Wiper switch on steering column (2800) turns on but has trouble turning off

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echolabs

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My wiper stalk switch on the steering column of my 2800 has recently been acting up.

The wipers turn on easily, but it's very difficult to turn them off. If I keep pushing this switch over and over, sometimes it will catch and finally turn them off.

I suspect that it might be a bad contact. I tried to take this switch apart but couldn't figure it out. I also read in this forum that this is pretty difficult to do without breaking the piece.

Does anyone have any experience, ideas or suggestions here?

Thanks in advance.
Eugene
 
Last edited:
sometimes its where the switch is mounted. try mounting the switch closer to the centerline of the column. the switch has elongated holes to allow for position adjustment.
 
When mine was wearing out, I found that the problem was that the movable end wasn't coming out again after pushing it in to turn on the wipers. When the wipers are on, if you manually pull the end outward, and then push it in, it should shut off. Spraying some silicone between the stalk and end might allow it to push out on its own, but more likely the spring inside is simply tired.

echolabs said:
I suspect that it might be a bad contact.
Click to expand...

No, a bad contact would result in the wipers not coming on. Your contacts are working fine; it is the mechanical, alternating "on - off" function that is failing.

rsporsche said:
try mounting the switch closer to the centerline of the column.
Click to expand...

I think you are trying to fix echolabs' turn signal switch.
 
When I had this issue it was the contacts inside the motor itself. The lubricant dries out and the brass tabs can't make contact. Removing the motor is pretty easy, same with accessing the contacts.
 
Echolab, did you try to identify the problem with ultrasound (inside joke)?
 
Figured out how to take off the end cap thanks to advice from loloe13 that I wanted to share. It's actually not that difficult.

"With a small Stanley knife with thin blade to 'dig' around the circumference slowly where the opening should be. Look very closely under bright light and you may see that fine line. yes, if the cut is done roughly, you may end up with a more obvious mark afterwards. so I started the 'dig' on the back side first in case. I remembered that once you managed to open up the gap a little, it will then pop off easily. Inside, there's a small pin on a spring that just needs to be cleaned up well and greased well and that will usually fixed the on/off problem. The pin works on a 'W' type movement. So depressing the end just continues to move the pin around in those 3 positions that is basically on/off/on or off/on/off."

After I realigned the pin it works much better.

However I found a new issue that I can't figure out. If the wipers are running and I turn them to the "off" position, they will continue to run until the ignition is turned "off". When I turn the ignition "on" again, the wipers will reposition themselves to the down position and stay "off". In other words, to turn "off" the wipers I need to turn "off" the wiper switch and then turn "off" the ignition.

This is a new issue, the wipers were working fine until a month ago. Any advice here is greatly appreciated - Can't seem to figure it out...
 

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Sounds like you have to remove the motor, unscrew the transmisson housing, and clean the contact surface and clean/retension the 3 prongs. Then regrease the gear.

echolabs said:
However I found a new issue that I can't figure out. If the wipers are running and I turn them to the "off" position, they will continue to run until the ignition is turned "off". When I turn the ignition "on" again, the wipers will reposition themselves to the down position and stay "off". In other words, to turn "off" the wipers I need to turn "off" the wiper switch and then turn "off" the ignition.

This is a new issue, the wipers were working fine until a month ago. Any advice here is greatly appreciated - Can't seem to figure it out...
Click to expand...
 
You might also check that the ground wire on the motor (next to the wiring connector) is clean.
 
Update: I checked, and cleaned all connections. I think this intermittent on/off issue is because of the relay.

Does anyone know where the relay is located for the wiper switch? Thanks in advance.
 
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