Rear wiper not working (1 Viewer)

[PacWon60]

Hello all,
I’m trying to see if I can get a little help. I am trying to fix my rear wiper that has not worked since I bought my 60. I’ve been reading wires and know that I’m getting power to the connector in the back left quarter panel but am not getting any at the wiper motor. I found a wire that is green and blue and am hoping someone knows what it is supposed to go to. (It was routed into the back window frame but wasn’t connected to anything, it is just pulled through for the picture). This wire was necessary when reading down bellow to get 12V with the wiper switch on, so I’m pretty sure this is my issue just don’t know where it connects! Thanks in advance.
- Chris

 

[Pepperana]

I have the same problem. I heard from cruiserworld that sometimes the ground is nog good.
Ground is made with the Hinge and its not always working.

 

[John Staton]

Lets see those rifle holders you have there in the back window....do they work good? what are you putting in them? where did you get them??

 

[Reedo311]

I had some rust in my quarter panel and it resulted in some bad corrosion in the wiring connectors. Which led to all sorts of issues with voltage drop. I just finished replacing the connectors and re wiring the rear.

That wire in your picture almost looks like the defrost wire, although according to my (‘83) wiring diagram it would be blue and black. On my truck the defrost wire is about that length and it pops out that small hole in the frame where it connects to the defrost on the window.

 

[Seth S]

Rear wipers on these not that beneficial. Can pull the wiper linkage and motor out. Plug the wiper hole. And lighten up your hatch. Then use the switch for something else.

 

[PacWon60]

I have the same problem. I heard from cruiserworld that sometimes the ground is nog good.
Ground is made with the Hinge and its not always working.

I should have mentioned before: I rigged it up to a test lead I made to ground it out. I tested the spot I used as a ground and had good continuity. I also read this wire to ground and had somewhere in the ball park of 20 ohms. Which is too high to be a good ground in general. Still not sure.

 

[PacWon60]

Lets see those rifle holders you have there in the back window....do they work good? what are you putting in them? where did you get them??

It’s just a basic old rear truck window gun rack. I bought this one on Amazon. I use it for fishing poles and my axe mainly. I have test fit a few guns I have down here but wouldn’t role around southern Cali with them in there. I also wouldn’t go rock bouncing on a trail or anything like that. I’m from Oregon and will be back there someday. Currently stuck down in SoCal... thanks to the military!

 

[PacWon60]

I had some rust in my quarter panel and it resulted in some bad corrosion in the wiring connectors. Which led to all sorts of issues with voltage drop. I just finished replacing the connectors and re wiring the rear.

That wire in your picture almost looks like the defrost wire, although according to my (‘83) wiring diagram it would be blue and black. On my truck the defrost wire is about that length and it pops out that small hole in the frame where it connects to the defrost on the window.

Most of the wiring looked pretty good. I did de-pin and clean all the connections though. I also read for continuity from the wiper motor to the connector in the rear left quarter panel (pictured).Wires read good, just can’t find where this blue and green wire connects. Also I think my rear glass was replaced at some point. I do not have the rear defrost filament. I do however have this random ground on the opposite side, looks like it could do the same thing as your ground.
What wire diagrams are you using? I haven’t gotten any for this rig yet and am interested to find a good set of them (I should have got them a long time ago seeing as though I’m an electrician by trade )

 

[PacWon60]

Rear wipers on these not that beneficial. Can pull the wiper linkage and motor out. Plug the wiper hole. And lighten up your hatch. Then use the switch for something else.

I see where your coming from, however I would like to get it working!

 

[3_puppies]

IIRCC there is another connector under the headliner near the driver side hinge.

your window doesn't look like it has a defrost grid in it.
is there another wire on the passenger side that looks like the one on the driver side? they both would connect to the defrost grid.

 

[Reedo311]

Yep the loose ground wire in the passenger side is the other half of the defrost circuit. You could test your blue/green wire. Does it have 12v when the defrost switch is on?

 

[PacWon60]

IIRCC there is another connector under the headliner near the driver side hinge.

your window doesn't look like it has a defrost grid in it.
is there another wire on the passenger side that looks like the one on the driver side? they both would connect to the defrost grid.

I didn’t look in there for a connector but it’s possible. I am reading good continuity from the Lower connector to this wire though, which leads me to think regardless of if there is a connector there or not, I’m reading good so I shouldn’t need to mess with it.
You are correct that I do not have the defrost filament (or rear grid). On the passenger side the only wire is the ground, there is only the wiper fluid hose that is running into the hatch from the headliner. That ground makes sense to me if I had the defrost grid in place. What I don’t understand is why this green and blue wire is sending voltage through when I have my rear wiper switch on, that to me means it is necessary for its operation and would let have anything to do with the defrost anyways, correct?

 

[PacWon60]

Yep the loose ground wire in the passenger side is the other half of the defrost circuit. You could test your blue/green wire. Does it have 12v when the defrost switch is on?

Can’t hurt to try it! I’ll let ya know.

 

[Reedo311]

Here’s a few pictures of the wiring diagram.

 

[PacWon60]

So turns out that the wire in question was for the (non-excitant) rear defrost grid. Still don’t know why the wiper isn’t working any ideas where to go from here?

 

[3_puppies]

have you tried just running a ground wire from hatch to body?
did you say you had 12volt at the lower connector?
need to try the top connector?
you need to keep chasing the wire from the upper connector into the hatch to the wiper motor.
did you run 12volt to the wiper motor itself and see if it works?

could be simple as the wire pinched where it goes into the hatch????

 

[MoCoNative]

Grounding the hatch and tailgate is key to making the wiper and rear cargo light work correctly and the license plate lights work consistently. The hinges do not provide a good ground after 30 some years.

I have had the washer hose rot and break in the headliner area. The single wire to the license plate lights has broken twice over the years. Very possible the wires have broken in the boot where the top hatch hinges, but rereading this you say you had continuity there.

Id still mess with ground. The very mounting of the motor may effect ground if it is corroded.

 

[micruz60]

Do you have the FSM? There is a detailed check on this system. I had the same problem, chased down a weak motor. Removed it from the liftgate and bench tested as per the FSM, also needed to check the dash switch continuity itself. Was solved by cleaning innards of motor, cleaning gunk at hinges for better ground, but it only works halfass, not really great. Running the front wipers seems to help the rear wiper, when running the washer fluid to rear wiper, it seems more robust- hope this helps!