Wiper delay not working

[Cristian Di Filippo]

Hi, hope all is well with everyone.

My windshield wipers work as intended except for one aspect: the wiper delay does not work. I’m stuck with either low or high power. Also, the tab on top of the signal/wiper does not appear to do anything. This is my first YJ and the paint is a little worse for wear on the aforementioned tab so I’m not sure what it’s intended function is supposed to be.

I would greatly appreciate if someone could advise on how to diagnose my lack of intermittent wiper function, and inform me as to the use of the tab labeled “push” on top of the wiper/signal stalk.

1991 Jeep YJ S4.0L, 60,000 miles

 

[Fouledplugs]

Hi, hope all is well with everyone.

My windshield wipers work as intended except for one aspect: the wiper delay does not work. I’m stuck with either low or high power. Also, the tab on top of the signal/wiper does not appear to do anything. This is my first YJ and the paint is a little worse for wear on the aforementioned tab so I’m not sure what it’s intended function is supposed to be.

I would greatly appreciate if someone could advise on how to diagnose my lack of intermittent wiper function, and inform me as to the use of the tab labeled “push” on top of the wiper/signal stalk.

1991 Jeep YJ S4.0L, 60,000 miles

60k miles? She must be a beauty.

The delayed wipers are very touchy in my YJ. If I turn it to full on, well they are full on. If I back it off just a hair, I notice a nice reasonable delay. If I back it off 1/4 to 1/2 an inch, the delay is like 10 mins. Its funky.

On my YJ, pushing it causes the window squirters to activate. I’ll double check this afternoon.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Hi, hope all is well with everyone.

My windshield wipers work as intended except for one aspect: the wiper delay does not work. I’m stuck with either low or high power. Also, the tab on top of the signal/wiper does not appear to do anything. This is my first YJ and the paint is a little worse for wear on the aforementioned tab so I’m not sure what it’s intended function is supposed to be.

I would greatly appreciate if someone could advise on how to diagnose my lack of intermittent wiper function, and inform me as to the use of the tab labeled “push” on top of the wiper/signal stalk.

1991 Jeep YJ S4.0L, 60,000 miles

A new wiper switch might fix your problems.

 

[Flyer58]

A new wiper switch might fix your problems.

Good point because a previous owner may have installed a new turn signal/wiper stalk that doesn't match the original. I bet the wiper delay was an option back then.

I say this because I had a jeep JK like this after someone added cruise control and the stalk had a wiper delay marking but that switch delay function wasn't installed.

Did the wiper delay ever work?

 

[Cristian Di Filippo]

60k miles? She must be a beauty.

The delayed wipers are very touchy in my YJ. If I turn it to full on, well they are full on. If I back it off just a hair, I notice a nice reasonable delay. If I back it off 1/4 to 1/2 an inch, the delay is like 10 mins. Its funky.

On my YJ, pushing it causes the window squirters to activate. I’ll double check this afternoon.

60k miles? She must be a beauty.

The delayed wipers are very touchy in my YJ. If I turn it to full on, well they are full on. If I back it off just a hair, I notice a nice reasonable delay. If I back it off 1/4 to 1/2 an inch, the delay is like 10 mins. Its funky.

On my YJ, pushing it causes the window squirters to activate. I’ll double check this afternoon.

Thank you very much, I’ve been doing some more digging online and suspect the delay module might be the cause, but if not I may look into a new switch.

And thank you for identifying the mysterious tab as well.

 

[Cristian Di Filippo]

Good point because a previous owner may have installed a new turn signal/wiper stalk that doesn't match the original. I bet the wiper delay was an option back then.

I say this because I had a jeep JK like this after someone added cruise control and the stalk had a wiper delay marking but that switch delay function wasn't installed.

Did the wiper delay ever work?

Yea switch replacement might solve my problem, but first I might replace the delay module under the dash. They haven’t worked since I Purchased the Jeep in September.

 

[machoheadgames]

My Wiper delay didn't work when i first got my YJ, if you set it to delay, it would take too long so I'd give up and turn it off. So I thought it didn't work anyways. Then I left it in delay one day and after probably 20 minutes it started to work. then another day I tried it again, started working quicker at around 10 minutes. Anyways, over time using the delay feature, it finally fixed itself and works properly. very odd how it was like that, but if I put it on the slowest delay now, I think it's around a minute per wipe, but it always works, and of course delays less and less the more I rotate it, until it's in Lo mode and then of course, hi mode. I'd set it to delay and wait a while to see if it starts to work.

 

[Cristian Di Filippo]

My Wiper delay didn't work when i first got my YJ, if you set it to delay, it would take too long so I'd give up and turn it off. So I thought it didn't work anyways. then I left it in delay one day and after probably 20 minutes it started to work. then another day I tried it again, started working quicker. anyways, over time using the delay feature, it finally fixed itself and works properly. very odd how it was like that, but if I put it on the slowest delay, I think it's around a minute, but it always works. I'd set it to delay and wait a while to see if it starts to work.

Thank you very much I’ll try this before I go taking anything apart.

 

[machoheadgames]

Thank you very much I’ll try this before I go taking anything apart.

Worth a try at least. Worst case, buy a delay box from eBay and maybe a new switch, but I'd start with my suggestion. Sounds like Fouledplugs has a sort of similar situation to me except that his is maybe more touchy than mine and a bit more dramatic and never changed.

 

[Brian]

My Wiper delay didn't work when i first got my YJ, if you set it to delay, it would take too long so I'd give up and turn it off. So I thought it didn't work anyways. Then I left it in delay one day and after probably 20 minutes it started to work. then another day I tried it again, started working quicker at around 10 minutes. Anyways, over time using the delay feature, it finally fixed itself and works properly. very odd how it was like that, but if I put it on the slowest delay now, I think it's around a minute per wipe, but it always works, and of course delays less and less the more I rotate it, until it's in Lo mode and then of course, hi mode. I'd set it to delay and wait a while to see if it starts to work.

I have the same issue and was going to ask today when I saw your post. I will have to give it a try.

 

[machoheadgames]

I have the same issue and was going to ask today when I saw your post. I will have to give it a try.

No clue if that will work for everyone else but definitely worked for mine. I would turn them to intermittent and nothing. Forgot to turn it back off and like magic driving down the road they randomly came on and slowly started working to the right timing. Very strange. You can buy intermittent modules off eBay but I'm not sure if any of them are really in good shape either. People have been complaining about intermittent operation since long before I ever had my YJ.