Wiper Switch Cleaning?

[keownb]

'90 325i

Windshield wipers worked perfectly when I got the car ~3mos ago. As of a couple days ago they work:

• Always when pulled towards the wheel (in combination with normal washer fluid - pump runs and then I get ~4-5 wipes at normal speed)
• Occasionally in intermittent mode
• Occasionally when pressed down (single wipe)
• Never on medium
• Never on high

As a short-term solution, I disconnected the washer fluid pump; if it's raining I just drive around holding the stalk towards the wheel. I live in Seattle though, so this isn't really a long term solution.

My assumption is that the issue is somewhere in the switch itself. If it were the relay I don't think intermittent would work intermittently and the washer trick wouldn't work.

My question is, has anybody had any luck fixing bad wiper switches just by cleaning them? I have a big weekend of other projects coming up (odo fix, SIB fix, 13 button OBC swap, check panel troubleshooting wheeeee) that require removing the steering wheel (SRS so it's a pain) so I can do some troubleshooting/cleaning then, but if y'all think that is unlikely to succeed I'll just get a replacement switch and save myself taking the wheel off twice.

Thanks!

[nando]

It could be the motor, not the switch.

[jalopi]

I've heard of people having success with cleaning the contacts before... on different cars though. I'm sure the same applies to e30's though.

Also, while it doesn't sounds like it's the motor, it wouldn't hurt to see if you've got power going to it in all the wiper modes. At least you can rule something out, right?

[keownb]

Good idea to test at the motor just in case. I'll give that a shot, thanks.

[Chuck C]

Check the tightness of the wiper switch ground screw, as it could work loose after years of operation. BMW has a recall on this, but I don't think your car falls in the production range, although a call to a dealer service department would verify it. You have to remove the wheel, and the bottom column trim, to access the screw, but you would do this anyway to get at the switch.

[jlevie]

In my experience, cleaning the switch is a waste of time. The problem will be wear in the switch. Replace it a new part and it'll last another +20 years.

[Dr Skillet]

Jlevie, I just replaced my wiper stalk to get my washer to work and upon removing the old one I was able to see the contacts for the switch that make the pump work. Is it possible to clean and sand them and repair old stalk so that it activated pump again? Have you seen this problem before?

thanks