This is really wigging me out. I have a '03 3500. The other night, when I turned my wipers on, it started making one hell of a noise in the engine compartment. Sounds like the starter spining against the flywheel. I also discovered that I can start the truck just by having the key in the "On" position, and then turning on the wipers, which subsequently causes the screaming under the hood to begin again once it starts. This also makes the radio squawl with static...dash lights dim and then get bright and then dim, wipers changing speeds on their own. It's like I need an exorcist up in here.

I suspect the multi switch, but I really don't know if it's capable of all this insanity. I searched the threads but can't find anyone else posting this series of events, so anyone with pure knowledge on this matter that could enlighten me would be greatly appreciated. Otherwise, this witch might have to burn at the stake.

 

Might be a bad ignition switch. All sorts of stuff run through it. Even the blower motor

 

When I hear of weird unexplainable things happening like that I suspect a programmer error. Do you have a programmer on your truck?

 

Yes, it has a Edge Products EZD1000C that was on it when I bought it. How could this be linking the ignition to the wipers though? Now it won't start with the key at all. Only by turning on the wipers will the engine crank.

I have pretty much eliminated the multi switch and the ignition switch by talking to dealer parts guys and some other "sources", on the other hand, no one seems to have a clue where to start with this excluding those two items as possible culprits.

I'm not sure if the Edge ECM is even working. It's supposed to have a toggle switch to change the three performance levels, but I don't see one anywhere. Everything else seems to be connected per the installation manual I downloaded from Edge's website. Should I disconnect this thing and put back my factory ECM connections, or am I chasing my tail?

This is soooo not cool. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Okay...I disconnected the after market ECM and it changed nothing. Still only starts by turning on the wipers, and then the starter hangs up while the wipers are on. All this, and it's raining it's hiney off here today.

HELP!

 

I know you talked to dealer. Have you popped off the steering coulum? Its reall easy to take off. Pop it off and look for a melted wire that may be crossing a ignition wire.

As for the parts guy??? I would want to talk to tech that pulls out the book and shows you the schematic. Parts guy can be great. But a tech with the big book is 100x better

 

Yeah Big Dave, I started thinking that way a little while ago and and decided to talk with a tech, at two different dealers. One of them suggested it may be a "Tipim" module. The 2nd tech agreed, but like you said he'd look for a short somewhere before spending $280 on the Tipim and then still have the same problem because of a wire.

I'm looking in the steering column next. I had the cover off a couple of weeks ago because the blower fan wasn't working. I only had to jiggle that connection to make the blower work, but maybe it's causing this arc to occur across these other wires. Beats me.

Okay...I'm diving into the steering column. Thanks man.

 

Just in case anybody's tracking this mystery...I found nothing in the steering column. If it's there, it's not visible to the naked eye.

I guess I'll bite the bullet and drag it to the dealer tomorrow so they can put it on the scope...#*^@#$^%&$#@!!!!!!!

 

I very much want to know why/how this is happening so i can rig my truck up to start with the wipers... what criminal is going to think about turning on the wipers to start it!?!.. haha (sorry)...

 

Because inquiring minds want to know...I took it to the dealer Christmas eve only to be denied because of the short work day. As a meager consolation, the write-up tech suggested I go home, disconnect the battery, and then grab the wire cluster where it connects to the TIPM module and wiggle it around, stating that it could be as simple as a corroded connection or arcing busses. After doing so, I had nothing. No action at the ignition whatsoever. Not even with the wipers as before. Nothing.

After reinventing some often used profanities, and even making a few up, I collected my thoughts and asked myself how this could be. In a desperate effort to just get it to start again using the wipers at a minimum, I started checking all of the fuses again to see if I had lost a fuse when I disconnected the battery and jiggled the TIPM wire cluster. Checking the wiper fuses first, I found nothing. Next I checked all starter relays...nothing.
Finally, when I started checking starter fuses, there it was, "Solenoid Fuse", fried like grandma's chicken.

I pulled the 30A fuse for the wiper motor and put it in the solenoid fuse bank, and the truck started right up when I turned the key. Later, I put a new fuse in the wiper motor fuse bank, and they worked normal also.

I looked at all fuses the very first night this thing started acting up. I guess I just didn't see the burnt element in the solenoid fuse that night. But whatever the case, I never once had anyone ask me if I checked the solenoid fuse as a first step. So here it is boys...

"If your truck will only start with the wiper switch, and the starter will only disengage when you turn the wipers off while the truck is running, check the solenoid fuse FIRST! Maybe 3 or 4 times!

I don't pretend to understand the who-the-what-the-when-the-how'd-it-do-that, and don't think I am even able as much of an intellectual as I am. But, if anyone else can explain how a burnt fuse can cause all this...you have the floor.

 

Wow, that's one interesting mess. I checked the wiring draigrams and can find nothing that explains how the wiper switch has anything to do with the starter solenoid EXCEPT They both feed through the $%^&* TIPM. The fact that you tugged on the wiring and something changed makes me wonder if that was part of the problem.