Is it the switch or the motor?

[FeistyFesti]

I've got a weird problem with my windshield wipers. First thing in the morning (its been pretty cold outside), when I start my car and turn on the wipers, nothing happens. So I leave the wipers on and start driving anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes and all of a sudden the wipers start working normally. I unplugged the connector at the switch and put some dielectric grease in there and reinstalled but it still does this. When the wipers first start working, they're really slow and then about 2 to 3 minutes later, they're working at normal speed. So, do you think it is a bad switch or a worn out wiper motor? My car has 184k miles on it and it looks like the original motor.

[hawkdoc60]

I would say it is motor related. However, I do not necessarily believe it is going bad. It may just need to be disassembled and lubed up real good and reassembled. I would try that and see if it works. If not, wiper motors are not uncommon on eBay.

[FeistyFesti]

Awesome, thanks for the tip, I'll clean her up tomorrow.

[FestYboy]

the weather can affect them as well.

[jglutz]

I has the same situation a couple of years ago....about a mile from home I went to turn the wipers on and they did not respond. I found I had 12V at the connector...the ground wire was corroded. The ground connector is located on one of the lower wipper motor mounting bolts....I cleaned it up and re installed it with some copper based anti-sieze.