Weird Wiper

Fatboy03 · November 25, 2005

I have an old 1989 S-15 With tilt wheel and intermittent wipers.

For a long time whenever the truck felt like it the wipers would come

on a make one swipe. It is like you hit the mist switch.

It can happen any time, once a month to 3 or 4 times a day.

Since it sometimes happens when I use the turn signal switch I

assume it is a short somewhere in the wiring at the switch.

I have always thought the whole smart switch was electrical

but today when I finally decided to do something about it I found

out the wiper part of it is mechanical and the switch is on the side of the

steering column.

My 1989 shop manual somehow skipped the part about removing

that switch.

So that is my question; How do I get the switch out?

Thanks for any help!

GM-Tech · November 25, 2005

Been many years since I replaced one of those so I don't have the exact steps for you. I do recall there was a TSB for a "phantom wipe" in which a new design wiper switch part number was provided. I doubt 15 years later you can buy anything but the latest design.

Fatboy03 · November 25, 2005

Been many years since I replaced one of those so I don't have the exact steps for you. I do recall there was a TSB for a "phantom wipe" in which a new design wiper switch part number was provided. I doubt 15 years later you can buy anything but the latest design.

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Thank you. Phantom Wipe is a perfect description.

Since the wipers work perfect otherwise does that mean you think

it is probably the switch? Not the module or ???

Do you recall at all if you have to start at the steering wheel and work

down to it or are there any shortcuts?

It looks just like the one on my 93 Suburban and they left that out

of the manual also.

Anybody out there done this?

Thanks

GM-Tech · November 25, 2005

Thank you. Phantom Wipe is a perfect description.
Since the wipers work perfect otherwise does that mean you think

it is probably the switch? Not the module or ???

Problems like this are nearly impossible to diagnose. Sometimes you just have to give it your best shot. Since the switch is a known cause of this problem, I'd say that's as good a guess as any.

Yep, pull the wheel, remove the lock plate, probably remove the turn signal switch assm., and go from there.