I bought a new switch for $6 today and replaced it. I figured with it being that cheap it was worth trying. Tonight on my drive home the wipers went off again.
I was almost thinking it had something to do with having the cruise control on, but I had it happen with cruise control off too.
Its just very very random. I''ve driven around 150 miles in the past week in that car in there were times when it didnt do it at all the whole time the car was running, and then there were times it did it about every other time I would tap the brakes while driving. A few times I even had the wipers come on when first starting up the car.
I just pulled the fuse for the wipers though. I''ll leave it out til I can figure out what causes the wipers to turn themselves on. I figure I should be alright, since I rarely need them anyway. Rain-x makes it ok to do that.

 

Starting to think there is something shorting out in the arm that controls the signals, wipers, cruise, etc. When you hit the brakes, electicity flows through the rear brake lights which are on the same circuit as the rear signal lights, which are all tied to the arm on the steering column. That would explain the cruise possibility. See where I''''m going? I would change the arm if possible. Let me know. Maybe get a junkyard one to be sure. I think we got it now.Edited by: conan312

 

You could be right. It would make sense if it was something in that armIll call around at some yards and see what I can get.

But I just remembered the signal arm is on the left, and the wiper arm is on the right, so they arent together. Could it be deeper in the steering column?

 

Just when I think I''ve got it licked, you remind me of a minor detail that majorly flaws my diagnosis. I''m still confident it''s a short in the arm though. Do both column arms feel firm and sturdy? You know, not flimsy or sagging loosely around. And how many times do you think the cruise control was the culprit for setting it off? The cruise is on an arm, right? Let me know.

 

Hey meanwhile, why don''t you take a test light and have someone hold it on the wiper motor plug while you get inside the car and try different things to set off the wipers. Make sure the test light is grounded good and wiggle the column arms, singal, hazard, brake, engine on, engine off, etc. See what happens.

 

Everything seems snug and in place on both arms. As far as cruise control, its on the steering wheel, and Ive driven both with and without it and have had it happen. I cant remember whether its happened more or less with cruise, but I think its safe to say its about an even split.
Ill look into it more with a test light and get back to ya.

 

I started having a problem with the car shutting off while driving and decided it was serious enough that i should take it to a shop. On my way to the shop, it died and i couldnt get it to start back up. I was only a block away from the place too, lol.
So the problem ended up being that the fuse panel under the dash had a couple of fried relays, and the entire fuse panel needed replacement because it had been melted around the contacts for the relays. Being that I only had the car for a couple of days when all the problems started, I decided it was probably something one of the previous owners did, and the problems got worse over time on their own.
It was a $300 fix but i dont have the weird problems anymore.

Edited by: wolfbiker99