Windshield Wipers new resting position is straight up!

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I have a 1998 Olds Intrigue. All of a sudden, for no reason that I know of, it has decided that the new resting position for the windshield wipers is vertical. They still work all right, but when you shut them off, they go to a straight up position.



Any idears?

2

The park mechanism in the wiper motor is no longer working correctly. Replace the wiper motor, and the wipers will park in the correct position.

Tester

3

did you get that about the PARK position? as tester mentioned, the wiper motor has a special feature inside it. this Park function stops the motor at a specific position each time. yours has burnt out. the solution is to buy a new wiper motor. you cant fix the “Park” function of a motor (well you could, but its cheaper to go get a new one.)

just as an additional check gently try to nudge the wiper blade when its off. if you definately cant move it, then the motor IS parked in the wrong position, and you need a new one. if you can move the blades (be careful not to strip out the gears, or the link between both wipers) then either the splined shaft on the motor is gone, or the wiper arm (that the motor is attached to) is stripped. again, if the blades stop in the SAME position, then it is most likely the motor itself.

if you said that the wipers stop at different locations each time, then the actual linkage would be suspect, but since it repeats at the same location each time, the motor is suspect.

4

If the wipers stop at the position they’re in when the switch is turned off (fail to park) disconnect the multi-function switch electrical connector. (this sis located under the dash on the drivers side by the firewall. It should have two sets of wire harnesses, the bottom one is the multi-function)

If the wipers now park, replace the multi-function switch. If the wipers still don’t park, check the wiring from the wiper motor to the to the switch for a short circuit.

If the circuits are good, replace the wiper motor.

Replacing the wiper motor means removing linkages and wiring connector.

When hooking everything back up, ensure you follow a set up procedure (shown in the Haynes repair manual) because if you don’t, you’ll still have a problem.