Multiswitch?

[drew300]

The wipers on my '99 SW1 are becoming intermittent in operation. The intermittent speeds change, the set speeds work, but all operations are not stopping when turned off. They do turn off when I turn the ignition off. I think it is the multiswtch on the steering column, but haven't done much troubleshooting yet. Has anyone repaired the switch? Ideas are welcome.

[denisond3]

I have had wipers that wanted to act on their own with two of my Saturn SL2 sedans. Rather than try to find a replacement wiper control module (circuit board) that is hidden somewhere behind the instrument cluster, I rigged a pair of wires with a toggle switch on the lower front of the dashboard and connected to the 12 volt supply to the wiper motor under the hood -- so I could at least get the wipers to stop and to be more or less in the parked position. That was on my 95 SL2
When the other Saturn started doing it, my 99 SL2, I rigged up a replacement for the wiper fuse on the passenger's side of the console, with two wires coming over to a toggle switch on the lower front of the radio housing. This also let me stop the wipers in spite of their wanting to start moving along with the ignition coming on. I think its kind of a Saturn S series 'thing'.

[drew300]

I got around to fixing it i hope. I found a bad capacitor in the circuit board at the wiper motor, and while i was at it, I soldered some grounds. so far, they are back to normal. Before you dismantle the wiper assembly, you should note the position of the linkages, it took me a couple of tries to get them back to the right spot.

[denisond3]

Thanks for the feedback. I ought to be able to replace a capacitor and do some soldering on the board.

[drew300]

The cap i found bad was in a corner, near a 14 pin DIL chip. The bad grounds were with the 2 wire plug, from the motor, on the side of the plastic "computer" box. I cut the box apart, but I think you may be able to get the board out by unplugging the 2 wire side mounted plug, and the board might cut out where the major multi wire plug connects. I left a thick layer of solder on the plug contacts, so there's more tension and it's clean with the fresh solder. I found no faults with the sector switch in the motor gearbox. Just my findings, you're may be different.