cycle as the wipers are in the start position and before ethey start back up, I can hit the drivers only wiper blade( will not work hitting the passengers blade , they turn off ( kind of hard to do at 60 mph)
I have noticed that at time the wipers go way to far to the left ( tip of blade off the glass) and then at other times they are with in the normal range.
1) wipers blades replaced
2) tightened all bolts under the hood for motor, arms and mounts dealing with the wipers and the entire set up
3) jingling the wiper switch has never helped.
4) made sure wiper arm mounts above the hood are on the tight and aligned right
5) fuse box under the hood, there is a relay ( told is for running lights) that has a small crack in it. A few times when I have tapped the box the wipers stopped right away, other times no effect
Would the wiper circuit breaker be broke? If so where is the breaker located? Inside fuse box?
6) I have had a mechanic work on this for several hours and he told to wire up a toggle switch to turn the wiper on and off.

Thnak you for the help
Do you
have the same problem?
Yes
No
Friday, October 30th, 2009 AT 7:57 PM

10 Replies

Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
What. No sun roof? LOL.

Over 200,000! NICE!
That car is a poster child!

Wiper motor park switch in motor might be at fault, but this is a wiper motor problem by description. I'll check for some tests if you want to go that route.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, October 30th, 2009 AT 8:07 PM
Tiny
XMAN00
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Can the board be replaced by itself, or mus tit be done with the moter also? I want to be sure before I take every thing apart again. Last time apart I almsot went for my bfh to speed thing ups LOL

Thank you
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, October 30th, 2009 AT 8:21 PM
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
It's internal on this one unlike some of the GMs that had a separate circuit board or wiper control module. Even on tose it was cheaper to buy the motor with the module than just the module.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Friday, October 30th, 2009 AT 8:40 PM
Tiny
XMAN00
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Do you think this will then solve the problem?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, October 30th, 2009 AT 8:59 PM
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
Yes I do, but like I said, "I'll check for some tests if you want to go that route. "
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, October 30th, 2009 AT 9:02 PM
Tiny
XMAN00
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Thank you. I saw your comment on 200,000, I indend to keep for anther 50,000, I gave on to a frined 4 years ago at 200,000 and he got over 300,000 now and it still get 45mpg. If I had a larger garage I stock pile a couple to last the rest of my life time.
I took out the back seat put in a platform and use for a huting car and small camper.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, October 31st, 2009 AT 12:22 PM
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
Now if you could just get it up in a tree, you could hunt from the trunk lol.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, October 31st, 2009 AT 1:15 PM
Tiny
XMAN00
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Working on that, to follow up.

Used a test light, grounded to Battery,
Yellow-Power
Black- ground
Purple- Intermittent
pink and brown?

Switch on to high or low, only the yellow showed power, unable to get test light to turn on?

But on intermittent, touchuing purple the light woudl glow and pulsethe wipers would be running, the wipers thne would stop for the rest part of the cycle, if I touched the purple with the test light grounded the cycle ( no power being added) would start instantly then run as supposed to to. Maybe stop maybe not stop as supposed to.

If the I did this with swtich on low, the wipers would jump up to Hi speed.

Doe shtis help any?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, October 31st, 2009 AT 5:03 PM
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
I meant to answer this last night, but was working on a few donor posts that I am required to answer first.

Okay, the pink and brown have to do with the washer system.

Lets go after the symptom of the wiper not turn off when the switch is in the off position. Solve one symptom at a time....probably will all be related.


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/30961_saturn_1.jpg



This starts off with continuity checks....not sure why the brown wire is mentioned in this, but so be it.

The switch is tested after the continuity checks as follows.


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/30961_saturn1_1.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/30961_saturn2_1.jpg



IF the switch tests good that leaves the motor...actually microprocessor that is part of the motor.


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/30961_saturn3_1.jpg

Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+2
Sunday, November 1st, 2009 AT 4:01 AM
Tiny
PSIMMONS5701
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I had a similar problem with a Chevy Lumina van. The back wiiper would come on by itself. The dealer thought I was crazy and even asked if I knew how to turn off the wipers. "I'm a woman".
The problem ended up being a bad wiper motor. They replaced it at my insistence, and I never had another problem.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 AT 9:09 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Sponsored links