1989 xj wiper problem

my 89 xj wipers dont work at all makes no noise when i try to turn them on. i pulled the motor and linkage out to see if there is any problems there the gears are fine and the wiring is intact.. i don't know how to test the motor so i passably have a burnt out motor. i think its in the wiring at the steering wheel any input on how to troubleshoot this would help a lot thanks

Go to the fuse block down by the driver's left toe (when driving, not when trimming the nail).

Pull the 4.8 amp (IIRC) circuit breaker from the bottom of the fuse block--silver/rectangular thingy.

Have you kicked it enough times to break one of the contacts off? If its not broken, then clean the contacts in the fuse block with some contact cleaner, and clean up the contacts on the circuit breaker. Now, with the key ON, wiper switch to Lo/Hi, do you have power to one side of the circuit breaker slot in the fuse block? If yes, then test the circuit breaker for continuity. If the circuit breaker is good, then reinstall it--with a little dielectric grease.

Any difference yet?

im out of town for a few days changing a motor on a XXXXing Vdub ill get back to you thank your for your reply ill give it a shot.

My son has an 89 XJ. His wipers completely stopped working. We took the motor out, cleaned all the old/hard grease off, put fresh grease in, replaced, and the wipers work good again.

As Joe stated, first check the fuse block. If it is good, see if power is going to the wiper motor. If it is, pull the motor out of the cowl and clean it.

Does it have intermittent wipers?

Check immediately above your left knee under the lower dash valance. You'll see a box with a flat connector at each end. Make sure the conection is tight. If still no joy take out the box and connect the connectors straight together. See if they work. If they do the intermittent box is bad. Your wipers will work without it but you will only have low and high, the washer will not work properly and the park position will be screwed up.

well i tried all of it replaced the bottom silver fuse hard wired the connector cleaned everything still nothing it does make a noise out of the Velcro box that is placed just above your left knee next to the yellow amc box.

the noise in the intermittent box means it's getting power, that's the switch that makes the intermittent wipers work.


My guess is motor at this point.

You need to get a multimeter on the connector in the cowl where the motor connects and verify ground and 12V.

i would test the wiper motor to see if u r getting power to it if r then its the motor. if u dont get power then it is somewhere else down the line