7 replies to this topic

[Lacuna]

Model: City
Year: 1992
Description of problem (please be as in depth as possible):

My windscreen wipers don't work and I'm looking to try to replace the wiper motor park switch but it just won't come away from the wiper motor plug no matter how hard i pry and pull...

Is there some trick to this that isn't in the manual or has the dirt become some sort of super glue and I should just replace the loom + plug at the same time, and would that be a relatively simple job for a girl with very little wiring experience?

x Lacuna

[newdawn1st]

tilt it so that the small plastic pin at the top becomes exposed then slide it up. should come easily once the pin is no longer holding it in place, just note it isn't a 'push on' fit as such, it slides away from the body if that makes sense.

edit: sorry miss read your post, your trying to remove the plug, should just pull off. Further to that, I'd replace both parts as if it is bonded together thru dirt/rot then the connector plug will be useless. Cheap solution too, I'm about to do the same just waiting on delivery.

Edited by newdawn1st, 21 July 2009 - 11:08 AM.

[nathan childs]

this happened to me when i was changing my wiper motor i just kept pulling the plug and it came off but it snaped prongs of in the connector i just pushed the broken bits out with a tiny screwdriver it works a lot better now only do this if you are putting a new motor in

[Lacuna]

haha ok, I will try to just completely rip the plug off the switch tonight then, I really really didn't want to have to do any re-wiring if I can get away with it so the plug staying is a much better option than ripping the whole loom thing out as well.

[Lacuna]

Haven't had another chance to try to rip it apart yet, but just wondering...

If I have completely pulled the wiper rack out of the housing it normally sits in across the front of the windscreen, when I turn on the wipers should I see the rack move/rotate at all or does it need to be incased within the housing to make some sort of connection?

Edited by Lacuna, 23 July 2009 - 10:16 AM.

[newdawn1st]

Do you mean you've removed the motor and attached rack (looks like a flexible rod with a stiff spring over it) from the rack guide? Leaving the guide and wheel boxes in place on the car?

If so and you connect the motor and try to operate it you should see the rack (out of its guide) move back and forth, this will mean the motor works and the problem with your wipers most likely lies with the wheel boxes.

[Lacuna]

Yea, I did mean I pulled it out of it's guide. The rack doesn't move, on two different wiper motors. So most likely the motor or the switch then I suppose.

Is there a test I can do to see whether it's the wiper motor park switch or the wiper motor gone?

[newdawn1st]

I assuming that the motor doesn't make any noise or signs of life? First to check would be that your getting voltage to the plug using a multimeter, downside I don't know which wire does what on the plug, so would be worth while seeing if anyone else knows.

As far as I'm aware the park switch failing doesn't lead to a complete failure (unless its completely rotted) just stops the wipers parking. Best to make sure the wiring is ok before moving on to the motor, all the wiring bits are cheaper than a motor