scout206

Hello,

My wipers suddenly stopped working last week and everything has been below zero until today so I started at it. I disconnected the connecter at the
motor, turned the car and wiper switch on and had no power showing anywhere on a test light. So I thought, ok must be the switch. I removed the
switch connector, started the car and again there was no power at any wires on the connector to the switch. I have tried several fuses and all tested fine.
Here is where it gets a bit interesting.. with the wiper fuse out (lower left)
I have power with the key on the top fuse tab position. On the lower position, I get two positive continuity tests between the lower wiper fuse position and 2 positions on the wiper fuse connector. When I put a good fuse in there I have no power showing anywhere on the wiper switch connector...???
Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

ezone

You need a good wiring diagram for that car before you go much further.

I'm looking at a hatch/DX diagram, no intermittent...
If it has intermittent wipes it's got more stuff.


At the wiper motor, the green/black looks like the only wire that should have battery power. Comes from dash fuse box fuse #13, 15amp

The wiper switch controls grounds on and off.

The washer switch should have one power (green/black in terminal 4, same fuse as above), but the other green/black goes to the pump motor.

scout206

Thanks Ezone,

Well I am kind of wondering its a fuse box issue... It seems to me that with the key on
or car running I should see 12V on one or 2 wires at the back of the wiper switch connector probing with a test light and or volt meter. When I do remove the wiper fuse
I have continuity on the cold side of the wiper fuse with 2 wires on the back of the switch connector so
it's a bit perplexing why I don't see 12V there with a fuse installed and the key on....

ezone

Don't guess. Get a real diagram.

What kinda car you got? Google found a diagram for a hatchback but it's not easy to read

scout206

I have a 1991 likely Canadian, base 2 door, rear hatchback civic with a 1.5 l
What and where is an Integrated control unit?
Should I not expect to see power at the switch connector with the wiper fuse
energised when the key is on? It seems to me power is not getting from the hot side of the fuse to any wires on the back the wiper switch connector and therefore not proceeding any further..

ezone

Yours is a base so it does not have intermittent wipe? Diagram found above is not exact for your car. Sorry, that's all I found quick on google.

Integrated unit is in the fusebox. Looks like its main job for the wipers is to turn on the wiper motor briefly when you operate the washer pump.

The only places you will have B+ (battery positive, or power) is the green/black circuit as described above. Follow the wire out of the fuse in the diagram above to see that.


The wiper switch controls grounds to the motor. It does not control B+. You may not find any B+ at the switch connector except for the washer pump B+ feed.

Ground goes directly to the high speed and low speed on the switch. The switch supplies ground to the wiper motor low speed side or high speed side.

scout206

Ok.. maybe I am missing something here. When I follow Grn/Blk out of the fuse box diagram it looks like it drops down to the ICU (Canada) and then goes across the page and to the wiper switch at position (D). So shouldn't I see B+ coming into one of the wires on the wiper switch connector according to your schematic?

ezone

Like I said, the schematic I found above isn't exactly right for your particular car.....The diagram shows intermittent wiper positions but your car doesn't have it. Right?

Your wiper switch only has low, high, 'mist', and washer. Right?

On yours the only B+ at the switch connector feeds the washer switch contacts....not the wiper motor.

scout206

well that's what I have been saying all along, there should be at least 1 B+ wire coming to my connector at the back of the switch with the key turned on and there is nothing.
However, when I remove the fuse and check for continuity from the cold side of the wiper fuse I have continuity in 2 places. I have replaced this switch before and tested it all tonight, its fine. No intermittent or rear wiper and Mist doesn't work. Everything else test ok by my manual.
I am just not getting any power there at all.

ezone

Got power on both sides of the fuse?

Probe (check voltage on) the little tiny test openings on top of the fuse while its installed in the slot.

ezone

Dash fusebox....Fuses 1, 13, and 14 all get their power from the same place (ignition switch run position) so all 3 of those should be powered up at the same time. If one of those three isn't powered up, that would probably be a fusebox issue.

scout206

I didn't know about the probe holes on the back of the fuses, Thanks
Anyway, on F13 I do have power both sides but still nothing at the switch connecter...
I have continuity between the 13 fuse and 2 wires on the switch connector. I tried to tap in aux power to the back of one of them and the washer motor turned on. The other one (black isolated corner wire) also has continuity with one wire on the wiper motor connector. When I tried to put power to the back of that one I got a spark. I am considering cutting that wire and putting power to it just to see it the wiper motor activates and I have tried some combinations of power and ground from the battery but still have not seen the motor start. When I unplug the wiper motor connector, turn the key on and wiper switch on there is no power anywhere on the motor connector...

ezone

A continuity check with an ohm meter can't load the circuit, you could have high resistance that shows up as voltage drop under a load.
Anyway....
If you jumper (or connect) B+ to the correct green/black wire at the motor or switch, I assume that should make both work again.

If you can get a really good wiring diagram, you may be able to find which connectors have the suspect wire at the fusebox and at the junction connections.

DO NOT connect B+ power to any black wire! Black is ground.

scout206

My connector corresponds the positions shown on the top section of the switch here. When I test continuity between the 13 fuse and the connector I have continuity at E and G. Connecting B+ to position E turned the wiper washer on.
Position G caused a spark. I was hoping to upload a photo from Haynes manual 42023
on page 12- 5 but its asking for a url..
front wiper switch pins:
I (D) I (E)
I (C) I (F)
I (B)
I (A) I (G)
OFF: A-F
Int NA
Low: A-G
Hi: B-G
Washer: D-E

I still find it strange I have continuity from the 13 fuse to 2 positions but no power there when the fuse is inserted....

ezone

A continuity check with an ohm meter can't load the circuit, you could have high resistance that shows up as voltage drop under a load.

scout206

Ok, I ran a continuity check from the negative bat to terminal G and got an positive audio. Position G is ground. (mostly black wire as you said)
Next ran a B+ line from the Positive battery and probed A B C D with various switch
positions. Everything is working if I bring B+ to position D. I think I just need to tap into some new power and maybe throw a 15A fuse in there somewhere to bypass the fuse box.. Hope cutting that wire doesn't cause any more electrical drama...

In case anyone else has the same trouble..

After cutting the wire to the connector I saw that just connecting the new B+ to position A feed wire to the switch connector didn't work...
You need to T in or use a 3 way connection with #1 new power, #2 The wire going to position A and #3 the other side of the cut wire going into the harness. There wasn't much wire to work with so it was easier to use pigtails
off of the 2 cut wires and then bring all 3 together. Hopefully that will fix them for awhile. Cheaper than a new motor anyway or pulling a fuse box!!