Windshield wiper woes..

[PeterCip]

So I go to get into my car last night to leave work. I turn it on and the windshield wipers start moving. I thought "oh well left them on this morning"..(Its been snowing here a bunch lately) went to flick the switch down to turn them off but it was already in the off position.
There always on in the lower speed (non intermittent)
Now if i turn the switch to the fastest setting, they speed up.
If i turn it to the intermittent setting, they stay moving, but don't slow down.

Has anybody ever heard of this? i would like to be able to use my windshield wipers, seeing as it is a must when the roads are slushy, and i don't see the weather turning my way any time soon.
-p

[Ryan Stewart]

Got a multimeter? First unplug the wiper arm and test the switches.

[Jordan]

It is most likely the wiper swtich arm. They can and do go bad. If not the look at the large rectangular relay in the fuse box.

[PeterCip]

checked the relay.. all is well.

i suspect its the wiper arm, seems weird to me that it would jsut go however.
i gues i'll hvae ot check it this weekend, when i'm not on the city street.
-p

[///M42 sport]

got this from Roundel this month Feb 05

"In the E30 there is a wire harness that serves the washer pump as well as other deivces in the right front corner of the car. This skanky harness travels through and behind the nose panel at about bumper level. As it approaches the headlight assembly, it makes two 90 degree bends. one hangs in midair and the otehr ben goes up an dover a panel seam, just before it passes behind the headlight assembly.

This seam is nasty. It is sharp and unprotected, and over time, with dryingout of the harness cover and wire insulation combined with minute vibrations, the harness is slowly cut. This is where the fun begins: in my case the wire to the pump was on the outside of the harness bundle, and when the wear got to be enough, it grounded out on the metal part of the seam. Presto: complete circuit! And when the pump runds, the wiper control relay engages the wipre motor. Thats why even disconnecting the pump would not affect the wiper action. To fix the problem, a simple wire repair is necessary."