Wipers on the '03... time to dig in deeper. Pics added

[crash93ssei]

I didn't know how to get them off either and broke all of them. The cowl on the 03 has been just sitting in place now for about two years without clips and haven't had any issues. Not saying to break them, but if you do it don't be the end of the world.

[imidazol97]

Replaced my motor. Thanks for the outline of the work steps.

I broke most of the push clips trying to get them out. I am looking for replacement clips to put back in.

I can add some things I learned hoping it will help the next person.

Removing the wipers is difficult. I did not want to twist too much and damage the pivot bearings.
I recommend the Lisle battery terminal puller/wiper arm remover. It worked great. It has thin arms that would go between the arm and the top of the pivot. I saw it on the internet and found one at a local parts place. My Cobalt wiper arm remover with a claw type foot was too thick.

The power cord for the motor is held in place by a push pin into the plate with the motor. Note, there is also a thin spring wire that goes around one of the guide posts that position the motor into the holding plate. That wire holds the power cable away from moving linkage. Be sure to put it back.

After removing the cowl and the arms, you can move the drive arm on the motor to the driver side, due East. Gently but firm push on it and the gear inside will spin the motor despite the screw threads. Then the wiper assembly has the moving parts compacted a little and removing the passenger side is easier. After that the motor end lifts up and out.

Removing the motor drive arm from the motor's shaft after removing the nut required the Lisle puller also: the drive arm goes onto fine splines and had frozen in.

When reinstallling, that motor drive arm will need to be full West, toward the passenger side, to put the assembly into park position. Be sure to follow Crash93SSEI's guide on running motor with nothing attached to put the motor and logic board into park. Then add the drive arm link facing West. Then run the wiper assembly through a cycle without the arms in place. Be sure the motor drive arm is due West pointing toward the passenger side when parked. Then reattach wiper arms putting the wipers right on the brown marks on the windshield glass that show the park position.

[imidazol97]

The cowl on the 03 has been just sitting in place now for about two years without clips and haven't had any issues.

The center of the clip is supposed to push down and then the prongs that stick out move in and the clip comes out. Mine were mostly broken.

The windshield replacement guy told me to just get straight push clips about 3 times the diameter of the one he had in his truck...

Available at most box stores on the Dorman rack for fasteners... #963-005
I recommend heating them before pushing them in . The fins tend to break easily as they push in. I lost one out of 6 in the package. I recommend the larger package for $.50 more.

[bawb]

Just wondering if the new motor fixed your crazy wipers. I got the random wiper recently, the dealer replaced the motor and selector stalk, I went to the car wash and the problem came back.

[crash93ssei]

Yes, new motor fixed it for a while, but somehow water got into that motor as well and killed it as well as the next one. I am now on the fourth wiper motor for my 03 and this one I made sure to seal it good so there is no way water will get in it now.

[bawb]

Oh man, sounds like I will have to take it back and let them deal with it. Thanks for the quick reply.

[crash93ssei]

No problem. For what it's worth, I have seen many of these 2000+ Bonnevilles have this wiper issue and every case except for one it has always been the wiper motor assembly getting water inside that causes the wipers to either run on their own or not run at all. The one case that it isn't the wiper motor I am still not entirely sure on as the guy hardly ever posts, but said something about the wiper switch in the column is what he thinks now... I however still suspect that the wiper motor is the issue and he likely got a faulty replacement.

[entourage]

Just experienced the same thing with my 02 Bonneville.
I picked up the wiper motor from my parts store, swapped it out and it's still doing the same thing...won't turn off. :(

Would it be worth trying another motor or should I look for some other solution??

[crash93ssei]

Just experienced the same thing with my 02 Bonneville.
I picked up the wiper motor from my parts store, swapped it out and it's still doing the same thing...won't turn off. :(

Would it be worth trying another motor or should I look for some other solution??

The unit you got is likely refurbished and should have been tested before going back on the shelf, but that doesn't 100% eliminate the possibility of getting a bad one. If the parts store isn't too far away and they will exchange it for free, I would try another just to be sure.

If it still fails with the second replacement then I would suspect a faulty wiper switch in the steering column.

[entourage]

Is the switch difficult to replace? I'm guessing local stores don't carry them anyway...

My parts store isn't that far, so I think I'll just try another one. I have on or high, but no intermittent or off.

[crash93ssei]

I did edit my post to include try another if they will swap for free. I would hate to see you buy two and ne screwed out if $200.

[imidazol97]

Yes, new motor fixed it for a while, but somehow water got into that motor as well and killed it as well as the next one. I am now on the fourth wiper motor for my 03 and this one I made sure to seal it good so there is no way water will get in it now.

The motor and control housing had a tube that went onto the only vent hole for mine. That tube then went into the middle of the main tube of the skeleton for the moving parts to the other wiper, ie it vented into the middle of a 15 inch long tube so there was no way (almost) to get water into the vent rubber tube.

I took the old motor apart and the two rubbing contacts that tell the motor when it reaches the off position probably had moisture in the grease and were skipping--not making contact. That was telling my motor that it was in the stop position. Then it would start again after the automatic delay timer told it to move.Or the huge amount of grease kept it from making contact.

[crash93ssei]

The issue with mine is that vent tube was either missing or never installed to begin with. I have never seen anything like that vent tube you describe on my Bonneville.

The problem was surely not too much grease or water making contact on the clock wheel, it was the corroded circuitry and water allowing an electrical connection from one point to the other making the wipers either run or not run whenever they felt the need to.

I am disassembling my 2000 SE right now and will see if this vent tube you describe is there.

[donn188]

Looking to fix my wiper problem before I leave for work again, as I won't be back home until summer to get anything done on my car. Wipers work great on low or high, but when on delay or using the mist function, they're very jerky, almost like the arms are too tight or something. Should I start by replacing the motor? Obviously I'll open it up & check it out once I get it out. Thanks guys!

[crash93ssei]

I would open it up and check for water damage before buying a new one.

[donn188]

Will definitely be doing that after pricing a new one

[crash93ssei]

Last I looked a new / reman one was about $100

[sporsref]

Replaced the module was good for a day now I have the same problem. Any suggestions?

[crash93ssei]

Likely the same problem. The new one was likely a reman that could have failed, I went through quite a few of them. They take old broken ones and solder wires on to jump the circuits that are corroded and lose connection, you could have gotten water in it again. There is supposed to be a vent tube on the top of the wiper motor that goes into the tube / frame for the wiper arms that is the vent, my car was missing that tube and I believe that is the point of entry for the water, maybe some cars got overlooked for this tube?

[imidazol97]

...you could have gotten water in it again. There is supposed to be a vent tube on the top of the wiper motor that goes into the tube / frame for the wiper arms that is the vent, my car was missing that tube and I believe that is the point of entry for the water, maybe some cars got overlooked for this tube?

That tube is #7 in this diagram. It's just a rubber tube. It goes over the opening on the motor housing and goes into the tube #1 that is the brace to the right side. The end of the vent is in the middle of that tube so it's next to impossible for water to get into the vent tube and on into the motor.

http://www.genmotorinfo.com/FullImage.a ... 17GM10-109