Wipers, Seat Heaters Suddenly DOA

[vandyboy]

Suddenly, I have no functioning wipers and seat heaters. This occured after my radio was snatched out of my dash about a month ago and is it possible the two instances are related? I have checked all fuses and they are fine. Power is getting to the fuse box for the wipers and seat heaters?

Does anyone have any ideas on what suddenly happened? Could these issues be happenstance or are they related? Any ideas on how to proceed to fix the wipers and seat heaters?

Thanks!
Rob

[Rineheitzgabot]

If you know that power is getting to the fuse box (if not, then nothing would work), then you must have a way of checking it. A simple test light is a great way to do it-hopefully that's what you have. If not, then go get one for less than five bucks, and google it, to learn how to use it; it should take seconds to learn.

Since you know you have power at the FB, go to the application (or directly in front of) and see if there is power in the wire. If there is, it is the application itself that is burned out/worn out, etc. I would guess that this is not the case since it would mean that BOTH items burned out/wore out at the same time. The odds of this are slim. If there is not power directly leading into the application, then work your way back to the fuse box, checking for power along the way. If there is not power at the application, you will eventually find a short in the circuit.

I would bet that, somewhere in each of these circuits, a connection has come loose. It may be related to the "radio-kype". I wonder, is there a junction box, or harness in the dash that came loose from the violent behavior of a stereo-theft, and that might have seat heaters/ wipers as a common denominator? If so, this is where you should focus.

Hope this helps.

[vandyboy]

Thanks for your help!

I'll check some wiring diagrams and see if indeed there is a harness or junction in the dash near the radio. I will also check for power at the items themselves.

Thanks again!

[Hammer38]

There's a relay in the engine fuse box that might control these things. Does your radio work? I used to be able to pull wiring diagrams, but I can't anymore. I think it's a yellow relay......I saw this problem once, but I just can't remember what that relay controls, but I think the radio is in there circuit.

[vandyboy]

Still SOL on wipers, seat heaters

Now I have discovered that there is no power getting to the fuse box for both items. Radio works. As I stated earlier, someone ripped the prior radio out of the dash. Could the in-dash wiring harness have been affected?

[Rineheitzgabot]

Trace the wires that lead TO the fuse box (that power those accesories), back to their source. Look for a short there. Use the test light again.

This should be somewhat of a relief, because it suggests that the problem is not the accessories, but rather the power source.

To answer your question, yes.

[Hammer38]

Now I have discovered that there is no power getting to the fuse box for both items. Radio works. As I stated earlier, someone ripped the prior radio out of the dash. Could the in-dash wiring harness have been affected?

The in car fuse boxes were notorious for being faulty. If no power was getting to the fuse box, you would have other issues. I believe the wiper relay is internal to that fuse box. Again, I don't have access to wiring diagrams anymore, so I'm just going off of things I remember seeing.

[vandyboy]

Thanks again for your suggestions. My friend who is a mechanic is coming over today with his electrical tester tools. We are going to check the in-dash harness and some of the relays!

A new twist to the saga: the lights on my replacement radio came on when I turned on the headlights last night but it would not power up or turn on!

If we cannot solve this mystery, I am taking the "English Patient" to the shop on Monday!

Happy holidays to all!