windsheild wiper problems
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
windsheild wiper problems
I have a c5 and my wipers are acting strange. They are coming on and going off when they wont to. The swith on the stering colum offers little control. Sometimes when they come on I can control the speed with the switch and it will also control the washer fluid other than that they work when they wont to. The washer fluid controller is working fine all the time if the wippers are going it will spray and also when the swith will do nothing else the washer fluid will spray when you press the buton. I did not know about the udders until this problem started I cleaned them out and there was a good bit of water in them. My thinking is that it is the windshield wiper module I am not sure where this module is. Anyway any help is appreciated. I also whould like some advice as far as service manuals go. I usualy by a chilton or haynes book for any car I have ever owned but have been unable to get a book like this for my corvette.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Thanks for your reply. This tork bolt that you speak of is it what conects the motor to the windshield wiper arms? This modul can I pick one up anywhere maybe auto zone advanced or napa? Just got my c5 in march have not had to fix anything yet and am not sure how many aftermarket pruducts there are. My thinking was most anything I would have to get from gm.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,504
Likes: 703
From: panama city beach florida USA
St. Jude Donor '09
the torx [ 1 ] holds the parking arm to motor . dont take it out. ya can pull the motor/mod. assembly out then remove 3? small torx bolts to seperate mod. from motor. you will find water in it . ya can pour denatured alcohol in mod. dump it repeat then let it dry. dont fool around with cam but take a match book cover and clean contacts . the cam makes the motor reverse polarity and run backwards the parking pawl [ arm on top ] disengages by the linkage on that small arm. if you take that 1 torx out and remove the arm ya wont get back the way it was [very fine spline ] get it way out of time and the wipers will try to wipe the hood. GM should sell things sepratly. i would not go with after market. oh yea i pull the assembly out with wiper transmission. it willcome out when its working right remove wiper arm nuts again [13/14 mm.] and put blue loctite on studs and tighten properly or they will strip in a few mos.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,752
Likes: 377
From: South Florida FL
this happened to me couple week back. this isnt the best diagnostic but I just eliminated whatever could cause it and ended up with this. I pulled up the schematics, the bcm doesnt control the wipers, the switch and the motor is the only 2 components, the switch obviously works, because when its not "acting up" it works fine. the motor isnt that smart, but untop the motor, there's a "cap" that contains the computerized part of the system. an I seen this problem on about 6-7 Hummers at work 
mine only did it for like one nite, so I priced it up and left it at that. it work now, for now anyway.
mine only did it for like one nite, so I priced it up and left it at that. it work now, for now anyway.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
I have now pulled the motor and there was a green film around the bottom were it had been seting in the water. I had cleaned the front two udders but the back one was cloged. I have been wieghing in my mind the vaule of the udders and am considering there removel. I have taken the modul off and it had some water in it. I also took the motor cover of and there was water in it also. I am drying and cleaning these parts and will reasemble them latter. This was one of the easiest part removels I have ever had. I had alot of fear about it at first because it is a vette but overall it has been an easy job. Hopefully when reasembled everything will work fine if not I will try to find another modul or drop another complete unit in.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
I have cleaned and put back together modul and wiper motor everthing is reinstaled and switch is now controling motor, however I do recall that the wipers seemed to pop up when turned on and pop back in when turned off. With the wiper blades off I let the motor cycle once and reinstaled blades in the down position in the crowl. Now when turned on the blades move regular but when turned off they are all ready back in the crowl. I quess to quote what I read in another forum there not parking. They are working everthing was thighted up good but I am afraid if this parking motion starts up that they will pull back into my hood. also I have tryed to remove fuse and reset but that has done nothing.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,504
Likes: 703
From: panama city beach florida USA
St. Jude Donor '09
I TOLD YA WOULD YA LISTEN NOOOOOOOOO put the wipers on the longest delay when there at thier lowest position turn key off. remove both arms 2 nuts position arms 1 or 2 inchs from park stops. tighten nuts no loctite yet . check if parking . you did clean with alcohol and the contacts. dont remove utters or youre car will fill up
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
I think I tryied to do everything you said. I did not remove the tork from the top of the assembly. I cleaned everything and let it dry. I cleaned the contacts with a match box. I even tried your latest fix with putting the wippers on the lowest delay and turning the key off. WIth no money out of my pocket the wippers are working again. I have set them up a few inchs incase they decied to park if they dont I will replace the whole unit sometime in the future. I have to get some tech manuals and I will be better off. Anyway I dont feel that anything was lost I gained some vaulable information my wipers are working in case I am out in the rain I dont have any hangups about driving in rain. This project is done for now and I certianly appreciated everones help and comments.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
everting fit togeter real well. I put everything back togeter bolted ever thing down tight and before I put the blades on I tested to see if I had control on the switch I did I let it cycle through and bolted on the blades against were they rest in the crowl. I may have turned the cam is the only thing I can think of. I have moved the blades up a couple of inches incase they decide to park. Other than parking everthing else is working fine. I took it out on friday it was sunny and I could not get the wippers to turn off and Im sure I looked like an idiot. Im glade just to be able to have them off in the down position. I can get remanufactured motor for 45 dollars is there any reason to buy a new one from gm insted of remanufactored?
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: ky
i was away from my 98 c5 for 31 days when i got back to my car... the wipers were up about 2 inches and car battery was dead... however there has been two cases that the windshield wiper would not come on and then did the next time i needed them..... now they will not work at all except for washer control..... need advice?
