My Wipers crapped-out...

MrQuadrasteer · March 7, 2005

It was drizzling, turned on the wipers on #1 intermittent. I'm sitting at the light, and I'm like, huh ?? Did it just make two sweeps ??

Over the course of three or four minutes, it went to doing 1~3 sweeps, 1 sweep, etc. Finally it wouldn't stop ...

I had to pull the fuse. And then it goes shooting inside the dash, never to be seen again ...

Well, I was going to take it in for the steering shaft... guess I won't wait...

damnit......

Ben · March 7, 2005

There was a recall for the OBS, but limited to a narrow build dates.

Still there, as they didn't 'fix it'.

It's been posted here and with HOW2 DIY pictures.

Do a search, but it's not on this but the "old" combined forum.

MrQuadrasteer · March 7, 2005

Great... how do you search that ?!!!!?

Thanks, Ben, I'll look.

Ben · March 7, 2005

The search function is not very good and worse now that they've split up the boards. Too many folders to with that split, so they shot themselves in the foot, as the forum is **NOT** as useful as before. Too bad.

Here's the info from my files and is from the Suburban forum at another site. Hot link to the article and some of the pictures.

Wiper PCB DIY fix article

MrQuadrasteer · March 8, 2005

Ben, that's a great link. Thanks.

I'm just gonna let them get it under warranty, but it's real good to know for future reference

WeymouthZ71 · March 9, 2005

I had that problem with my truck too. The serivce guy said it might be recalled in the future because they have had so many problems with it.

cocano · March 14, 2005

Ben that is a super link! Thanks so much for posting, I wish I found this thread before I posted my own question about this problem.

One question, do you happen to know the part # for the cicuit board and is it a dealer only part? I guess I meant two questions....lol

Ben · March 14, 2005

Ben that is a super link! Thanks so much for posting, I wish I found this thread before I posted my own question about this problem.

One question, do you happen to know the part # for the cicuit board and is it a dealer only part? I guess I meant two questions....lol

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dealer only and there are a couple different shapes dependent on year/model/etc.

BUT...they ***ALL*** have cold solder joints. I went to a few dealerships and talked the parts manager to let me eyeball all of their stock and sure enough all of the "new" ones also had cold solder joints, so they too will have ditto problems in a few years.

They were replacing them under recall, but mine was not in the time/date range. Out by a month.

Since all of the "new" boards still had cold solder joints, they too will wick moisture and rot out to become intermittant over time.

Stupid penny pinching by bean counters somewhere in the GM process. The parts managers said their hands were tied, as they "HAD" to buy from GM's approved supply chain or directly from GM.

RipT · March 14, 2005

So Ben, would the best way to go be to get a new board and resolder (or have a friendly electronic tech) the board before replacing it? Is the problem mainly where the lead wires solder to the board or the entire board?

How about conformal coating the board afterwards? I generally dislike conformal coating, but this may be a situation that calls for it.

Is this a frequent enough problem to be worthwhile pulling a functioning board and doing preventitive corrective action before a problem developes?

Ben · March 14, 2005

I just resoldered mine and it's been good for a few years...knock on wood!!!

Don't think conformal coating the answer. I too dislike it unless going to be tossed after a failure.

Mainly the heavier gauge leads from the connector, but have heard some of the smaller, signal leads ditto. I soldered just the connector leads.

For those who don't have electronic know how, it's not that hard. Biggest issue is over heating and then destroying the solid state component on the other side.

Use a 15 watt pencile soldering iron and would really have to leave it on the solder joint a loong time to mess up. Use acidless solder/core.

Look at the pictures between a cold solder joint and a good solder joint. Should be shiney and smooth. DO NOT move the lead when the solder is cooling down.

Radio Shack or any hobby or hardware store will have the pencile soldering iron.

Any high school electronics class can do this and the teacher might do it as a demo.

Again, read the article and look at the pictures. Straight forward stuff and always fun to work on your own.

RipT · March 14, 2005

Thanks Ben, I spent a number of years soldering (started with Heathkits in '60) so it should not be any big deal. I may pull the board on my new truck and redo those leads just to be safe. It can be a real bummer to lose wipers in heavy rain or snow!

BTW, I count 56 cylinders here (and I may have missed a couple) including trucks, tractors, chain saws, generators, weed wackers, etc. Never totaled them up before, seems like way too many!

Ben · March 14, 2005

Rip, fun stuff, but must warn you from showing sweetie the total, as I've has a buddy be told to "get rid of some of them"....

Plus have won some lunch bets, as most have no clue how many and if do guess...way under. Also cheaters (buddies, right??? ) will use gun cylinders, but modify it with interncombustion "reciporcating" pistons...

RipT · March 15, 2005

I do need to get rid of some of these, but I did not cheat by including wheel guns.... let's see...5.....9.... oh well, 56 is already too many, no use making it worse than it is. Want to buy a '00 Tiger CX motorhome or a '01 Tahoe?? How about a NH TC-30 tractor?? Help a guy out here!

Bill55AZ · March 15, 2005

I have been an electronics tech since 1967, and can attest to the fact that MOST electronics failures are actually mechanically related, especially if the broken item is portable, or will be handled frequently by the user. Had a crooked computer repairman charge my daughter $35 to diagnose her laptop, told her it needed a new mother board to the tune of $800, when all that it needed was some re-solder work where the charger plugged in. Same kind of solder joint damage as shown in the pics.

Suggestion here is to remember this kind of solder joint failure for any electronic device you may own that gets "handled" in any way. It will save you a lot of money.

As fas as cold solder joints go, those are usually done by electronic "technicians" who are actually minimum wage assembly line workers.