Wiper motor need replacement?

[SkidPalace]

Has anyone with a 3rd Gen T4R (or possibly any car or truck for that matter) had erratic operation of the wipers?
My wipers usually will not return back to the home position if I just flip them on the clear the window. They will most often stop in the middle of the window or wherever I put the wiper switch back to the off position.
It's not a huge deal for me, since I just turn them off when the wipers cycle down, but it is becoming an annoyance. I also want to head off a total failure of the faulty component. You know it will fail completely in a driving rainstorm.
My question is, bum wiper motor or bum wiper switch?
When the problem first started exhibiting itself, I was able to get the wipers to return home by quickly "flicking" the wiper switch. That tells me switch problem, but the guy down at the parts store thinks it is the motor anyway.
What do you guys think?
I do have a Haynes manual and it details how to test the wiper motor by jumping wires, but I thought I would ask first to see if it is a common problem. ~125K New England miles on the truck in case it matters.

 

[97-4xFunner]

Wow i just started experiencing the same issue this spring and didn't think of posting the ?. I too have contemplated the same questions. If I figure out the answer, I will post.

 

[Charlee78]

Hi, in the wiper motor, there is an internal switch that stays on and gives power to the motor until they are returned to the "park" position.


You guys will need a new wiper motor assembly...

 

[SkidPalace]

Hmmm. Sounds like the guy was right. I'm not sure If I should go for a salvaged wiper motor or a remanufactured/new unit.

 

[Charlee78]

salvaged one has any warranty on it?
What is the difference in price?

 

[LINY4Runner]

for future reference, don't take repair advice from part guys. I would say 97% of them have no idea what they're talking about and should never be giving advice to anyone.

As far as the wiper problem goes, it does sound like the electronics inside the motor, but do some testing to narrow it down, maybe you can get away with just re-soldering a spot or two and save yourself a couple hundred bucks?

 

[desertred]

Little late to this party, but.....

I have started experiencing the same thing on my 4Runner. However, I was experiencing the exact same thing on my 88 Jeep XJ. With the XJ, it is common for the plastic bushings in the linkage for the windshield wipers to wear down and cause slack in the system. Replacing the bushings (a $3.00 bag of parts at the local auto parts store) solved the return parking problem. Does anyone know if this could be a problem in the 4Runner?

 

[Charlee78]

Wiper linkage in toyotas are rods with plastic bushings, when they wear down, you just lose one wiper or both at the same time. The wiper arm dosen't get loose.

 

[SkidPalace]

Wiper update

Update:
I have since bought a salvaged wiper motor off of the Bay and after a swap-in, I am still in the same situation. No parking and sketchy intermittent wipers. By the way, if any of you use a Haynes manual to help you swap a wiper motor, don't bother with removing the cowl. It is completely unnecessary. Also, it is not necessary to take off the wipers either. Just pull the four bolts and yank the motor. It's that simple.
Well, I tested the connections on the motor directly as per the Haynes manual procedure and it appears that both the new and old wiper motors are working properly. Had I simply tested the motor first, I would have saved myself $35. No worries, the new motor which has only 65K miles on it seems a bit stonger than mine with 125K. I'm keeping it.
So that leaves me with confirmation of my original inclination. It's got to be the switch.
The Haynes manual say I need to disassemble the steeing wheel to access the switch assembly.
Has anyone undertaken this procedure and if so, would they recommend it to a novice mechanic like myself?
I do see that they use a special tool to remove the actual steering wheel, not sure if I can manage without one.
Any other thoughts besides a faulty wiper switch?

 

[PossumJenkins]

I have the exact same problem with my 2000. The only difference is that I had no warning it just stopped completely. Since I live in Phoenix I havent worried about it too much since we get rain maybe once every couple of months. I have not taken it anywhere to get looked at because I know its going to be expensive. Weird thing with mine is that the rear wiper works just fine.

 

[SkidPalace]

I have the exact same problem with my 2000. The only difference is that I had no warning it just stopped completely. Since I live in Phoenix I havent worried about it too much since we get rain maybe once every couple of months. I have not taken it anywhere to get looked at because I know its going to be expensive. Weird thing with mine is that the rear wiper works just fine.

Get yourself a haynes troubleshooting manual and test the terminals on the motor by jumping directly to the battery. That will tell you if the motor is bad or not. It's a fairly easy process. I just used a ~6 foot length of speaker wire to which I crimped some female spade connectors. You will need a little ~4" female to female jumper as well.

 

[PossumJenkins]

Thanks I will give it a try!

 

[SkidPalace]

Thanks I will give it a try!

Consider yourself lucky if you only need a front wiper motor. You should be able to find them on eBay for cheap. Look for one from a reputable salvage operation. Mine came with the vehicle's VIN and a pic of the dash showing the mileage, which was relatively low. The part came with a warranty as well. I think it was $29.99 plus shipping.
Swapping the motor is a 10 minute operation if you skip the wiper arm and cowl removal as mentioned in the haynes manual.

 

[PossumJenkins]

Just curious but do you think it might just be the motor since the rear wiper is working?

 

[PossumJenkins]

Is the motor the same for the 4Cyl motor?

 

[SkidPalace]

Just curious but do you think it might just be the motor since the rear wiper is working?

I wouldn't be able to guess as I'm no mechanic, but obviously the rear wiper switch and motor work properly. Either the front wiper switch, motor, wiring between the two or wiring between the motor and power are not working.
That's the rub, trying to figure out which is at fault.
I'd start with the low-hanging fruit. Check your fuses, then check if the motor itself is working the way it is supposed to.
The manual makes no differentiation between the 4 cyl and the 6. It should be the same wiper motor.

 

[moneypit]

Wiper park switch

Inside the motor is a switch that is cam actuated and provides power to the wiper motor when it is turned off until the park position is reached. I don't have a motor to look into but I have enclosed a PDF image of the circuit. Maybe the switch is broken or a wire is loose. The one from the junkyard may have the same problem as yours. The illustration shows the cam switch at the bottom right of the page

 

[SkidPalace]

So a year went by and I still have front wipers that wont park. I am going to bite the bullet and buy a replacement wiper switch.
Anyone have any last minute ideas on what I could try so as to save me a few bucks?
Also, advice on pulling the steering wheel would be appreciated. Do you need the special tool mentioned in the manual?
Final question, searching ebay for "toyota wiper switch" yields many similar looking switches from Camrys, Sequoias, etc. Anyone know which parts are interchangeable?

 

[03v8sportt4r]

I think you will be safe with just the switch. The switch sends a signal to the motor as well as a voltage to run the motor. If the motor is running then the motor works. The switch it what times the motor to stop. At least this is how the 03 and newer ones work. I had the same issue on my 03 and thats what fixed it. Hope it works and keep me posted.

 

[SkidPalace]

Good deal. My money is on the switch also. My replacement switch just came in from ebay yesterday. I was able to snag one for $15 shipped.
Hopefully I can get it installed this weekend.
I still need to figure out if I can get the steering wheel off without the special tool mentioned in the Haynes manual.