Windshield Wipers are on crack.

[WYT R1CE]

Well I just finished my KA-T setup and started the car up but for some reason the windshield wipers turn on as soon as I put the key and turn to ACC. The switches dont seem to do anything right now because they go no matter what. All I can really do is unplug its harness.

Anybody have any ideas?

[kandyflip445]

Change the switch.

[SpeedMonkeyInc]

Re-trace the wiring you did, look for anything goofy. Also, check your grounds. Is everything that needs to be correctly grounded? Be sure you are grounding to the chassis or engine, and using the appropriate gauge wire.
My wipers went nuts last winter, I think something got wet. They would switch on by them self's and not turn off with the switch. After a while they quit all together, and apparently took out one of my headlights with it! All I had to do was replace the fuse and everything has been fine since. I will just have to wait and see next rainy season.

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by SpeedMonkeyInc

Re-trace the wiring you did, look for anything goofy. Also, check your grounds. Is everything that needs to be correctly grounded? Be sure you are grounding to the chassis or engine, and using the appropriate gauge wire.
My wipers went nuts last winter, I think something got wet. They would switch on by them self's and not turn off with the switch. After a while they quit all together, and apparently took out one of my headlights with it! All I had to do was replace the fuse and everything has been fine since. I will just have to wait and see next rainy season.

It's not a ground problem. Recommending that is stupid.

Your problem doesn't sound like just a fuse, headlights burn out, the two circuits are completely unrelated and could not affect each other in any way.

[SpeedMonkeyInc]

Fuck you. What is your genius suggestion then?

Obviously my problem is more than just the fuse. In the end, that is what got them working again. I still don't know what caused my issues.

[speeddreamz]

Originally Posted by SpeedMonkeyInc

Fuck you. What is your genius suggestion then?

Obviously my problem is more than just the fuse. In the end, that is what got them working again. I still don't know what caused my issues.

Yea...seriously, what is wrong then?

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by SpeedMonkeyInc

Fuck you. What is your genius suggestion then?

Obviously my problem is more than just the fuse. In the end, that is what got them working again. I still don't know what caused my issues.

Let's review:

Guy finished a turbo project on his KA. Wipers are now working incorrectly. Nothing engine related or anything he may have messed with has any effect on the wiper system. The only thing close would be if he removed the engine harness (if it's an S14) and unplugged both the wiper motor and amplifier, but they'd both have to be plugged back in to work at all, incorrectly or not. A bad ground as you assume (the typical answer given by idiots who know nothing about electrical systems) would not allow the wipers to work at all. Since the wiper grounds are shared with the engine harness, it's obvious they're fine, otherwise the engine would have running issues as well. Common sense.
Now, you throw in your pointless story that has no bearing on his problem. Your theory was something 'got wet'. Both the motor and amplifier are mounted outside, where they constantly get wet. That's a poor guess. Then you deduce that whatever the problem was, it took out a headlight too. A headlight, singular. Two completely different systems, with no common point of power shared. And it's a bulb. Bulbs burn out. That's why they sell new ones. Your assumption that the wipers affected a bulb is about as brilliant as saying when you sneeze it makes a kid in China vomit. There couldn't be anything further between the two. You found out that you had a blown fuse, and that solved your problem. Fine. A blown fuse would not have allowed them to work at all, so your initial problem has nothing to do with the fuse, whatever it was simply drew enough current to finally blow the fuse. You still have a problem somewhere.

Now, back to the original topic at hand, WYT R1CE, what year vehicle are we dealing with? Did you unplug or remove the wiper amplifier during any work under the hood? And lastly, are they working in all speeds or are they stuck on one speed regardless of switch position?

[theicecreamdan]

completely "unrelated" systems in cars tend to share problems together very often. Assuming that its a possibility and sharing previous experiences don't make speedmonkey stupid.

I think what happened is you accidentally attached your windshield squirters to the outlet on the turbo, and while you were working on your car oil and grease clogged them up, this pushed the extra boost to your windshield wipers which caused them to start going crazy.

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by theicecreamdan

completely "unrelated" systems in cars tend to share problems together very often. Assuming that its a possibility and sharing previous experiences don't make speedmonkey stupid.

Really? So do you blow a headlight bulb also when your wipers/radio/gauges/horn/etc have a problem? If they're on the same circuit, like the domelight and the clock backup, sure, but I don't see how anything could cause a headlight bulb to go out other than age, a fingerprint on the glass, or a current spike. But I'd love to be proven wrong here. Maybe we've discovered a new way to avoid replacing bulbs, just fix all the other possible electrical problems and they'll last forever.
And while I can appreciate you backing up your fellow West Coaster, my point was the recommendation was stupid, not the individual.

[theicecreamdan]

wires shorting together, for whatever reason can cause excessive current. Wires that rub against each other over time can wear down their insulations and then just the right vibrations can put them in contact with other wires that have their insulation compromised. This causes seemingly unrelated electrical systems to have troubles at the same time. Getting these wires wet can create the short to voltage that can fry certain circuits that have nothing to do with each other. And just as randomly as the problem happened the wires can be shaken far enough apart, and then the problem seemingly vanishes. I have seen some very interesting electrical problems occur in this way, so my fellow west coaster is not stupid, and neither is his suggestion.

[kandyflip445]

That is called an intermmitant problem which doesn't seem to be the case. It would happen on and off, like speedmonkeys problem.

The headlight blowing out at the same time is a fluke. C'mon. Blaming the wipers for taking out a headlight?

If you have a multimeter start checking voltage at places along the circuit. You'll need a FSM. The problem will be along the wiper circuit. Don't go off into the headlights or anything else. Do what Russ said and tell us what speed it's going and whatnot.

[SpeedMonkeyInc]

Please let me explain what I was thinking: The first thing I suggested was to look over anything WYT R1CE had changed, to be sure that everything was done correctly. Then, secondarily, I suggest looking at grounds. A ground is an essential part of a circuit. The ground is a return path for the electrons in a circuit to get back to the negative battery terminal. What happens if the ground is not properly working? Those wild and wacky electrons will simply take the next easiest path, which can absolutely include other circuits.
About my pointless story: I was merely attempting to share a whimsical anecdote about an experience that I had with odd occurrences in my car's electrical systems. Obviously, considering the confusion my story has created I should have taken care to articulate better that indeed it was an unrelated incident, and that no, I don't really think that my wipers took out my headlights. I was just trying to be funny about it. Currently, my best guess is that the hole my tire burned in the wiring harness that runs under the left front fender has something do with it. Hence my thinking that water had do to with the symptoms showing up while driving in the rain thanks to a few exposed wires. I assure you that changing the lightbulb was the first thing I tried, and when that same lightbulb worked just fine in the other and normally functioning headlight I knew that the bulb was not the issue. Please forgive me for failing to make that statement more clear in regards to the problem at hand: WYT R1CE's electrical gremlins.
I make no claims of having a great understanding of electronics. I do however have a reasonable grasp on the very basics. If I am wrong, that is just fine with me. I would like to learn and not carry false information with me! However, I think there is a better way to tell another person that you think they are wrong other than "thats stupid".

[carkid0007]

Mine still do this and have been for 2 years....at first I couldn't control how many times they went and how long they wait to go again, I changed the switch...got nothing...Changed the windshield wiper amp and now they go twice then shut off and I can control them other than that I would love to know what the problem is.

[Drunk Bastard]

MIKE JONES!!!!
281 330 Eight-Zero-Zero-Fo


One time my wipers went crazy at a drift event. It turns out my car was too low and would rub on the wire harness at full lock. Apparently I had wore the shielding off the wire and several wires around it, so they were all shorting together. Just check in your driver side fender well and see if that could be the problem

[zylvia213]

Originally Posted by Drunk Bastard

MIKE JONES!!!!
281 330 Eight-Zero-Zero-Fo


One time my wipers went crazy at a drift event. It turns out my car was too low and would rub on the wire harness at full lock. Apparently I had wore the shielding off the wire and several wires around it, so they were all shorting together. Just check in your driver side fender well and see if that could be the problem

LOL I also didnt notice the date on this thread... my bad

[om3ga]

Always tuck your harnesses before lowering your car.

[nismoman]

Dude that was from 6 years ago!