ICE + wipers

[EmTee]

So with that big ice storm, some funky business happened with the wipers. A buddy borrowed the car (05 OBXT) before the storm, I drove it afterward. I didn't realize he left the wipers on. They were iced down (I cleared most of the windshield, but didn't think much of the wipers because they needed replacing anyways, and weren't going to accomplish much).

 

Later I realized they were still on when the heat thawed them enough for them to fidget. Then I turned them off and used the thaw strips.

 

Anyhow, they work, and I replaced the wipers thinking that would make them drag less and solve the problem, but no... what they don't do is go back down when you turn them off. They just stop wherever they are. You have to blip them again. Either pull the wand, or turn them to on briefly, at which point they go back with the usual vigor.

 

To me, it doesn't seem like they've become misaligned... but what "broke"? Is it just something that needs to be reset?

 

*UPDATE*: with wiper arms disconnected, intermittent doesn't even work correctly, just runs continuous... wiper switch controls intermittent, but does it also control the return motion?

[EmTee]

Now the wipers do go down properly when I tug the stalk and let it go quickly. (Warmer weather?)

 

The switch in the motor must be working, at least to some extent (intermittently). The motor assembly was replaced 3 years ago as it had cracked.

 

Looks like it's a remove-the-airbag-then-steering-wheel kind of repair, and the wiper stalk new costs at least $114. Time to hit up that $50 deductible on the warranty one last time.

[EmTee]

So I took it to the dealer, they replaced the wiper combination switch (which clearly, from the schematic in the manual, contains the intermittent module).

 

And the problem persists! Intermittent is not continuous. (EDIT: what I mean is, it should not be continuous, but is so right now)

 

Can somebody explain to me how the system works?

 

...It looks like the only thing inside the motor assembly is a position switch indicating each end of the wiper throw, and that seems to be working correctly (it returns home after a blip on the wipers)...

 

EDIT: Also I think the single line coming from the Body Integrated Unit (along with diode) is simply there to supply an intermediate voltage between 0 and +12V, so that it can indicate wiper is either: parked, in-transit, fully-extended. (3 different line levels). Is that correct? Or does the BIU have more functionality for the front wipers?