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Windshield wipers quit working on the 1998 Suburban Any ideas?

J

jrsavoie

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Windshield wipers quit working on the 1998 Suburban Any ideas?

yesterday.

Does anybody have any ideas on the usual suspects?

Any part numbers related to those usual problems?

Thanks
Jeff
 
Printed circuit board on the wiper motor. I don't usually replace them. I re-solder the bad solder on the board. If you remove the 2 torx screws on the black cover, the circuit board will pull right out. You can get replacement ones at just about any parts house or just re-solder the one you have. It could be the actual motor it's self, but 95% of the time it is the circuit board. Check to make sure you have power and ground at the connector for the circuit board.
 
Gotta love not being able to edit. Got cancelled mid-edit.

Dorman says the 2 part numbers are for the exact same part.

From Rockauto
DORMAN Part # 88136 {#12463039, 12463090, 906136} Front Wiper Pulse Board
Category: Wiper Motor Pulse Board Module

$18.44
Add to Cart
ACDELCO Part # 12463039
Category: Pulse Wiper Relay (Only 4 Remaining)

$65.89
Add to Cart
ACDELCO Part # 19178233 {#12463039} replaces 12463039
Category: Pulse Wiper Relay

$80.79
Add to Cart
AIRTEX / WELLS Part # 6H1385 {#12365317, 12367224, 12368701, 12463039, 19178233, 22144496, DR162}
Category: Wiper Motor Pulse Board Module

* Non-stock item--shipping delayed up to 2 business days
 
I assume you have checked for loose fuses etc?

Radio Shack, Qty 1 Soldering Iron, Qty 1 spool of electrical solder. Solder the cracked joints for the connector on the board as suggested above. Carry on for another 100K miles... The cracks are visible and on big joints that are all but impossible to mess up even with zero soldering skills. You don't even have to remove the board from the motor assy - just get the black cover off. The joints will be in plain sight and you can work on them.
 
I haven't checked for anything yet. The Burb is 8 miles away. Forgot to get a ride this morning. It will have to wait til tomorrow.

Dorman is made in South Korea. AC Delco said they were made in Mexico, USA or Canada
 
Yeah, well just remember the one you got was made in Canada or the USA and they are so defective we all know what went wrong and how to fix it.

Same as OPS and PMD.

Just because it's made on the continent is no guarantee it's good.

They decided to cold-solder those circuit boards and every last one of them craps out, eventually. 10 minutes with a soldering iron and you're golden, Jeff.
 
Hey jeff, one if the guys just pointed out that I was being a snot- and I sure didn't mean it that way, so I need to apologize if it reads like that.

I am SO tired of buying crap that I end up having to repair or replace every part I buy these days... Lately, it seems where it's made is not the issue... HOW it's made is. Everybody wants to cut corners on quality, and I'd pay extra to know I had reliable parts.

I think most of the time, you're better off fixing parts like the wiper board, because then at least you know it's done right.

Rant over... Sorry for coming off like a jerk.
 
Never noticed it was snotty o'clock. I think everybody is tired of the shoddy parts. I keep eliminating plces to buy from as I get bad parts. I'm going to have to make my own parts pretty soon. I'll be out of places to buy from.

The wipers worked tonight. I doubt I'll get to messing with it for a few weeks now. Having the right rotator rebuilt next week if the other Docs give me the go ahead. That'll set me back a while. I've got 3 days of Doc appointments between now and then & several other things that I really need to get done before I get all chopped up.

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated.

JiFaire said:
Hey jeff, one if the guys just pointed out that I was being a snot- and I sure didn't mean it that way, so I need to apologize if it reads like that.

I am SO tired of buying crap that I end up having to repair or replace every part I buy these days... Lately, it seems where it's made is not the issue... HOW it's made is. Everybody wants to cut corners on quality, and I'd pay extra to know I had reliable parts.

I think most of the time, you're better off fixing parts like the wiper board, because then at least you know it's done right.

Rant over... Sorry for coming off like a jerk.
Click to expand...
 
It is said that re-soldering fixes it, and I will see on my 91 diesel and dad's 92, but on my 91 gasser, I never noticed any broken connections anywhere, so I figured something was bad, like TD's relay, or some other aspect of the board, so I ended up going to the chevy dealer and getting a new one, installed it, and has worked perfectly since. I figured it could be the same situation with my 91 diesel, so I ordered one from the chevy dealer last time I was in.

Edit: just checked the part number and the receipt, and it appears I paid just short of 100 bucks for it, and its made in mexico. Shit. This may even warrant a return, sadly I didnt look at the receipt till now, I had a list of stuff I needed, but apparently I didnt check price on every item, and the total sounded fair, so I went with it. I am kinda pissed now. definitely check for bad solder before replacing, and even after the knowledge of this obscene price, I would still reluctantly go with the delco if your board is totally bad, as with most electronics, it just seems to last.

P.S. the exterior door handle made in canada was cheaper, and made in canada. that makes me feel alot better! :)
 
I think it is in the joke thread allready, but it went something like: I was feeling down in the dumps about life, the economy, etc. on my way home, I saw a sign that said "need help? call Jesus, 679 565 6743" so i called the number, and ten minutes later a mexican with a lawnmower pulled into my drive.
 
I haven't had any problems with my pickup wipers,--yet. But the 98 Astro rear wipers were very random in operation. Sometimes banging on the rear hatch, or opening and closing it would make it work. I took things apart and when I wiggled the wires into the motor the motor would work. The motor was sealed so I replaced the motor, didn't work. I followed the wires up to a little black box. I opened the box and found a controller board in it. After careful inspection I found bad solder joints on the connector plug. Easy fix.

Moral of the story, it's not just the pickups/burbs that have that problem.

Don
 
Every once in a while mine will quit working too, -and when turning the viper contact all the way to "fast" a funny sound will start from the wiper motor.
Then i wriggle the connection plug, and they will start viping again.... for a period.
 
Is this what the wiper motor is supposed to look like?

Seems like the grease could block connection.

Didn't see anyhting wrong with the solder spots.

The wipers have been working intermintently since I started this thread. It makes a humming sound when not working.
 

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