# Windshield Wipers **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** bmw, 740\ **Created:** [March 18, 2015, 1:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windshield-wipers/89342 "2015-03-18T01:53:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![big\_rich\_67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@big\_rich\_67](https://community.cartalk.com/u/big_rich_67)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 1:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windshield-wipers/89342/1 "2015-03-18T01:53:40Z")
wipers will not turn off unless the car is turned off ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 2:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windshield-wipers/89342/2 "2015-03-18T02:14:11Z")
Stalk is broken. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windshield-wipers/89342/3 "2015-03-18T02:15:50Z")
**^** +1 I would say that–more than likely–the switch on the wiper/directional stalk is kaput. ---
**Author:** ![art1966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/77aa72/32.png) [@art1966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/art1966)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 2:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windshield-wipers/89342/4 "2015-03-18T02:40:15Z")
Alternative guess/query – Is there is some gizmo on the wiper motor that keeps them running until they “park” (like the cam-driven switch of yore)? If that gizmo were shorted, wouldn’t the wipers keep running? ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windshield-wipers/89342/5 "2015-03-18T03:27:22Z")
They stop oscillating first and then park. It sure would look cool, however, of they kept going back and forth WHILE they parked! It’d kind of look like they were drowning. ---
**Author:** ![art1966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/77aa72/32.png) [@art1966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/art1966)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 5:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windshield-wipers/89342/6 "2015-03-18T05:21:47Z")
Ah, right. I was thinking of the old kind that just stopped at the bottom end of the sweep, not the new kind that actually tuck themselves in. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 7:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windshield-wipers/89342/7 "2015-03-18T07:06:28Z")
Yes, I’d say if the PARK switch is broken, it might allow continuous running. None of my Hondas (up to 2010) “tuck themselves in.” I remember older GMs doing it. Which still do? ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 8:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windshield-wipers/89342/8 "2015-03-18T08:43:27Z")
I seem to remember some BMWs having issues with a wiper relay due to the high current of the wiper motor affecting relay operation over the passage of time. This in turn would cause the wiper not to want to return home so to speak. With German electrics poltergeists are also a viable option… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 12:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windshield-wipers/89342/9 "2015-03-19T00:16:52Z")
just imagine a british luxury vehicle . . . 😫 ---
**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 2:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windshield-wipers/89342/10 "2015-03-19T02:26:46Z")
There is a wiper relay that gets stuck and causes the problem.