Rebuilt a wiper pod for my '89

[DAVES89]

With the recent controversy regarding "backyard repairs" to dash switches, I tried rebuilding one of my '89 Wiper pods.

I had just got one out at the local u-pick yard,installed it and found that the back light was excellant. With the latest rain we got I then dicovered that the pulse wiper didn't work.

So this AM took the switch out and took a look at it. There are two contacts on the pulse slide switch. Neither one was in the engage position, so I just had to put them in the correct position and everything was good. [First time doing this I worked for about 1 hour being careful with the disassembly. I took two apart, one to work on, one to see how it all goes back together].

Of course I had to take it apart again because in my concern to align all the pieces I realized when the backlight didn't work that I neglected to make sure that the illuminescent panel ribbon was plugged in. So after the second time put the unit back in and all is good.

Still have back up Ronnie, so no need to sell me one back! lol

If anyone is interested in a FREE [$5.00 for freight] wiper pod, contact me. The pod works well just no back light. I have two.

Edited May 22, 2010 by DAVES89 (see edit history)

[Guest steveskyhawk]

Dave,

I think that fixing your wiper switch is fantastic. That being said I am wondering if you were able to determine why it broke to begin with. You stated "Neither one was in the engage position, so I just had to put them in the correct position and everything was good." Neither one what? What wears out or breaks? My concern is how these parts got out of position to begin with and will the problem repeat itself soon?

I think there needs some clarification. If your switch now works correctly it is said to be "repaired" not "rebuilt". Either way it is irrelevant to me and I'm glad you got it working. The "controversy" arises when somebody sells a repaired switch and calls it a rebuilt switch. Cheap is great but generally you get what you pay for. I come from an aviation background where under some circumstances it is perfectly OK to fabricate a part for an aircraft however it is not legal to produce clones for sale. It is clearly a quality control/liability issue. I have sold replacement headlight switches and wiring to people that had short circuits resulting from using a "rebuilt" switch. This is the dirty little secret that some people don't want to acknowledge. There is a huge difference between fixing your own and doing a "backyard rebuild" and selling it to someone else. My comments aren't personal.

There are no safety issues related to the good quality used parts and "bling" that I sell. I am able to find an abundance of choice parts because I live where the climate is beautiful. I will never apologize for living where the weather is pleasant and doesn't destroy our cars. Selling used brake parts is asking for trouble that is why I don't sell them at all. I don't have all the answers to keeping an old car roadworthy. I don't claim to have a solution to the Reatta spare part problem. I do know that headlight switches usually fail at night and wiper switches generally fail when it is raining. Sometimes they can fail at night when it is raining.

Congratulations on fixing your problem. I have read your posts and notice that you have put a lot of effort in the switches/back lighting issues we all face. I had the back lighting problem on the console of my 89. I'm not even sure how I fixed it. I just kept substituting components until everything worked. Having lots of "spares" was the key for me.

[Rawja]

Hey Dave, did you take any pics of the guts while you had 'em apart?

[Jim]

Thanks, Steve.

I have no problem referring to the switches as "repaired".

Dave,

I am leaving this morning and will give you a call. My plans are to be in Green Bay tonight, leave for Chicago about noon on Monday and return to GB sometime Tuesday. We will then come back home Wed. I will meet with you probably Tuesday and also hope to stop at Randy's

Jim

I think there needs some clarification. If your switch now works correctly it is said to be "repaired" not "rebuilt". Either way it is irrelevant to me and I'm glad you got it working. The "controversy" arises when somebody sells a repaired switch and calls it a rebuilt switch.

Edited May 23, 2010 by Jim (see edit history)

[DAVES89]

No pictures.

What I noticed about the switch I repaired is that the "pulse" button would slide with no noticeable drag. It would work if I pushed the "pulse" button for one cycle, but every time I pushed the "pulse" button it would cycle again, so I knew that it worked.

So what I surmised and was correct when I took it apart was that the "pulse" feature of the switch was not making constant contact with the base plate of the switch when engaged. There are two wire tabs that hang down from the slide bar to touch the base plate to engage the wipers. I simply reached into the switch with a small screwdriver and rotated them down to verticle so that they would make contact when the "pulse" button is engaged. I then put the unit back together and tried it in my car. It worked as if new.

The only thing I can think of is that someone had pushed real hard on the "pulse" button and that dislodged the wire tabs.

I never would have attempted this repair except for the fact that the switch had excellant illumination, and that it all worked except for the "pulse" [which also worked, but would only cycle when I pushed the "pulse" button, just not repeatedly on it's own].

It really was not that hard a repair and as I stated in my original post, I started with a non illuminating switch which I was willing to sacrifice as I had no use for it.