Hey all,

I have an 06 Cobalt SS in which the wipers recently stopped working. I have since followed these steps:

1. Check fuse - Fuse is good.
2. Check relays marked 'WPR' - Relays click on when 12V current is supplied outside of vehicle.
3. Check motor - Motor runs when 12V current is supplied outside of vehicle.
4. Assume interior switch is bad - Replaced switch and still nothing.

What gives?

Thanks

 

when you say motor runs when you apply the 12v= I'm assuming that the wipers work then, just not when you use your switch?

if so, hmmmmmmmm..... I'd suggest pulling another like-rated relay from somewhere in the fuse block and swapping them just to test it out, it might actually still be the problem. If not, it's possible to have a loose ground somewhere, but I wouldn't know where to trace that down at.

Once I had an issue with wipers not turning off/coming on on their own on a Ford Ranger I had= traded it in right away.... I hate electrical ghosts.

 

Yes the motor works.

I have already switched them like you said and still nothing. I may go buy new relays just as another test.

This is getting very frustrating.

Thanks for the reply.

 

well, if you swapped them around then no need to but new ones, that's not the problem. Wish I had another idea, I know how ya feel.

good luck with it

 

Thanks

 

k if the relay is good, and the fuse is good, and youve checked your ouput and input power to the bcm and out of the bcm and all is good then you have a issue with the connector part of the wipers, if it were grounded youd be blowing fueses. If you dont have power coming out of the bcm then either one, your bcm is bad or your fuse box under the hood is bad... i am assuming its cold where you live.... reason i say this is because cold causes condensation to freeze and that causes shorts but not groundngs, also check resistance in the wires

 

I haven't tested at the (bcm). As far as I know that stands for body control module and I'm not really sure how that comes into play.

I can't remember for sure if I got voltage at the wires of the motor when I had the cowl off so I might check that again since I have a new switch. I guess I could check voltage at the fuse box as well.

I live in Tampa BTW so I don't think cold would have much to do with it.

Thanks

 

lets just say , i am a ceritfied tech, and ive dealt with this before. Where are your wiper connectors to turn them off or on, inside the car, so therefore itll have to go to the bcm since the wiring inside the car routes there. then goes to the engine computer. So if you have power to the bcm from the engine fuse box which will be on the passanger side, then check the exit wire to the wiper switch whichll go to the relays then to the wiper, if you dont have power after the switch but have poer to it then your switch is bad.

 

chevycobaltss3,

Don't take my ignorance for sarcasm. When I say 'I don't know how the body control module comes into play.' I literrally mean that I am not familiar with it's operations. I've not had to deal with it previously so I just don't know.

Now that you've brought it to my attention it's logical to test there as well. I guess since I know my fuse box is on the driver side in the engine compartment you mean the BCM is on the passenger side of the interior. I'll check the manual (Haynes), do some tests and get back to you.

Thanks for the info.

 

i wasnt meaning to be mean i was just letting you know what i mean lol. sorryy. but test then let me know bro

 

NP, I'll have some time this weekend to check it out. I'll let you know, thanks.

 

BCM is in the passenger side interior fuse box area.

 

There are 2 fuses for the wipers.
1)under the hood fuse box marked WPR 25 amps
2)in the passanger side fuse box marked WPR as well , fuse 15 it 10 amps

 

So I had some time to look into this earlier and yes, the second fuse in the interior fuse box was bad. Wish I had known that existed earlier.

Anyway they are working now and I am slightly more knowledgeable than I was yesterday.

Thanks for the posts!

 

my previous post said the bcm lol its ok glad ou have wipers now

 

After the last post I was out futzing with the head unit I installed and heard a 'pop.' Sounded like a fuse to me and sure enough when I turned the wipers on they sat idle. Lame.

I guess that means the ground is bad?

 

After the last post I was out futzing with the head unit I installed and heard a 'pop.' Sounded like a fuse to me and sure enough when I turned the wipers on they sat idle. Lame.

The wipers were not working before the head unit install so I wouldn't think that had anything to do with it.

I guess that means the ground is bad?

 

sounds like a wire is brushing against a ground.

 

Know any good ways to figure out where?

 

yeah use a dvom and measure resistance in ure wires.. Is your boost gauge working or no it shouldnt be so i say ure issue is close to that or somewhere u have moved a wire for a a pilliar ect

 

My boost gauge hasn't worked since the wipers stopped.

 

Just removed the boost gage and pillar cover. Did a visual inspection of the wires connecting the gauge and found the tan boost sig wire exposed. I started removing the factory electrical tape and saw a blu/wht wire connected to the other end of the tan wire. To clarify, the tan wire coming out of the boost gauge was cut and a blu/white wire was spliced into it.

This seems very strange and as of yet I have no idea what this blu/wht wire is for.

I removed it and spliced the tan back together but that still blew a fuse. I reattached the blu/wht to tan and blew another. What the crap?

 

ok u need to check resistance and for a shortto ground visual and use a dvom

 

DMM readings:

With black common MM lead connected to the tan boost gauge wire, all tan wires at BCM (large pink harness in interior fuse box) have resistance. When black common is connected to the blu/wht wire, no wires in BCM show resistance.

 

k do this, take your + wire from the bcm that goes to the boost gauge, and dissconnect it, but leaving the other wire so verif which is which i. and put a fuse in there but disconnect boost gauge all together and see if the fuse blows if so, the issue lies with the other wire ...........