Another Electrical Gremlin: Wipers and Windows

My 90 has developed an interesting problem. Intermittently, the power windows and windsheild wipers won't work. However, if I turn off the engine and restart it, they will start working again.

There seems to be no rhyme or reason to as to when it decides to do it. This doesn't seem to be at all affected by weather. I have had the windows/wipers work with the car off, then turn the engine on, they stop working, turn off the engine and on again and then they work.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Karl

90 Red, Maverik
Reply to
Karl Kittler
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Are all fuses in the fuse box inside firmly seated?

Reply to
Per K. Nielsen

Yup, I know exactly what this one is'cause it happened to me just a couple weeks ago. It's your ignition switch. Not the electronics part but the little contacts in the switch itself. Easily replaced and reasonably priced. I think it cost me under $90 for the part and took about 1/2 hour from start to finish.

Next time the wipers don't work, try jiggling the key in the switch -if things start working again, that's it.

Iva & Belle.) '90B Classic Red.) #3 winkin' Miata

Reply to
Iva

You can disassemble the switch and clean it for free--this is what the inside of mine looked like at 200K miles or so--same problem you describe...

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There's a single screrw that holds the contact assembly to the actuator, remove the wiring connector and that screrw and the contacts housing will pull right out. Gently pry the snap tabs with a small screwdriver and watch out for flying parts (use my picture for a guide to reassembly).

I used WD-40, a brass "tooth" brush, elbow grease, and a largish drift pin to relocate the upset metal on the copper sliding contact bars. A bit of burnishing, some dielectric grease and popping it back together made4 it good as new.

Reply to
Cliff Knight

Nice web page. That's going under "Miata Stuff" in my favorites.

Thanks, John McClary jsgmcclary at cox dot net

Reply to
John McClary

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