96-SL500 Headlight Washer Motor

[jdonnee]

I have a problem with one of the headlight wiper blades not moving from the upright position. This seems to cause the washer fluid motor to run continuously.

a. I am assuming that since one headlight wiper blade works fine that there are two motors for the wipers. Where is the right motor located?

b. Where is the connector that I can disconnect that will turn off the washer fluid pump to the headlight wiper units.

I want to stop the washer pump until I can trouble shoot the wiper blade motor.

Thanks

[speace]

There are others here that can give you more details, but if yours is made like my 92 SL the pumps are located in rubber grommets on the sides of the WW Reservoir. There is an electric plug on the top of each pump you can disconnect to stop the pump. One pump is for the headlight washers and the other is for the windshield washers. I think the one on the front of the reservoir is for the headlights.

It seems that if a mechanical problem with the wiper prevents it from completing the cycle and parking, it leaves the switch acivated for the pump and it will drain the reservoir. On the early versions of the pumps there was a recall because the pumps could overheat and cause a fire if they continued to run while dry.

A lot of folks have unplugged their Headlight pumps and left them that way...

Oh, yeah, there are two motors. They are behind and under each headight.
I have never removed or accessed the motor and gear box.

Good luck!

[jdonnee]

Thanks for your answer. I am not sure if I really understand what the problem is.

When I turn on the headlights, I can hear a motor running that I never heard before. I did see that the right headlight wiper blade was not in the horizontal position. This motor sound occurs when the headlight are on even when the wiper is not turned on. I do not hear the sound when the lights are off.

Does this sound like a bad headlight wiper motor?

[speace]

I would unplug the washer pump and see if the motor sound stops. The headlight washers and wipers only operate when the headlights are on and the windshield washers are activated. The headlight washer pump power is somehow tied to the headlight wiper in that if a wiper does not return to the horizontal position it can cause the washer pump to continue to run and pump the reservoir dry. I presume that scenario would require the headlights to be on also but am not sure.

In your case, the main problem could be the wiper motor, but more likely the gear box. I believe the wiper motor and gear box are serviced as an assembly. I have read posts on this site about servicing them. I have not removed a wiper assembly and would prefer that someone that has done it be the one to tell you how to remove it.

If the wiper motor is running all the time and not the pump, there is a plug in the harness that can be disconnected. I think you said it was the right side, so, if you lift out the washer reservior to access the washer pumps, I think you will see the harness right there that feeds the wiper motor.

Good Luck!

[Mike Miller]

I gave up trying on my '92. I disconnected everything. The wipers are more for show than anything anyway. They still look great on the car and everybody thinks the work! I'm cool with that.