I screwed up, las t night when I parked the car I left the wipers on when I shut it off. This morning when I got up there was 4 inches of snow on the car.......heavy stuff. I started the car to warm it up then started cleaning off the snow. When I went to leave, then I realized the wipers were on but not working!

 

I checked the fuse in the foot panel marked wiper/washer, it is fine and the washer works.

 

Pulled off motor, found 2 prongs where I supplied power the motor worked both fast and slow speed. plugged motor back into harness, it doesn't work.......

 

On the plug which goes into the wiper motor I found both a constant hot and a constant ground. Nothing that appears to change with the switch..........

 

Is there a relay I missed? A different fuse??

 

Did I burn out the switch on the column?

 

What do I check next?

Any suggestions????????????

 

swi66

that problem. the last time I saw it was in Maine when someone left the wipers on in freezing rain and the car was started. On that car there was a shaft out of the wiper motor with an arm on it. The arm had a small shaft to connect to the wiper driveshaft on one side. There should be a clip on the end that holds the linkage on. It used to be common for that clip to be forced off.

Good luck

Please clarify. If you identify year and model, another member may get you a schematic. Did you say were getting power to the motor but there was no indication (noise) that the motor was operating when hooked to the harness? I think Cookie's suggestion would be applicable if you could hear the motor running but no action (mechanical linkage fault) from the wipers. My 2000 Legacy has a nut on the wiper arm that releases and prevents the motor from burning out if the arm is frozen or blocked in any way. The good news is that apparently you haven't burned the motor out. Sorry but I can't get you any further but a schematic would be the roadmap to your solution. You might want to post a separate request for an electrical schematic for your model and year. Good luck.

The mottor appears to work fine when not connected to the harness and power run to it with a test lead.

 

There seems to be no power going to it from the harness?

 

What I need to know is if there is a relay or another weak link to look for. The fuse inside the car by the kick panel is OK, and the washer works.

 

A schematic would be great!

 

The car is a 98 Legacy with a 2.2

 

swi66

I thought you meant it was a mechanical problem.When I read it a bit closer I see you mean it is electrical.

It should have a switch, a small timer or sometimes it is incorporated into the relay. I would expect you would most likely have burned out the relay-timer or switch.

The key would be to locate the relays and timers after testing to see if you have power to and from the switch. Sorry I don't have any locations as I am at work and there are only me and customer service here today.

Swi66,

Check your other post requesting schematics. I posted links that were provided by Moderator Legacy777.

Remember, the USMB search function is your friend.

Good luck.

Sorry, I could only find a schematic I had for the rear wiper, which shows it having a relay. I would imagine that the front system has a relay as well, since the small contacts in the wiper switch can't handle that kind of current.

I would check to see if you are getting voltage from the switch using a test light. I don't think there is a relay for this but I'm not sure.

I have everything you may need from a 96 Legacy. I believe they are the same. Let me know what you need. Lmdew@hotmail.com

Traced problem down to it being the combination switch.

 

Used the posted manual to print out all the details of how to "do it myself" started pulling the lower cover off the column, saw all those spaghetti wires and chickened out.

Called the local junkyard, $200 installed.................

 

I figured if he screwed up the clockspring or blew out the airbag, he had the pieces to fix it.............

Thanks for all the advice anyway.

 

swi66

Called the local junkyard, $200 installed.................

 

I figured if he screwed up the clockspring or blew out the airbag, he had the pieces to fix it.............

Thanks for all the advice anyway.

 

swi66

Which JY would that be ??

Which JY would that be ??

 

Vince's Auto Wrecking near Lockport NY.

I got my motor through them as well, they had "Crash Test cars" only 88 miles.

on it!

When I needed a rack for a left hand steer car, they got the part for me real quick!

swi66