Wipers
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Wipers
I have a 2006 Dakota that had two problems I thought were related. The wipers would sometimes not park correctly. They would stop about 4-5 inchs higher than normal. Then, the next time I would get in the truck and turn the key they would cycle one time. IF they parked in the correct spot after the one cycle the wipers would be ok until the next time I needed to use them. If they over shot the park position, they would stop 4-5 inch's to high again and the next time I would turn the key they would cycle again. I replaced the wiper motor and the relay for good measure and the wipers park correctly every time after testing them 60+ times. In the past 50% of time they did not park correctly. But now, every once in a while when I go to start the car the wipers cycle independent of the parking problem. Has any one ever seen this before? Am I looking at a PCM? Thanks.
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2011
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I don't recall anyone having the same issue in the past, but here is an excerpt from the 2005 service manual which indicates the problem may lie with either 1) the park switch within the wiper motor, or 2) the "sense circuit"...
Seeing as you said you already replaced the wiper motor and are still having periodic issues (which should mean that the park switch inside it was not the problem), I would venture to guess that the problem is with the "sense circuit"...maybe a bad/chaffed wire or a loose connection. The 2005 wiring diagram shows that the "sense circuit" is the brown/grey wire coming out of the wiper motor, which connects to the Front Control Module (FCM). I don't know if the same colors hold true for the 2006 though, so be careful.
WIPER MODULE
OPERATION
The wiper module operation is controlled by the battery current inputs received by the wiper motor through the wiper
on/off and wiper high/low relays. The wiper motor speed is controlled by current flow to either the low speed or the
high speed set of brushes. The park switch is a single pole, single throw, momentary switch within the wiper motor that is mechanically actuated by the wiper motor transmission components. The park switch alternately opens and closes the wiper park switch sense circuit to ground, depending upon the position of the wipers on the glass. This feature allows the motor to complete its current wipe cycle after the wiper system has been turned Off, and to park the wiper blades in the lowest portion of the wipe pattern. The automatic resetting circuit breaker protects the motor
from overloads.
OPERATION
The wiper module operation is controlled by the battery current inputs received by the wiper motor through the wiper
on/off and wiper high/low relays. The wiper motor speed is controlled by current flow to either the low speed or the
high speed set of brushes. The park switch is a single pole, single throw, momentary switch within the wiper motor that is mechanically actuated by the wiper motor transmission components. The park switch alternately opens and closes the wiper park switch sense circuit to ground, depending upon the position of the wipers on the glass. This feature allows the motor to complete its current wipe cycle after the wiper system has been turned Off, and to park the wiper blades in the lowest portion of the wipe pattern. The automatic resetting circuit breaker protects the motor
from overloads.
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Registered User
Joined: Aug 2013
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ERAU, thanks for the response. I will look at sense circuit wire. I hope its not the FCM as they look expensive. The odd thing is the wipers only cycle when the key is first turned on and not randomly while driving down the road which makes me also wonder if the switch is involved. Thank you again.
All Star
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 759
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From: Ottawa, Ontario Canada
I don't think it is the ignition switch. The first thing the wiper system does when they vehicle is powered up is to check that they are parked properly and park them if not. So it is something in the position sensing circuitry somewhere. After that, I'm lost too!