QuestionThey sporadically rest in the full up position instead of going back in the regular stow position under the hood...my dealer can't get them to do it and my warranty runs out next week. Help.
AnswerHello Laurie,
A windshielld wiper operates like this:
A small electric motor has an arm on it that is attached to the wipers. As the motor spins, the wipers are pushed and pulled. Sometimes, the electric motor is equipped with a gear, and there is a second gear that has the wiper control arm on it. If this gear becomes worn, then it could start slipping, causing the wipers to rest in a different position when the electric motor is shut off in its correct position. See if your Venture has this gear; if it does, make sure it isn't just slipping.
If you have no gear, or you do but it isn't slipping, your Venture may be equipped with a sensor that measures the angle of the wipers, which feeds this angle data to the wiper control computer, which then determines where to put the wipers. If this sensor is faulty or malfunctioning, then it may need to be replaced. It could be one of two types of sensors:
A laser-and-mirror, or
An electromagnet, like the one on a bike.
If you have the first one, there is little you could do besides replacing it.
If you have the second one, then it works like this: there is two magnets on the round part of the wiper where it connects to the electric motor or near the windsheild. These magnets are placed apart, and when the wiper operates, the magnets cross a small sensor, which determines which angle they are at. If one magnet fell off or moved, the angle is read wrong, and the wipers are placed at the wrong position. This could be fixed by a repair shop, the dealership, or by yourself.
Hope this helps you!
-Ray A. Hawk
