2001 STS Washer Pump stuck ON

halfrican · #1 (**permalink**) 11-01-07, 04:57 AM

Hello all,

Just when I thought my baby was running good again, low and behold I have a new and completely unrelated issue pop up!

While taking my kids trick or treating tonight suddenly without my touching the wiper/washer arm at all, my windshield washer motor came on and won't stop. I pulled into the nearest parking lot to consult the manual about which fuse to pull, but I couldn't find a reference to it.

Needless to say my washer reservoir emptied pretty quickly, and no amount of tapping on the wiper/washer arm helped at all. Please note, that the wipers are not running just the washer pump. If I depress the washer button on the control arm the wipers come on for the three cycles as normal, but the damn pump just keeps running like a banshee.

I really don't want to take the car to my STEALER if there is a way to address (see the thread http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...vise.html)this issue myself, but at the very least I would like to stop the pump from running so it doesn't burn out. Is there a fuse I can pull to stop this? If indeed the issue isn't the switch itself should I be looking for a faulty control module of some sort?

Thanks in advance...

Half

halfrican · #2 (**permalink**) 11-01-07, 06:16 AM

OK, found the power plug to the pump on the reservoir, unplugged it and used some electrical tape to protect the contacts. This has solved the pump running forever issue, but of course I still need to have the cause diagnosed.

I am still thinking that it isn't the switch since the wipers aren't activating by themselves, and if I press the button for the washer the wipers run their normal three cycles. My thought is that if it were the switch the wipers would either be on full time or the button would do nothing.

If it isn't the switch/button then is it likely to be the pump itself or is there some sort of controller inline?

Winter is upon us here in AK, and the wipers/washer are pretty important items...

Half

chubbyranger · #3 (**permalink**) 11-01-07, 06:22 AM

I doubt it has a separate fuse for just the pump - you will probably end up taking down the wipers or something else when you pull the fuse. I just went and looked at my 99 and assuming 99 and 01 are pretty close I would start by unpluggng the washer pump. On my car the plug is directly below the passenger side front of the fuse/relay box in the engine compartment at the bottom of the washer fluid reservoir. Looks like a smallish pair of hands or needlenose pliers could get to it or you may also be able to remove the tank to get to it - I didn't check out that option closely. As for troubleshooting, there may be a relay that holds the pump on that is stuck, but that's just a guess. Anybody have an 01 FSM?

chubbyranger · #4 (**permalink**) 11-01-07, 08:30 AM

Did a quick check of 99 FSM - the washer wire from the switch goes to the wiper motor unit and out of there to the washer motor, Appears to be a 24K ohm resister that also is fed from the dash integration module (DIM). Maybe the DIM has gone stupid and is holding that line open? Matbe someone with an Alldata account can post the schematic.

**Ranger** · #5 (**permalink**) 11-01-07, 11:37 AM

You can get a wiring schematic from the sticky in the Tech Tips section.

halfrican · #6 (**permalink**) 11-03-07, 02:52 AM

Looks like the issue with my washer pump was a short in the wiring along the firewall, someone must have shoved something up against it real hard. Look like my local STEALER got me again, but it's hard to prove it!

Diagnonis/Repair cost me about $60.00 at my place of employment, and so far the pump motor appears to have survived the ordeal.

Thanks to all that helped me get this issue resolved....

Half