Windshield Wipers Erratic

[Richard Paris]

Hello,
New to the forum. Just got my '89 Carrera back on the road - got caught in a huge rainstorm today and my wipers kept cutting out.
Had to jiggle the lever to get them working in low and medium speed but in high they just stopped.
Moved lever back to low and medium and they worked again.
Intermittent seems to works okay.
Suggestions?
Thx.
Richard

[Quicksilver]

Check your grounds. The grounding stud in front of the battery under the front lip of the luggage compartment is a good place to start.

Remember that windshield wipers are "ground powered". The wiper motor always has power because when you turn it off it needs power to get back to its parking point so the switch positions provide ground to the motor to activate it.

[Bob Kontak]

Do what Quicksilver says then see if you can replicate the issue. My first thought is the switch but rain water would not get into the steering column.

Do the wipers work again after the rain dried out? The wiper motor is very close to the air vent right in front of the wipers. If the plastic box is not sealed well to the car there may be water getting in and onto the motor connections - just something to look for. Were you doing any work in that area that may have allowed the vent box to not be flanged up properly. Lots of water goes in the bent when it rains.

Also, is the front boot sealed well from rain? I am thinking water on the fuses and associated connections?

Here is a recent thread on the seal.

Front vent grille seal.

[Richard Paris]

Thx for the responses.
What is happening now is that when I move the lever to activate the wipers in either low or medium speed the wipers don't engage until I fiddle with the lever. High speed doesn't work.
I'm guessing this means a prob with the lever connection.

Will check other suggestions...

cheers,

[mnez]

Let use know the problem when you find it. My low and med are pretty dependable, but high hasn't worked in the 6 years i've had the car.

Not likely related, but those silly fuses can get a ring of corrosion on the ends that will give weird intermittent problems. Giving them all a spin once or twice a year will help.

Mike