The windshield wipers of my 2000 Buick Century will not retract under the hood anymore since today, when I turn the wipers off. Unlike some wiper parking problems, mine do not stop in the top position, they stop in the low position they stay at between pulses in the pulse delay modes. Would this most likely be the turn signal switch stalk which has the wiper controls, the pulse board, or a switch or other component in the wiper motor unit at fault?
The pulse board is what parks the wipers.
Tester
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I’m hoping it’s this at fault because I purchased one from Auto Zone in 2012, although I don’t remember what was wrong. But I think it has a lifetime warranty. It’s called a limited lifetime warranty which I’m hoping covers the pulse board. If not, at least the old receipt will provide the Autozone item number.
Check the tab on the wiper motor crank arm. There’s a small tab that, if it’s off just a hair, it will cause the wipers to not park properly. Here’s a great video on it:
Thanks for your quick reply and link Rainflurry, but i’ve now watched this and several similiar youtube videos about this touchy little tab, and it seems that when the tab gets bent out of it’s alignment, the wipers then park erroneously, pointing straight up vertically on the windshield rather than parking normally, horizontally under the inner edge of the car hood. In my case, the wipers always park at or near the positions the wipers are in when the wiper control is in the pulse mode and the wipers sit waiting until they make the next wipe. Please share what info you may have on this type of behavior, and if you think I may have a faulty pulse board
Tester, the pulse board I installed in 2012 is still covered by the limited lifetime warranty at Autozone, but unfortunately they don’t carry that item anymore. But it seems so likely that the pulse board is faulty that I ordered a new one on Amazon.
I would like to remove the whole windshield wiper unit from the car because i think there is more wrong than the pulse unit, and i may just put in another unit from a junkyard. But i cant quite get it out of there intact even though i removed the 3 mounting bolts and it is free to be moved around in front of the firewall. Do i separate the wiper motor from the transmission and linkages before attempting to remove
the entire unit?
If you feel good about your diagnosis, I’d recommend installing a new or rebuilt unit, as opposed to a junkyard part, which may be just as bad as yours
Thanks for reply, and you are right. But im hoping someone can give me info on how to get the old unit out from under the hood, do I first separate the motor from the transmission?
That seems like a good idea. You’ll either have to remove something that’s in the way, or disassemble the apparatus into smaller chunks. When something seems trapped inside the engine compartment, remember you can very easily
- turn the steering wheel
- move the gear shifter
I doubt either of those will help in this particular case, but probably worth the time to consider. I usually have to turn the steering wheel to get the axle in the right position to get the starter motor out of the Corolla’s engine compartment, if I’m removing it from the bottom.
What does that have to do with removing a wiper motor ?? If you don’t have the real answer just pass on this thread.
Somehow I think Mr George got the wiper transmission mixed up with the vehicles drivetrain transmission…
Yes, typically you have to separate the wiper motor from the wiper transmission…
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Thanks for confirmation about this.
I just now removed my wiper motor and transmission assembly from my car. I didn’t check into seeing how to do it by removing the wiper motor. Instead, i was able to remove the linkage rod between the transmission and passenger side wiper arm shaft, and the whole unit came out of the car easily.
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You are the MAN 
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I was unsucceasful with this whole wiper job though. I removed that transmission mechanism with the cams, springs and levers to degrease and re-lube it. But in backing off that screw that holds the mechanism to the motor shaft, the motor shaft rotated until it stopped before i could break the screw loose and now after refitting the mechanism to the motor shaft, my wipers wont shut off
One idea, install a used replacement unit. Frustrating, definitely, having to do the whole fiddly remove & install job again. But that’s just the way it is sometimes w/car repairs. Suggest to not yield to the temptation of giving up, take your time, on your terms try again another day. Now you know how to order the tasks, everything should go a little easier.
This topic is something I know well. I hold the forum record for taking the most time ever to rebuild a carburetor. I took me an entire month to replace the water pump in my Corolla. 20 minutes at a time, a few days each week. Both carburetor and water pump remain in service and working like new.
Yes, George, I have a used unit on order from a local junkyard, it is scheduled to be pulled from it’s car tomorrow.
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