71 wiper switch...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: San Jose area CA
71 wiper switch...
Having issues with the 71 wipers (no wiper action) using the switch inside the compartment. One time however, the wipers did seem to do the "park wipers dance" - but that was it. There are 3 wires going to the back of the switch, from drivers to pass side - LightBlue, Black with WHITE stripe and DarkBlue.
Does anyone know how to "hotwire" these to get results thus proving the switch is bad?
Thanks,
Does anyone know how to "hotwire" these to get results thus proving the switch is bad?
Thanks,
Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 627
Likes: 1
From: Naperville IL
I'm pretty sure all 3 get connected to ground in whatever setting the switch is on. I want to say the dark blue is the washer pump and the other 2 are high and low speed for the wipers. I'd try a voltmeter on the wiper motor itself to see if it's getting any power with the switch on as well.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: San Jose area CA
It's the switch for sure... I took out the upper center A/C bezel with the w/wiper switch in it and disconnected the w/wiper switch. The connector has (driver side to pass side) LightBlue, Black with WHITE stripe and DarkBlue wires into a single connector.
Find a piece of lead wire that you can stick into the connector and gound it to a good ground. The wipers are low when the LB is connected to ground and is high when the LB & DB is ground.
With the wiper switch back on and ground the switch then tried the different settings - nothing. I pulled the connector out of the switch a bit to expose the leads behind the switch. When these were gound (beyond the wiper sw) they operated the wipers as noted above. Bad Switch..... motor good.
Find a piece of lead wire that you can stick into the connector and gound it to a good ground. The wipers are low when the LB is connected to ground and is high when the LB & DB is ground.
With the wiper switch back on and ground the switch then tried the different settings - nothing. I pulled the connector out of the switch a bit to expose the leads behind the switch. When these were gound (beyond the wiper sw) they operated the wipers as noted above. Bad Switch..... motor good.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,375
Likes: 1,067
From: Virginia USA
Is your center console broken near the top where you take the panel off to get to the wiper switch? The switch gets it's ground through the console bezel. If it is broken the you could get the wiper parking dance because the ground can be intermittent. Just a thought.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: San Jose area CA
Thanks and I did think about that, but even with the switch out of the bezel and properly gounded, it still fails... I'll get a new switch later today and connect the entire thing up to determine if it's really trhe switch as suspected.
Thanks....
Thanks....
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,375
Likes: 1,067
From: Virginia USA
Originally Posted by 67VetteMan
Thanks and I did think about that, but even with the switch out of the bezel and properly gounded, it still fails... I'll get a new switch later today and connect the entire thing up to determine if it's really trhe switch as suspected.
Thanks....
Thanks....
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: San Jose area CA
Replaced the switch - working now.
CORRECTION: I had this reversed in my previous posts.... the following is correct.... The connector has (driver side to pass side) DarkBlue, Black with WHITE stripe and LightBlue wires into a single connector. I had this reversed in my previous posts....
CORRECTION: I had this reversed in my previous posts.... the following is correct.... The connector has (driver side to pass side) DarkBlue, Black with WHITE stripe and LightBlue wires into a single connector. I had this reversed in my previous posts....
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Advanced
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 68
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From: Dacula GA
I grounded a test light and touched it to the light blue wire on the left. That made the wipers work so I thought the problem was the ground. After reading the previous post about the switch grounding to the console, I thought this would correct it. No such luck. I'm still stumped. Any luck with the new switch?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 237
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From: San Jose area CA
Yes - previous post - I installed the switch and it works correctly. You may still not have a proper ground with the switch installed in the bezel.
Try this, which is what I did before installing the switch. Take the upper center A/C vent w/wiper bezel out. Remove the switch from the bezel. Take the switch and a wire lead back into the car, find a good ground for the lead (I used the passenger side forward door screw). Plug the switch back into the triple connector, turn car on, place lead grounded wire to metal on the switch and turn switch on.
If the wipers work, with the switch now properly grounded, it points to a bad ground when the bezel is installed. Easily fixed by running a ground lead directly from one of the screws holding the switch in the bezel to good ground.
See my correction in the previous post also. The triple connector has an extra piece on the end of it, which I thought pointed to the driver side, it should point to the passenger side when properly installed. That places the DarkBlue on the driver side and the LightBlue toward the passenger side.
Try this, which is what I did before installing the switch. Take the upper center A/C vent w/wiper bezel out. Remove the switch from the bezel. Take the switch and a wire lead back into the car, find a good ground for the lead (I used the passenger side forward door screw). Plug the switch back into the triple connector, turn car on, place lead grounded wire to metal on the switch and turn switch on.
If the wipers work, with the switch now properly grounded, it points to a bad ground when the bezel is installed. Easily fixed by running a ground lead directly from one of the screws holding the switch in the bezel to good ground.
See my correction in the previous post also. The triple connector has an extra piece on the end of it, which I thought pointed to the driver side, it should point to the passenger side when properly installed. That places the DarkBlue on the driver side and the LightBlue toward the passenger side.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Salt Lake City, UT
71 Wiper Switch
Worked for me too!!! I was ready to order a new switch and motor.... The plug and switch orientation are decieving, but the wire designation helped tremedously.
Thanks, once again!!!!
Thanks, once again!!!!
1st Gear
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
wipers
Originally Posted by 67VetteMan
Having issues with the 71 wipers (no wiper action) using the switch inside the compartment. One time however, the wipers did seem to do the "park wipers dance" - but that was it. There are 3 wires going to the back of the switch, from drivers to pass side - LightBlue, Black with WHITE stripe and DarkBlue.
Does anyone know how to "hotwire" these to get results thus proving the switch is bad?
Thanks,
Does anyone know how to "hotwire" these to get results thus proving the switch is bad?
Thanks,