Rear wiper motor blowing fuses

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by Kirk Matheson, Jul 12, 2004.

  1. The rear wiper motor on my 1993 Voyager blows fuses soon after replacement.

    As the motor ages, does it tend to work harder and draw more current?

    Is there anything else I can check before replacing the motor?

    Thanks,

    Kirk Matheson
     
    Kirk Matheson, Jul 12, 2004
    #1
  2. Kirk Matheson

    Bill Putney Guest

    The obvious question: Is it the right size fuse?

    Now that that's out of the way, do you knw if it works fine (not
    laboring) and then - poof! - the fuse blows (like a wire intermitently
    shorting)?

    Measure the current draw and compare against the specified fuse size -
    current draw should be much less. When it's running, does motor speed
    seem OK? If not, is it mechanically binding - most likely at a rusting
    motor or wiper shaft bearing/bushing? If the latter, you can usually
    salvage the situation by putting a little oil in the right place to
    slick it up and hopefully prevent further corrosion. Or it could simply
    be the motor windings starting to short, in which case, time for a new
    motor (probably the case if it's not mechanically binding up and excess
    current draw is what's blowing the fuse).

    Bill Putney
    (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
    address with "x")
     
    Bill Putney, Jul 13, 2004
    #2
  3. Kirk Matheson

    PC Medic Guest

    This was replaced free in my 95 under a recall that I believe covered the 93
    as well.
    It entailed replacing the motor and a wire harness in the driver front area
    some where.
     
    PC Medic, Jul 13, 2004
    #3
  4. Kirk Matheson

    Geoff Guest

    Same here on my '95. The recall took place because the rear wiper motor was
    on the same circuit as the air bag system. So when the wiper went out, the
    resulting blown fuse would also kill the airbags.

    If the recall has already been performed, sorry, I don't believe they'll
    repair the motor for free. The only condition under which they would
    replace the wiper motor is if it was bad at the time the recall was
    performed. A good way to check (other than calling the dealer or visiting
    Chrysler's web site with your VIN handy) is to see if the air bag light
    comes on when the fuse blows (assuming that it lights up in test mode when
    you start the vehicle). If it glows continuously, you might be eligible for
    the recall.

    The replacement wiper motor on mine didn't last too long before it started
    making awful noises, by the way. I disassembled it myself and repaired
    it--the bolts that held the motor to the wiper drivetrain worked loose. I
    wasn't impressed with the quality of the Mopar replacement part. If you try
    removing it on your own, be advised that the wiper arm will typically be
    siezed onto the drive spline in climates that see road salt in the winter;
    figure on replacing the arm as well if this happens because you'll likely
    have to resort to drastic measures to get it off. (Careful, don't break the
    glass!)

    --Geoff
     
    Geoff, Jul 13, 2004
    #4
  5. Thanks for all the suggestions. I checked to ensure that the correct
    20A fuse is being used. I will also check to see if anything is
    binding.

    -Kirk Matheson
     
    Kirk Matheson, Jul 13, 2004
    #5

  6. I am now ready to remove the wiper arm. Do I push down on the clip to
    release the wiper arm from the shaft? The arm slides on the shaft a
    little, so I am hoping that it is now seized.

    -Kirk Matheson
     
    Kirk Matheson, Jul 14, 2004
    #6
  7. Kirk Matheson

    Geoff Guest

    If it slides, it is not seized. IIRC (it's been about three or four months,
    and I've sold the vehicle since then) you take a pair of needle nose pliers
    and pull the 'clip' away from the wiper shaft (all it does is ride in a
    groove on the shaft--it's a retainer.) Then wiggle-wobble the arm off the
    shaft. You'll have to disconnect the hose for the sprayer while you're at
    it.

    Next, open the rear liftgate and remove the trim from the interior, which
    I'm pretty sure means you have to remove the lights and some circular caps
    to access hidden screws. There's also a row of screws near the top of the
    trim that is hard to see. Once you have all the screws removed, there are
    spring clips retaining the trim to the liftgate, same as you would find on a
    regular interior door panel. They're concentrated on the lower half of the
    door. Pry gently with a wide, flat-blade screwdriver or with a 1.5" putty
    knife.

    Once everything's loose, remove the trim panel carefully. It's all one
    piece, it's a bit unwieldy (not heavy, though) and prone to breaking if you
    let it 'twist' too much. (You'll know what I mean when you get to this
    point.) You'll likely have to go through some gentle twists and turns to
    circumnavigate the hatch support struts.

    Dismounting the wiper motor is fairly straightforward. I think I recall
    removing an access plate secured by a bunch of 10mm bolts, and then there
    were three actual mounting bolts securing the motor. Once you have the
    motor dismounted, you can remove the access cover over the drive mechanism
    and figure out what's wrong. The motor worm drive turns a plastic gear
    which in turn drives an arm connected to the motor shaft. Assuming the
    motor windings aren't shorted out, something is probably wrong with the
    drive mechanism; you might find broken plastic gears, for example. If you
    can't find something wrong with the motor (you can operate it dismounted
    from the vehicle by connecting its supply wire's plug and a short ground
    jumper between the motor case and the liftgate) and the drive mechanism
    seems intact, you may have a wiring issue.

    Good luck!
    --Geoff
     
    Geoff, Jul 14, 2004
    #7
  8. Kirk Matheson

    mic canic Guest

    by any chance do you have a airbag if you do it might be covered under a recall

    call your local dealer
     
    mic canic, Jul 15, 2004
    #8
  9. Geoff, thanks for the very useful info. I now feel better about
    proceeding.

    You are absolutely right about the plastic panels. Several cracks have
    developed over the years just from ordinary movement and heat/cold
    cycles. I went to the salvage yard to try to find replacement pieces,
    and everything was in worse condition than mine. I guess that I cannot
    expect too much after almost 12 years.

    -Kirk
     
    Kirk Matheson, Jul 15, 2004
    #9
  10. Kirk Matheson

    Geoff Guest

    Just let us know what you find when you get it apart.
    The liftgate area of a minivan takes its fair share of abuse from the cargo
    whacking it when you accelerate.

    --Geoff
     
    Geoff, Jul 15, 2004
    #10
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