So. Cal had one of few rainstorms yesteday, and I had to do a bit of driving in it. Had the wipers on for about 45 min., rain slacked of and I went to shut them down but they wouldn't. No amount of wiggling of the switch seemed to quell them. Seems as if they are stuck in the low setting. (continous, of course.) Finally when I got home I had to pull the plastic off the column and unplug the switch. Had to time it just right so they'd "park" (stop at the bottom.)

My qustion, finally: Is the problem the switch or the motor? I was at first just going to get a can of contact cleaner and nail the switch with it, but got to thinking about it, when I do get them to shut off, they don't "park." Perhaps theres something amiss with the "parking" aspect of the motor? Kinda like circling the block forever with nowhere to park? 8^)

Anybody else been thru this?

Thanks in advance,
J
--
'82 240 (mine!), '86 740 (GF's) wagons

"Finally when I got home I had to pull the plastic off the column and unplug the switch..."

Far easier to pull the fuse.

I had precisely this problem with an '81 245. Turned out that water leaking inside the firewall had completely filled the wiper relay with water. The relay is hiding behind a metal cover at the extreme left front of the driver's floor, about where the driver's left foot might reach. Pull down the carpet and look for several harnesses disappearing down behind this metal cover (which is about 4" wide).

Pull up the harnesses -- if a sedan, you'll pull up one relay, if a wagon, two relays. The front wiper relay is black and wrapped in foam. Unfortunately, it's oriented upside down so it collects and holds water.

In my case, I drained out the water, washed the relay guts, resoldered, and dried and redried it -- and installed it. After 5 years it's still working fine. I also repositioned it up under the dash to avoid more water (don't tangle the harness in the wiper linkage).

And fix the leak.


Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

Had that same thing once. A "new" $10 motor from the pick and pull fixed it for good, going on 6 years. Avoid the Ronak motors and get the original Volvo "snahensnorttenh" ones.

I had the same problem with an '83 GLT. The switch seemed fine, so I traced the wires back to the relay that controls the intermitant function (the one located behind the left foot rest). The relay was filled with water and had been for some time judging from the smell! (I'm not making this up) Replacing the relay solved the problem. Since I had replaced the windshield earlier that year, I figure the old one must have been leaking into the relay.

You guessed right the first time! - Howerver, just a quick spay may not be enough - that area is loaded with grease.
Pull the backplate off the motor (two small phillips scews), pull the switch assy out and clean and burnish the contacts.
I usually re-pack the housing with 'Lubriplate' on re-assembly.
PK