# Car won't start then wipers turn on

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-start-then-wipers-turn-on/33529>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** mercury, batteries, starters, alternators, cougar\
**Created:** [July 17, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-start-then-wipers-turn-on/33529 "2009-07-17T03:21:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kjbrowne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@kjbrowne](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kjbrowne)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-start-then-wipers-turn-on/33529/1 "2009-07-17T03:21:28Z")

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Car has intermittent problem with starting. Sometimes car won’t start and makes clicking noise and sets off the windshield wipers. Wiper controls are in off position. Everytime I turn the key the car clicks and wipers turn on. After sitting 15+ minutes, the car then starts right up and wipers remain off.

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**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 5:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-start-then-wipers-turn-on/33529/2 "2009-07-17T05:56:07Z")

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Try cleaning the battery connections using a battery post cleaning brush.

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**Author:** ![kjbrowne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@kjbrowne](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kjbrowne)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-start-then-wipers-turn-on/33529/3 "2009-07-18T17:58:14Z")

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Thanks for the response. I’ve cleaned them with baking soda/water but am still having the same problem. 75% of the time the car starts…no problem. The other 25% I just get the clicking noise and the wipers start by themself. Any other ideas?