My wipers have a mind of their own.
 

Bet you didn't know that the 123 had the option of automatic wipers. They come on when it rains.;):D Mine are acting funny and come randomly, and will stay on in the intermittent setting unless I turn them on and off. I've also noticed that the fast setting doesn't work. Anyone have any ideas why my wipers would turn themselves on randomly.

Since the "high speed" position does not work, I would first suspect the switch on the stalk. Another possible cause is a worn/dirty/corroded contact in the "parking" position of the wiper motor. The wiper keeps thinking that it has to make "just one more" sweep and then park itself and shut off.

Good thing it doesn't rain much down there then:)

I'd go with a bad stalk. Easier to swap out on a W123 than a W124. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

Anyone ever taken the stalk itself apart? Seems like it should come apart, but it may not go back together. The paint is all perfect on mine so I hate to get rid of it, and it's $160 for a new one. The stalks are particular to years at least in the early 123s as well, so junkyard finds will be a little difficult.

So I poked around the stalk today. The end of it comes off and then you can get to the internals of the combo switch that does all the wiper stuff. It looks like there was water in the stalk at some point, I pulled it at a junk yard a few years back so it could have collected some water. Anyway, I cleaned the contacts, or at least what I could get to, and put it back together. I got the fastest wiper selection back, but I'll have to see if the "automatic" wiper option is gone or not. Here's to hoping. I'll report back.

Feels good huh, ;) you mentioned differences in the EARLY 123 stalks, could you elaborate for future reference?

I'm not really sure on the particulars but when I put a stalk from a 78 240 in to a 77 300D I had the horn was always on when I turn the key on. So there is some differences in the way the wiring is in the switch. It might be associated with the 300D having cruise and the 240 didn't. I know the cruise is a different stalk but it gets grounded through the wiper stalk.

I also noticed today when tinkering with a couple spare stalks that the internals of the wiper switch at the end of the stalk are different. They are constructed a little differently.

thanks, I asked because a friend has a 'stalk' problem and we were just going to swap one from a parts car. I assumed they were all the same, they all look the same;) good too know you fixed yours.

So far after two days of driving with no rain the wipers haven't turned themselves on. :D

good show on your fix.

In regard to the differences in multiswitches, as these cars age and theres less and less around, I'm taking my parts cars more seriously and knowing what works in what is becoming important. We lost "Benz Friendz" up here so that was the end of a major source of plentiful and cheap parts:(:(

I hear ya. And some new parts prices are skyrocketing. A few years ago I bought a new fuel level sender for like 60 or 80 bucks. Last year they we're about $180, now they want $260 for one:eek::eek:

Just an update, it's been almost a week now. And no magic wipers! They only do what I tell them, they are very obedient now:D

It sometimes takes a strong hand to keep control of these beasts:D

I had a safari wagon, missing cover on the intermittent relay. Wipers worked fine unless it was raining.