Sonata 2016 Wipers Will Not Turn Off

Sometimes, if I turn off the wipers in my 2016 Sonata Hybrid, they will not stop immediately. As a guess, I would say that no matter what I do when this happens, that it will take at least 2 full minutes before they turn off. Does any have any suggestions about this?

If they are only running 2 minutes after shut off, i say leave well enough alone.

It’s probably the switch that turns them on and off, probably part of the multifunction switch ass’y. If not that, a problem with some automatic-start function. Do your windshield wipers use a rain sensor?

There may be a problem with the BCM or the rain sensor.

Tester

Those wipers are controlled by a wiper control module, which of course is not user serviceable.

It’s been a good many years since I took a windshield wiper motor apart, but long ago they had a switch internal to the motor that ensured the motor would not stop immediately when you turned the switch off, but would continue until the motor was in its “home” position. If that switch has a problem the motor would run indefinitely.

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That function, which used to be handled by the “park switch” in the motor, is now handled by the “wiper module” in many vehicles.

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Or the BCM.

Tester

So how does the “wiper module” or the BCM know when the motor is inthe “home” position?

When my old Pontiac wipers wouldn’t shut off, the dealer sold me a replacement relay for a couple dollars. Of course now everything is more complicated and expensive but agree either spend a lot of money or wait until it breaks entirely, or trade cars.

It’s probably the switch inside the wiper-motor box shown in the diagram above. That’s an input to the wiper module, indicating the wiper’s position.

I’m not sure and I don’t have any plans to find out.

From the park switch in the wiper motor, only now it does not carry the electrical load of the motor. The park switch signals the BCM, so the BCM knows when to stop the wiper relay.

So, I wonder if a failure of the park switch would result in the same thing, the motor’s running indefinitely …

That seems plausible. But I wouldn’t guess it would be the most likely cause for OP’s specific problem.

Yes, I saw park switch failures 20 years ago, the park switch status in the body computer can be viewed using a scan tool.

If there was something that might fix it relatively inexpensively, what would that be? Also, is it likely to get worse?

That would depend on your definition of inexpensive. Your definition and mine may be far apart.

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Surf over to Rock Auto and price out the multifunction switch, might not be overly expensive. On some car designs the steering wheel has to be removed to replace that part. Don’t know about your car.

Your best bet imo is to take the car to a well recommended shop to assess what exactly is wrong. Once you know the cause, you can always decide to replace the failing part(s) on your own if you like.

My wipers are on a separate stall and not on the multifunction stalk. Maybe by manipulating the switch a little to get it turn off might help identify the problem, but I wouldn’t count on it. I’d suspect the motor itself or the computer.