Questions and Answers

Jaguar XJ-6 Windshield Wipers Q. Good Morning, My wife's 1987 Jaguar XJ-6 has a problem with the wipers. They frequently won't come on until she beats on the fuse panel cover (just to the right of the steering column). Sometimes it takes repeated whacks but when it comes on it tends to stay on unless she hits a bump just right. Obviously there is a loose or broken wire just behind the box.

The questions is: how involved is it going to be for me to fix this. I am not a complete novice but I am more of a "parts swapper" than a mechanic.

Thank you...

A. Not know exactly where or what the problem is, I can't really tell you how involved it's going to be. From what you describe, I, too, would suspect a broken wire behind the fuse box.

The fly in the ointment (I can't believe I said that) is that it stays on until she hits a bump. That would make me think bad wiper switch.

When the wipers aren't working, check for power at the light green wire.There should be battery voltage there. If not, then we can look at the fuse and/or fuse box.

Now put the wiper switch on LOW speed and check for power at the black/light green wire. If there is power there, then it's either a bad wiper motor or wiper motor ground (black wire in the wiper motor connector). If not, then it's a bad wiper switch.

Now put the wiper switch on HIGH speed and check for power at the white/light green wire. If there is power there, then, again, it's either a bad wiper motor or wiper motor ground (black wire in the wiper motor connector). If not, then it's a bad wiper switch.

Now if you supply voltage to these wires at the wiper motor and the wiper motor runs, you have a break in the wire between the wiper switch and the wiper motor. If not, run a jumper from the black wire to ground. If the wiper motor still doesn't run, you have a bad wiper motor.