Today, I tried to reset the service light (for the first time) using the two black boxes by the washer fluid, and the LED didn't do anything(doesn't light at all). So, I remembered that the OBD fuse is the same as the rear wiper fuse (33), which has been dead on my car for sometime. I thought that this would be a good opportunity to finally take a look at the motor of the rear wiper to see if it was the cause of my fuse 33 problems. I disconnected the wires that go to the wiper motor, and put a new fuse. As soon as I turned the ingnition key to position II, the fuse blew up(I tried a couple of times with new fuses and they blew up). This has me puzzled...why are the fuses failing even if the wiper motor is disconnected? (wiper switch is on off position). I have also checked the wiring next to the hinges and it is in good shape.

Any help would be appreciated.

850 turbo wagon 94. 52Kmiles.

Because the wiper switch is OFF, it probably has nothing to do with the wiper motor or the wiring back there. You will have to start continuity testing all of the wires that go to fuse 33, especially those that go to the diagnostic box. Save your fuses until after you find the short to ground.

Klaus
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(V♂LV♂s 1995 854T, 1998 V70R)

As per the manual(as I remember), only three things should go to the fuse:rear wiper, obd, and power seat. THe power seats work, so I'm not sure what the manual refers to. Therefore I only have two circuits to check, the obd and the wiper, but I disconnencted the wiper, so the only thing to check would be the obd. Have you done this before? I'm afraid of damaging something else, if I mess up with the testing.

If you don't have a voltage testor that will also check for continuity, a small battery charges the red wire and the black wire will pick up the small charge, get one at an auto parts store for about $25. That is the only way to check vvoltage on the line or if it is shorted to ground.

Klaus
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(V♂LV♂s 1995 854T, 1998 V70R)

I took the multimeter out and these are the results:(all with car keys off and wiper switch on 0)
1)Disconected the Rearwiper connector on the tailgate and measured continuity on the 3 cables of the connector. Result is that they all have continuity among them and to ground.
2)I did a continuity test on the motor side of the conector to check the motor and there was no continuity which I interpret as a sign that the motor is not dead.
3) On the fuse fox, I checked for continuity between ground and the fuse 33 sockets and they have continuity. I believe that's how it is suppossed to be. This test had no value to me, since I already knew the wasn't an open circuit,because an open circuit would blow up the fuse. Right?

My interpretation is that the rear wiper switch on the steering wheel is shorted to ground, which explains the continuity on the connector cables right before reaching the wiper motor. Also explains why fuse 33 blows up as soon as the key is turned to position II even if the wiper switch is on 0 and the wiper motor disconected.
Before I try to disasemble the wiper switch, I need to confirm if my assumptions above are ok. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'm heading to the dealer for a costly repair.

Oh, I almost forgot: I also started to removed the fuse box to do a visual inspection for burnt cables but I couldn't see anything wrong...I didn't disasemble enough to see under the fuses though. Darn it! I dropped a fuse all the way down to the bottom of the compartment where the fuse box is...I can't even see it. I don't think it can do anything down there, so I'm gonna leave it there.

None of us like electrical glitches! I doubt that the wiper switch is the culpret, there just isn't enough movement to stress the wires. The only way to check it is to take the &^%@$ clamshell cover off the steering wheel and check for continuity if the wiper switch.
You still may have a problem with the wiper motor itself. I would have thought that voltage would have gone through the motor from the pos to neg sides, but I am just a novice. But then, if the switch is off to the wiper, there should be no current there anyway.
See if you can find a wiper switch at a local junk yard and swap them.

Klaus
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(V♂LV♂s 1995 854T, 1998 V70R)

I'll share what I believe was the solution to my problem.
I removed the cover of the steering column to check the switch for continuity and I found a couple of places that showed continuity where there shouldn't be (as per the wiring diagram), so I'm pretty sure the problem was with the switch. I disconnected the connector that deals with the rear wiper (the front works fine) and the fuse doesn't blow up anymore, so voila!!! it was a problem with the switch. The OBD is also back up and running.
One thing that many might not know is that the switch can be disasembled. I discovered that all you have to do is stick a sharp knife on the grove of the back of the switch and push the cover out in separate places(like a paint can). There are like 5 pins that you need to release.
What was curious about my switch is that I believe the problems was that a bent spring was creating a short, on the actual switch inside the switch assembly. I say I believe because when I tried to disasemble the switch inside the switch assembly, most of the plactic parts broke and many pieces fell off.
I just bought a used switch on ebay, so I'll see if my problems are solved.

You are now the wiper switch Guru! While you wait for the replacement switch, play with the old one and find out why it broke apart when you dismantled it. I never consider a problem solved until I find out the initial cause of the failure. The spring bending and touching the contacts is probably the cause, but you need to know why that happened. Of course, if the broken bits of plastic held the spring in place or caused the spring to be under too much pressure and bend...
Thanks for letting all of us know what the problem and solution is. That's what this board is all about,

Klaus
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(V♂LV♂s 1995 854T, 1998 V70R)