I have a -94 DX and I was wondering if anyone knows where the windshield wiper relay is located, it's so cold outside I dont really want to stand and look around for it, I looked in the book and they didnt tell you anything aoubt where it is, so i would appresiate if anyone could help me out with the location so I can rip that sucker out and replace it..

PS. does anyone know how much they cost, and if you can get em somewhere else then the dealer, at autozone they said that its a dealer item, but i figured that its just a relay, so probably you can get it in more palces without getting ripped off...

thx rob...

 

Since you have the DX model I am assuming that you do not have factory cruise control. Protege without cruise control does not have a wiper relay. All of the electronic are in the wiper switch itself. If you do have factory cruise control there is a relay under the dash above drivers footwell. That one probably is only dealer item as it is not a standard four or five wire relay but instead has 11 wires to it.
Give this a check first though if your wipers have stopped operating either completely or intermittently. Take a look at the wiper motor and you should see a black wire coming out of it. This is the ground wire for the motor and attaches to one of the mounting studs for the motor assembly. Is pretty common for this wire to break where it attaches to the mount stud under the retaining nut. Posted a pic for a little more clarity. If this wire is broken then reattaching to ground should get the wipers working again.

[IMG]local://upfiles/1377/401FBAEACEB54A6DA146788A4409350F.jpg[/IMG]

 

I dont think its the ground cable because the wipers work, it's just that they dont work in the position were they turn on then wait a couple of sec then turn on again.. Also when you turn them on they dont return to the start position, they just stop at the spot were you turned the wiper switch..
I'm sure that they have to have a relay somewere, but maybe its builtin in the motor somehow..

I will however check the cables to makesure that its not related to that, does anyone have any other good suggestions on what I can do next, Im sure the whole motor is going to be expensive if I have to change the whole thing..

thx rob...

 

Ok, it is probably not the ground wire broken as that makes the entire wiper system inoperative. Did not see that you noted if Protege had factory cruise control or not?

 

I just went through an exhaustive troubleshooting situation with my windshield wipers on my 93 Protege DX. They quit working, but the washers would still spray fluid. I checked the fuse and it was good. I was using a Haynes manual and according to theschematic there were only two connectors in the wiper circuit. On on the switch and one on the motor. It only indicated a relay if you have cruise control. Mine does not have cruise control. I tested the motor and the switch and both appeared to work fine. I was able to get a new motor and switch assembly from a junkyard to rule out either part (also able to return them). Neither replacement fixed my broken wiper situation. I was left scratching my head for a while, and wondering how I could trace the wires since that was the only thing left to break. While just fiddling with switch, I noticed a clicking sound that I originally thought was coming from the switch. After listening further, I determined that it was coming from underneath the dash. I crawled down by the pedals, pulled on the switch and could hear the clicking coming from a RELAY. I felt the different relays and sure enough, one of them was clicking as I pulled on the switch. I pulled it out and it even says right on it, WIPER RELAY. It is the second relay from the firewall. It is next to the light gray one that is closest to the firewall. It would have been nice if the engineers who designed this would have mounted the relays opposite the way they did so you could actually see the printing on the them. Or have the manufacturer print the labels on the opposite side would work too. Either way, I did look down there initially and if I could have read them would have suspected the relay first.

Now the reason for this long winded story is two fold. First, to make everyone aware that there is a relay under the dash. No where on any web site forum was I able to find information indicating that there was a relay. In fact, in this very post, it is stated that there isn't one on a car without cruise control. Second, to find out why it is believed that there shouldn't be a relay in a car without cruise control. I was able to get a relay from the same junkyard I got the switch from and it came froma car without cruise control also. Are there possibly DX cars out there that were pre wired for cruise control. I don't think it was a model year change as this is supposed the same design through 1994.