Wiper speed info

[mkovic]

My car seems to have a problem with the speed input to the wiper motor. I only have 2 intermittent setings and one super fast. Reading the forum I realized that the problem is probably with the speed signal to the wiper system. The speedometer works though. Since my OBC doesn't work as it should either I was wondering if the problems are related. Where should I start to look?

Thanks,
M.

[Paul in NZ]

ok most cars would be like this.
One push down gives a single wipe
one push up = intermittent
second position up = slow
third position up = fast
intermittent is adjustable
whatever position you are in when you come to a stop the wipers will go about half the speed they were going

[mkovic]

Sorry, I was not very clear with my first question.
The problem that I'm having is with the slow continues wiper setting that should switch to intermittent when the car speed drops.
In my case this setting results in intermittent wipes, just like the "normal" intermittent setting, regardless of car speed. So instead to switching to continues wipe as the speed of the car gets higher, it remains intermittent.
I assume the wiper system must know the speed the car is traveling at and was wondering from where does the system gets the input on car speed? Does the wiper system uses the same speed sensor as the speedometer? Since the speedometer works just fine I’m trying to figure out what went wrong with my wipers and OBC.

[632 Regal]

you can set the intermittant setting, read about it in your manual, its really cool!

[Jay 535i]

you can set the intermittant setting, read about it in your manual, its really cool!

I've never mastered it. It seems to do whatever it wants regardless.

[Paul in NZ]

jay try this
from off switch to intermittent and immediately switch back to off,then switch back to intermittent when you want a wipe....you have just set the delay....

[Paul in NZ]

slow continues wiper setting that should switch to intermittent when the car speed drops
Are you saying that SLOW is alwyas intermittent?Or is all right until you slow,then never goes back to slow from intermittent

[mkovic]

It's always intermittent.

[Javier]

specify what the OBC problem is). Do you have Radio volume afected by car speed? What about Cruise Control?

Javier

[mkovic]

The OBC won't give any data on avarege speed or fuel consumption. It just shows either blank lines or some unrealistic values such as 99.9 l/100km. I have an aftermarket radio installed so the volume is not affected by this. No cruise control in my car, though (unfortunatly).

[Javier]

signal processed by the cluster. There is a Black/White wire going out of the instrument cluster and directed to the OBC (connector X501, pin 7), Radio, General Module (connector X253, pin 11) , and some other systems in the car. This wire is either disconnected or grounded (may be when Radio was replaced, the wire was left hanging around and now is grounded).

You may find the wire and take voltage readings wile the car is running (just rise rear axle and check it in the garage), trace it back to the cluster until you get a reading to find an open circuit. or check continuity to ground to find a short to ground in the system. Just let us know your progress and we can further instruct you.

Javier

[mkovic]

Javier,

Thanks A LOT for the info. I'm almost certain this could be it. When I was installing the radio there ware bunch of wires left unconnected since I didn't know what they ware for.
Any chance you might know the color of the wire at the radio harness? Do I connect it to something or just insulate it from ground?

Again, THANKS,
Matej

[Javier]

Leave it properly isolated.

Javier

[genphreak]

One thing to check is the wires going into the wiper motor- there are 4, if two are mixed up you might see this trouble? I say this as the clip on mine was brittle and crumbled to pieces, knowing the right polarity to put them back in on took some figuring. If the same happened to your car at some point it might be this? Beware- I don't really know- the fault could well be in the control circuit as opposed to the motor assembly (indeed I would suspect it to be like that- is there a controller elsewhere?).

Maybe quick and simple solution would be to try a new wiper motor. They do wear out... :) nick

[tdgard]

I agree its a speed issue. Here is a better way to set the int function though. Push DOWN once wait for the desired time & then place into the first position. Never fails.

[Javier]

always be intermitent. He need low speed wipers, then he has to find the speed signal for GM to tell the wipers to go low speed.

Javier

[tdgard]

always be intermitent. He need low speed wipers, then he has to find the speed signal for GM to tell the wipers to go low speed.

Javier

?? that was my point. Guess I should have put the word sensor after speed.

[mkovic]

and Especially to Javier. :-)
The problem is fixed and the wipers, OBC and even econo gauge are now fully functional.
Took the radio out and found the black/white wire just hanging there, it didn't touch the ground though. I simulated pulsed signal by grounding the wire reputedly fast and the wipers switched from intermittent to normal. OBC started showing the speed reading and the econo gauge moved from max (where it was all this time) to sensible reading.
It seemed that all this systems weren't getting the speed signal. Since the speedometer obviously was getting the reading I took the easy way out, took the cluster out and jumped the both black/white wires I found in the cluster harness.
Quick question: is this valid solution or should I worry about side effects in the future?

[Javier]

don't think that is the proper fix. First, you should consider that a Black/White wire (Vehicle speed from Cluster) is not the same than a White/Black wire (Fuel consumption from DME). The second color is the strip, the first is the base color, so second color strip is tinier than the first.

If you set speed limit at OBC from the Actual speed value, do you get the actual car speed? Doubt it, so things working do not necessarily mean they are working right. Do you get intermittent wipers when car stop?

Think you should debug what is going on with the Black/White wire system, you may have a dirty or loose contact at the cluster and signal is not going out, I suggest to look for the bug and fix it.

Javier

Edit: Your comment on the econo gauge is funny, as it is feed from the White/Black wire, May be you are feeding vehicle speed signal to that gauge!!

[mkovic]

Hmmm, the wires ware the same, black with the white strip. My reasoning was that one feeds the signal to the cluster and the other should transfer it out, but for some reason the signal gets lost in the cluster. I must mention though that I have an analog cluster in my car, so there are only two connectors going to it, blue and yellow as opposed to the digital version where there are four.

I tested my OBC and when I press the s/r button in the "limit" mode I get roughly the same reading as the one on the speedo. I then set the limit at 130 km/h and it beeped at about 140 km/h also.

The wipers work as they should now, intermittent at stops and normal when the car speeds up.

I'm pretty sure the systems are getting speed signal, but will take your advice and do the proper fix next weekend. What is the voltage black/white wire should have when the car is resting?

Matej