Intermittent wiper failure

fencepost

New member
'04 3500 intermittent wipers sometimes don't come on, sometimes quit after running awhile, and if left on may start later. Any suggestions where to start looking? A relay, switch, contact/connector possible suspects? Sounds like replacing everything may not be a cure...also no warranty.
I also need to "adjust" my turn signal flashers occasionally.
 

stp57

Member
I've been having the same problem with my 2006, 2500. I had the module replaced 2 months ago & it's going out again. I will get it serviced before my warranty is up (only 3K miles left) & I hope it fixes the problem for good?
Steve
 

guisar

New member
Re: Intermittent wiper failier

Same problem here- 2004. Have any of you been able to find a sure way to replicate the problem? I am planning to bring in under warranty but would like to avoid "could not duplicate" as a response. I've tried turning intermittent mode on and off a few times, switching modes, etc but have not been able to pin down a sequence which reliably (?) causes failure.
 

SprintED

New member
I have had the switch replaced twice under warranty in my 2005. The problem came back each time and I have lived with it for the past 1.5 years. Now that it is off warranty, I have no intention of coughing up the estimated $600 for a new switch plus labor.

the only current issue with mine it that the push to wash feature works intermittently...and I can live with that.

However one of my replacements was because the wiper just would occasionally not come for no reason...same issue with the whole "dealer could not replicate" thing...took several trips to dealer to prove that I was not dreaming.

Ed
 

sikwan

06 Tin Can
Mine is a 2006 and I haven't had a problem with mine yet. Have you guys looked elsewhere other than the switch?
 

SprintED

New member
Seek,

1) Dealer (knows everything right??:lol:) diagnosed my failures while under warranty...since I was not paying I did not argue or ask questions.

2) Dont have time to chase down annoying quirks...need to save my time for the bigger problems when they arise.

3) Would not know where to start since my understanding of even simple electronics is limited at best....dont even own voltmeter, ammeter etc...:idunno:

4) Since the issue is intermittent...I have made the assumption it will be something terribly complicated and not easy to spot (like a fuse or broken wire would be)

5) Huge fear of taking apart complex items and that upon reassembly something will go wrong and I will go from minor quirk to a completely busted signal switch where nothing works.


Sorry to wimp out...but time & Sprinter knowledge are two things I am woefully short of.

Ed
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
ED
Thinking on all your woes and problems sorry.
Question: When you had your van fitted out for chair lift, and acc's etc.. how much wiring was cut into the existing electronics, or was the wiring direct from batt to ign via alt?
My thought is you may be having voltage drop outs under load with multiple electrics running at once.
Richard
 

SprintED

New member
HI Richard,

The way I have been going thru headlights, tail light and this issue with the wiper switch had me wondering the same thing for a while now.

Power to lift is always off when driving and is the only power acc that has been installed on the van...everything else is stock. Lift is wired direct to battery with cable going all the way to the back. On/Off switch located inside rear door. Lift works regardless of ignition position etc...

HOWEVER....had dealer intall trailer hitch and wiring prior to me taking delivery...would be more suspicious of screw up from this.

Lift provider/installer knew all about the funky MB multiplex wiring and had done several Sprinter Handibus conversions/installs prior to mine. Guys at dealership just looked at me blankly when I warned them about the wiring. Found out later that the dealership did not even install the hitch and wiring...they farmed it out to an auto/truck accessories place...YIKES!

Have had dealership check for unusual draws, shorts etc... Asked Upscale to do same...nothing was found.

Ed
 
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Higgybaby

New member
Re: Intermittent wiper failier

Same problem with my 2006 2500.

Wow, that's a lot of folks with the same gripe. Do any of you have anymore updates?

The only way I've been able to get the wipers going again is to physcially advance the wiper blade by hand and even this method is getting less reliable. Once they're going, they stay on. It seems like its either the start-up load or the resistence from a dirty windshield that causes the failure. I figured it might be a contact or something within the motor but I guess it could be a switch as well.

I was planning on simply swapping out the motor as access to it is easy but the dealer wanted around $400 (!!!) for the part (apparently you must buy the whole assembly) so I'm considering dumping this off with the warranty folks. I'd almost rather pull out my own teeth than go thru that nightmare but since I just paid $100 for 1 set of front brake pads and was quoted around $600 for shocks (that last about 10k), I thought I'd better harden my resolve in "working" with the dealership.

I guess I'm a little worried since those that have gone down the "factory service" road still haven't had the issue fixed.

I wonder what's involved with opening an issue like this with Dodge?

Any thoughts from you guys would be great.

Mike
 

HMR TYM

New member
Re: Intermittent wiper failier

Did anyone figure this out? One of mine vans (04 -3500) has a intermittent wiper problem, if i push the spray in at the same time i pull up on my wiper arm to the slow position the intermittent will work again, until i turn the van off.

did someone come up with an easy fix or is this just a 'live with it' kind of thang?
 

stp57

Member
Re: Intermittent wiper failier

After the dealer replaced the module, then a month later they replaced whatever is connected to the control arm & it was ok after that. It was under warranty at the time & I would not have wanted to pay for those parts, I'm sure.
Steve
 

gtholden

2005 T1N, 140WB, Low Roof Passenger, ~163K Miles
Re: Intermittent wiper failier

stp57, which module are you referring too? the relay, the motor, etc.? thanks...I've got the same thing going on...
 

stp57

Member
gtholden,
I'm sure that it was the wiper relay. This is a write-up from my service disc. The drawing wouldn't copy, but it has 5 prongs & looks pretty small. Read down at the very bottom & they discuss other possible faulty parts:

A wiper relay is standard equipment on all models.
The wiper relay (or intermittent wipe relay) is
located in a dedicated receptacle on the bottom left of
the fuse block on the underside of the steering column
(Fig. 33). The wiper relay is a conventional
International Standards Organization (ISO) micro
relay. Relays conforming to the ISO specifications
have common physical dimensions, current capacities,
terminal patterns, and terminal functions. The
relay is contained within a small, rectangular,
molded plastic housing. The relay is connected to all
of the required inputs and outputs through the
instrument panel wire harness connector by five
male spade-type terminals that extend from the bottom
of the relay base. The ISO designation for each
terminal is molded into the base adjacent to the terminal.
The ISO terminal designations are as follows:
² 30 (Common Feed) - This terminal is connected
to the movable contact point of the relay.
² 85 (Coil Ground) - This terminal is connected
to the ground feed side of the relay control coil.
² 86 (Coil Battery) - This terminal is connected
to the battery feed side of the relay control coil.
² 87 (Normally Open) - This terminal is connected
to the normally open fixed contact point of the
relay.
² 87A (Normally Closed) - This terminal is connected
to the normally closed fixed contact point of
the relay.
The wiper relay cannot be adjusted or repaired. If
the relay is damaged or faulty, it must be replaced.
OPERATION
The wiper relay (or intermittent wipe relay) is an
electromechanical switch that uses a low current
input from the intermittent wipe logic circuitry
within the fuse block underneath the steering column
to control a high current output to the low speed
brush of the wiper motor. The movable common feed
contact point is held against the fixed normally
closed contact point by spring pressure. When the
relay coil is energized, an electromagnetic field is
produced by the coil windings. This electromagnetic
field draws the movable relay contact point away
from the fixed normally closed contact point, and
holds it against the fixed normally open contact
point. When the relay coil is de-energized, spring
pressure returns the movable contact point back
against the fixed normally closed contact point. A
resistor or diode is connected in parallel with the
relay coil in the relay, and helps to dissipate voltage
spikes and electromagnetic interference that can be
generated as the electromagnetic field of the relay
coil collapses.
The wiper relay terminals are connected to the
vehicle electrical system through a connector receptacle
in the fuse block. The inputs and outputs of the
wiper relay include:
² The common feed terminal (30) provides an output
to the wiper motor low speed brush through the
wiper control circuitry of the multi-function switch on
the steering column. When the wiper relay is de-energized,
the common feed terminal is connected to
the input of the relay normally closed terminal (87).
When the wiper relay is energized, the common feed
terminal is connected to the input of the relay normally
open terminal (87A).
² The coil ground terminal (85) is connected to
battery current through a fused ignition switch output
circuit whenever the ignition switch is in the On
position.
² The coil battery terminal (86) is connected to the
relay control output of the wiper, turn signals and
engine start control module within the fuse block
through the wiper relay control circuit. This electronic
circuitry controls the ground path for this circuit
internally to energize or de-energize the wiper
relay control coil based upon its programming and
inputs from the wiper and washer control circuitry of
the multi-function switch, the wiper motor park
switch, and the ignition switch.
² The normally open terminal (87) is connected to
the output of the wiper motor park switch through
the wiper motor park switch sense circuit. This circuit
can carry either battery current (wipers are not
in park position) or ground (wipers are in park position),
depending upon the status of the wiper park
switch.
WIPERS INOPERATIVE IN
INTERMITTENT POSITION
AND NO WIPE AFTER
WASH FEATURE
1. Faulty wiper relay. 1. Test and replace the wiper relay as required.
2. Faulty multi-function switch. 2. Test and replace the multi-function
switch as required.
3. Faulty intermittent wipe logic circuit.
3. Replace the steering column fuse block
as required.
 

gtholden

2005 T1N, 140WB, Low Roof Passenger, ~163K Miles
stp57,
thanks for this great post! that is what I read in my service manual and is what I thought initially. Thanks for confirming...
Tommy
 

Greg_M

New member
Has anyone tracked down what is causing this? There has to be some electrical part that is causing all of these problems. I replaced the relay and the intermittent wipers worked fine for a little while (only a few rains) and then they went back to working when they felt like it. Now they almost never work anymore. Others have had different parts replaced and had it work for a little while only to fail again.
 

guisar

New member
I've got a 2004- same problem. I just had it "fixed" again but of course it wasn't actually fixed so I'll be driving the 1.5hrs back to them to ask them to take another look at it and likely be driving the 4.5 hours involved in leaving the van there overnight. However, I believe, without having done the replacement, that the problem lies in the steering column fuse block which supposedly holds the delay logic. I'd done trace and there is no power showing up at the wipers when they don't work and everything else in my wiper chain has been replaced at least once.
 

sprintguy

16+ yrs Master Commercial technician
I've got a 2004- same problem. I just had it "fixed" again but of course it wasn't actually fixed so I'll be driving the 1.5hrs back to them to ask them to take another look at it and likely be driving the 4.5 hours involved in leaving the van there overnight. However, I believe, without having done the replacement, that the problem lies in the steering column fuse block which supposedly holds the delay logic. I'd done trace and there is no power showing up at the wipers when they don't work and everything else in my wiper chain has been replaced at least once.
Well, I believe that the problem might be in the block now too. After I replaced the multifunction switch all was working. (I tried at least 20 times to make sure they worked ) Let me explain how I diagnosed it, I have a test switch and that also worked. Please bring it back... Now I know it has been a on going thing, convey as much info to the writer as you can (or talk directly to me)

Carl
 
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