Chevrolet SSR: Wipers Gone Haywire

It's a truck! It's a car! No, it's a Chevy SSR! In this video I have a look at an '06 SSR that came in with a customer complaint of, "wipers that have a mind of their own." Doesn't take long to find the problem and to find the errors in service data that would lead a fella down the wrong path. -Enjoy!
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Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained.

[@TheBigdawg441]

Wife - "I'm going to watch a movie, want to watch with me?" Me - "No, I'm watching a wiper diagnostic video" Wife - "Oh, do we have a wiper problem?" Me - "No" Wife - "You're weird."

[@dcbuzz]

I get that all the time!

[@RyanBurnsRed]

Well she married you so I guess you're her kind of weird lol

[@alansmith4734]

Fun Fact: Robert Kearns, the inventor of intermittent windshield wipers, won multimillion-dollar judgments against Ford Motor and Chrysler for using his idea.

[@logmegadeth72]

Alan Smith it was also a life long battle for him to do so that cost him dearly.

[@Atheistic007]

"We come in through the pink." -Eric O. 5:43

[@throttletherapy9998]

I love these type of diagnostics, especially when you find wrong information, it makes me feel like I'm not the only one that has these struggles as a shop owner and technician. Thanks for the videos and your time that it takes to make them!

[@johnwilliamson2393]

I had to pull from 4 different online diagrams to get the right wire colors and test them just to do the simple fuel pump bypass on a dodge tipm. That was fun!

[@padraicmcguire108]

Even an advanced diy'r (well Im a Mech Engr) seems to run into documentation errors in my factory service manuals. Even worse, I have bad luck with finding errors in Napr's part designs.....

[@aussiefirestorm]

Yeah I feel likewise, Eric inspires us to be better at our trade.

[@zonie1953]

What I know about electricity is , If I dont pay the power bill , the lights go off ! I have learned more in this video than i have learned in my entire life about electricity . Thanks Eric

[@VWWRENCHIE]

This is one of those "remember when" moments...Remember when wipers were on /off and a couple speeds..and lasted for decades.😎

[@TheObersalzburg]

All of this reminds me of the Star Trek movie where Scotty sabotaged the fleet's new starship so it couldn't follow them. When they asked how he did it, he said, "The more complicated you make the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain".

[@jimmyaber5920]

When I started my career in auto fixing 45 years ago wiper motor failures were very common below 100k miles. Turning on wipers when they were frozen to windshield killed the motor in minutes. New cars often use touchless electronics(position sensing and current monitoring) to control parking and if the motor stalls the power is cut off. Many have the ability to change the full sweep range so the blades don’t run into ice dams that beat wiper blades apart. All this fancy stuff also does away with the soft arm bases and low nut torque so the arm shears free instead of killing motor.

[@VWWRENCHIE]

The one thing you can never repair in vehicles is the humans that operate and/or break them..lol😃

[@murkinstock]

My BMW has that, plus rain sensor. It's going on 17 years and it's fantastic. My favorite feature by far! Lol

[@bryanlatimer-davies1222]

I remember when wipers went slow when you went up hill !

[@ClassicBMWFanInQuebec]

"we are not professional photographers" as he proceeds to place the diagram perfectly level on the screen! You're better than you think Eric!

[@aaronjohn6586]

Really appreciate your explanations and due diligence to diagnose various issues. Along with not cheating the customer by telling them they need unnecessary parts!

[@mindtouchone]

Anybody who lives close to this shop needs to send your problems to him. I'm saying this from a professional view. When I retired I had 2 ASE Master certifications and every certificate that Ford offered, and more. This man is The Best and people like him are very rare. Subscribe to his channel and click the like button for every video. He deserves to make money, I hope a lot because mechanic work is hard, hot, and nasty.

[@unicorn7337]

Perfect to watch over lunch! Happy 4th to you all from the UK.

[@cgmoog]

Glad to see you've gotten over it.

[@crisprtalk6963]

what's for lunch in the UK?

[@v8motors.]

@@crisprtalk6963 Beer, 4th July is 1st day of Pubs re-opening due to covid. :)

[@unicorn7337]

@@crisprtalk6963 I was having some Caesar salad and a ham, cheese and pickle sandwich. 😋

[@billyyoder8171]

"I didn't fix" 😂. Thank you Dr. O. Good job. Have a blessed and safe week to you and your family.

[@georgeswindolljr1980]

Thanks for taking the time to make this video for us all, hope you and your family have a safe happy holiday!!!!!!

[@mikeg_123]

I really enjoy these diagnostic videos. Keep them coming. Thanks for the added chore of recording the video.

[@greggdietz797]

I, for one, want to go on record that I appreciate this type of diagnostic video along with the typical wrench-turning videos. Really enjoy seeing, hearing your process.

[@Williamson48183]

Eric, having just finding your site I wanted to tell you how much I enjoy it. You are able to figure it out and I like seeing the process that you go through to get it right. ( most of the time). Also like your attitude with the obstacles as you cross them. Thanks for all you do!

[@markjohnson5081]

Excellent video. Love the video's that detail diagnostic analysis. But, I also enjoy watching brakes jobs too.

[@Railtech_63.]

Another great job and I really appreciate you taking the time to teach us. I have learned so much.

[@jameskim62]

Love your diagnostic processes, Proper repairs and much more. We wish more of you everywhere ???? Spent the money well for repair.

[@probrobill7877]

I really look forward to your vids Eric! I have learned a lot from you! I'm always amazed at your knowledge and skills! You also are such a great family! Happy 4th of July to you and your family!

[@jerrygeorgopolis8015]

Outstanding electrical diagnostic testing ! Thanks for the video..

[@GusDzn]

Thanks for the great vids SMA you’ve encouraged me to start up my own shop!

[@mhoward180]

Your perspicuity and wordsmithing are perfectly joined to your world class skills. It is always a pleasure to watch your videos!!

[@jdd4756]

Great video. Amazing how you diagnosed that problem.

[@deanmckee1385]

Thanks for your videos Mr O

[@davidzemeckis3374]

Your a great electrical guy. You take on alot of problems but you definitely have the know how:) and the tools. I'm definitely impressed. Been watching for a while

[@lancewhite3962]

Eric, great video but the wiper motors just don't fail on these. It is always the wiper motor pulse board. GM part 19120931. They are the same as the ones from the Trailblazer. Anything you need to know about SSR's can be found on the SSRFanatic website.

[@farmcentralohio]

Lost me on when the first diagram came out, you guys that can make sense of all this stuff have my respect. I still watched the whole thing and gave it the thumbs up because it's an S.M.A. video :)

[@aciddiver1978]

Always a pleasure to watch you make wonders with cars👍

[@lvstreeter]

You make it make sense I'm learning more about electronics than I ever wanted to

[@robhunter2435]

Great troubleshooting as usual Eric

[@Kc8qdq]

Another good video. Can't get enough of your videos

[@thepaperboy9009]

Excellent. Love going through the logic of you trouble shooting.

[@stevent3450]

Excellent troubleshooting !

[@robertgregilovich2229]

Outstanding, and logical diagnosis!

[@williamgagnonroadboxservice]

Good Morning Eric. Billy G here in Springfield Ma. Have a great 4th. My kid brother has an 06 SSR came to my house July 1 with the same exact problem I cannot believe that we just lived the same aggravation I ran into the same exact thing you did and I ended up finding a used wiper motor at a yard in Granby mass so far it’s working

[@Todd66]

I did not like the SSR when they first came out, but they have grown on me and I’m digging them now. Kind of the same thing with the Prowler. Awesome Job E

[@SimplyDiagnostics]

Great video mate, voltage dividing circuits made easy ⭐ happy 4th July, love to all in Avoca 👍

[@baxrok2.]

You're quite the wordsmith in this one. lol Thanks Dr. O!

[@Wildturkey10121]

I wish I was as "not very smart" as you! Maybe I'm too smart because I couldn't have figured this out. Great video!!!!!

[@jamesdayton9530]

GOOD job on troubleshooting.

[@jamespearce7954]

This is a great repair, showing Eric O's great diagnosis and out of the box thinking for his customer. I wish I had a mechanic I knew would always be considering my pocketbook whenever possible.

[@thomastommy1192]

Awesome great video thanks for sharing. I hope you had a great safe 4th of July.

[@donaldrackley626]

Great Mr owe as always

[@Airman..]

The best tec in the East coast 👌

[@dennismayer4936]

I missed the "if I can do it " line. Thanks Eric for all the great videos!

[@johnrose3169]

I remember reading someplace that the wiper motor pulse board module is the part that usually fails. I can't remember where I read the information, but that the wiper motor pulse board module from a similar year Chevy Trailblazer is interchangeable with the Chevy SSR wiper motor pulse board module. I believe that motor pulse board module for Chevy Trailblazers is listed as a separate part and still available from GM.

[@john7613]

Great video Dam those lose solder joints typical , I came across that wiper motor issue on many GM vehicles.

[@johnminor2496]

Mr. O, I am not a technician. However, I really enjoy your videos. They are very good teaching tools, and I have a healthy appreciation for a good technicians skills. GOD bless you and your family.

[@donnierobertson3088]

Great job again like always.And video

[@langer24106]

Man, I remember the small Chevy dealer in our area had one of these when I was a kid. I thought it was so wild...

[@HotRod-wv4vm]

Excellent as always. Hope you and your family have a safe and enjoyable 4th of July!

[@paulsmith7595]

Great video, thanks Eric.

[@OzzSabbath]

I am not even close to being a mechanic. I can do some basic maintenance and that's about it. I love how Eric tackles each problem by thinking simple and then ramping it up. I think this holds true for any troubleshooting. I'm a front-end web developer and have to constantly troubleshoot browser problems coding errors etc. Believe it or not, these videos have helped me in my methods of troubleshooting. Seems strange for two completely different careers, but the concept is the same. Thanks Mr. O!

[@galorivadeneyra]

I saw you on FD automotriz, you are great Eric, please keep sharing a ton of knolodge that you have!

[@dobiedude7479]

I remember when wipers ran on engine vacuum. Press the gas pedal and the wipers would slow down.

[@mikechiodetti4482]

Good ole vacuum wipers. Then they added "Double Acting Fuel Pumps" which not only pumped fuel, but the upper section was a vacuum booster of sorts. It helped to keep the wipers moving during increased throttle times. Didn't cure wipers from stopping. When the cam shaft lobe wore down, the fuel part worked, the vacuum boost didn't. Have a great Declaration of Independence Day and a great weekend!

[@QBRX]

Yeah, they sucked, ha ha.

[@michaeldixon7961]

@@mikechiodetti4482 And when the diaphragm for the wiper vacuum failed, the intake manifold would draw oil directly from the oil pan. Our 52 Chev thus would burn a quart of oil in just 28 miles. Smoke is simply an inadequate word to describe the exhaust plume.

[@trumanking3997]

Up hill in the Edsel when it's raining sucks lol

[@robc8468]

My parents had a 1960 Ford Falcon with vacuum wipers then dad got a 1965 Oldsmobile with electric wipers and automatic washers which would pump about 1/4 tank of windshield wiper solvent whether you needed that much or not.

[@ThatOddGarage]

Happy fourth Eric O. My 2019 international LT semi did this for MONTHS. Body control module ended up being the issue.

[@mikeberry304]

Great video Eric , feel like I want a paddle and I've got one of these lovely things in my garage here in the UK, all the way from Saudi Arabia came in a shipping container, with plenty of sand in it in kit form , spent a day putting doors wings and bonnet and boot lid back on , tried to start , no fuel , give it a spray brum brum, found eventually found fuel pick up pipe in tank split , fixed it , starts , but engine is bolloxed, knocking its spuds off, customer found engine repair kit as it's been stripped and built with many parts before , so I've got it with no engine or transmission in , lovely , been stripped for a year waiting for bits and power roof not working either, it's a shed Eric

[@rodneyhutton4502]

Hi Eric. I'm from OZ and i have seen these on the Net. I like the look of these!

[@greasemonkey5216]

This vid is why I watch your vids I'm 77 and am glad I am not working on all this hi tech stuff all though I like watching you and enjoy your style !!!!! Jim

[@mrfish3961]

ME ALSO

[@MrOtie]

Eric you are the smartest tech I’ve ever seen. Some fender covers would have been nice.

[@flyingjeff1984]

At 15:00, the meter was trying to figure out auto-ranging. You do great work. ;)

[@haydenuk02]

Excellent work and thanks for the awesome content stay safe and take care

[@jeremymurphy7320]

Ahhhhhh, the good ol' early 00's retro craze was a strange time in car design. The Ford GT was the only car that got it right. This thing also came with the 5.3L and they could have at least called it a 327 (it's only off by ~3.5 inches) to give a little more of the retro vibe to it but hey....

[@ianwhatley3864]

10 out of 10 for your video how you explain what you where doing and the results you expected to receive made sense all the way thought the video, also 10 out of 10 for the maths👍👍👍

[@scottb7835]

I learned a lot from this video, thank you and happy Independence Day.

[@RetroCarGuy530]

Happy 4th of July!. I enjoy watching your videos. I just finished filming the swap out of the power steering pump on my 2004 Chevy SSR. The wiper motor issue is a somewhat common failure for the Chevy SSR. As you found, the wiper motor is not available for the Chevy SSR any longer. The typical solution for this type of issue has been to replace only the wiper motor module that resides on the wiper motor assembly with one from a Chevy Trailblazer (even though it doesn't list it for the Chevy SSR). This is one of those times that the Chevy SSR being based on the Trailblazer EXT platform, works out for the Chevy SSR. It turns out that GM / ACDelco part number 19120931 for the Trailblazer wiper motor module will replace the one in the Chevy SSR and usually it fixes this issue. GM/ACDelco P/N 19120931 is still available from a variety of parts suppliers.

[@cgmoog]

Good to know (not that I own one). Assume the packaging of the motor is slightly different between trailblazer and this. How do the modules fail? Bad solder joints? Moisture caused corrosion? Or just electronics taking a crap? Send bad motor (with module) to AVE in BC for failure analysis (unless Cardone needs the core).

[@RetroCarGuy530]

@@cgmoog some of the failed units have had the "green crud" inside and others have just failed without any obvious sign of water intrusion. It seems that a SSR owner will ask for assistance on the various websites and groups about this topic at least three or four times a year. One SSR owner has a large library of PDF documents on how to fix common issues and he has a PDF document covering this problem. I haven't created a video on this issue yet since I haven't had anyone in my area with this issue (yet). I believe the ACDelco P/N 19120931 costs about $80 USD for the wiper motor pulse board module by itself.

[@mrfish3961]

@@cgmoog IT,S A GM

[@josephwash109]

Brings back memories of years ago when I worked at a Chevrolet dealership. I did a full detail on a red SSR like this one. For the four years I was there, I think I only saw two other SSRs; there was a black one (with the manual transmission) and a yellow one.

[@timshelton4041]

Excellent video with analysing how it should work then seeing the testing in action. Long live Ohms Law :-)

[@loufaiella3354]

great diagnosis. VERY precise engineering detective work. When You actually install the new motor, use fender covers on this garage queen!

[@ralfie8801]

It's almost always the delay circuit board inside the motor. GM used to sell that board separately from the motor assembly. It can be changed without removing the motor from the vehicle.

[@rickharper1497]

Thanks Eric, Have a great fourth of July. Hope the new wiper motor works right!!!

[@richard1835]

Nice Car. Garage kept. I worked on a 2004 Honda S2000 yesterday. 6 speed manual transmission. Very well cared for. I like to see customers who care about there vehicles. Great Video. Thumbs up.

[@RustySh4ckleford]

Those S2000s are skyrocketing in value now.

[@blackhatter011]

. I like to see customers who care about THEIR vehicles.

[@onenikkione]

@@blackhatter011 .....care about dare vehicles

[@onenikkione]

I care about my vehicles but I can't afford to just let them sit in a garage

[@blackhatter011]

@@onenikkione how dare you!

[@MakinEndsMeet69]

Yeah you're right about all that they use that same thing in all kinds of different switches and I think those wiper controls like you said on low is the same as mist well yeah when you missed your windshield it's always comes on low unless you turn it up on high and then hit the switch and I would imagine it's the same wires on each one of those medium and high I don't know though I don't know you're the genius. Eric you stay safe stay well and as always God bless

[@waynewestmiller6540]

You made a lot of sense! Follow diagram and have it make sense to yourself and do exactly what you did. Your one hell of a mechanic! Thanks, I appreciate your videos! Happy 4th of July!

[@iffilunauhansen1278]

Great diagnosis as always.. only thing ticking me off, is the lack of fender covers.. I'm a paint tech and technician myself, but also a car enthusiast and get ticked off when I see technicians not taking care of the paint finish.. please use covers and refrain from setting hard plastic boxes on the engine covers too.. this is clearly a show car, and I'm certain the owner will not appreciate scratches on his paint or engine cover.. I've personally had a tech put scratches on my fuse box cover under the hood, when my car battery was replaced under warranty (they wouldn't let me install it) for a parasitic draw due to a software issue for the cruise control.. sounds anal I know, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who looks after his car like that... big fan of your channel Sir, and mean no disrespect...

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Good diagnostics video Eric O @SouthMainAutoRepairLLC

[@CraigSmith568]

This is why I take my stuff to a qualified mechanic. You just as well did this in French. I would understand it just as much. Just thankful my mechanic understands this as well as you.

[@michaelshocik5915]

Eric, I love your videos. I work for a GM dealer in Mass. and every time that you work on a GM product I will check it up. I did find that the wiper motor is discontinued, but your local GM dealer has the ability to check with GM dealers across the country and a new motor is still available with dealers that had them in stock at the time GM discontinued the part.

[@williamwhite9767]

My 2005 Dodge Magnum"s intermittent wipers worked at the speed it wanted, not the speed I wanted. In my ignorance I replaced the multi-function switch and it fixed it!? Good job finding out what the cause was!

[@tracydiller9378]

ITS JUST A CHEVY it will be fine. GREAT video DR.O keep them coming.

[@kodiak7274]

I worked at a gm dealer when these were new. We had a new one for like 3 years couldnt get rid of it ended up taking a loss on it. I drove it (6 speed manual) VERY FUN wish i could find one for sale now that i make enough to own something like that.

[@pantherplatform]

I just banged out a set of plugs and coils on an oh four Ford expedition with the two valve jobby. They were all original, all loose, severely rusted and burnt. It's a miracle they all came out, new motorcraft plugs went in and it ran perfect when I was done.

[@pauldionne1665]

Sherlock at his best. Thing only thing missing was the hat and pipe, G.M. supplied the "Elementary My Dear Watson". Great Work Eric.

[@stex1985]

Not sure if this is the case anymore, but I said many times it take a mechanic to repair something, but most anyone can replace broken parts with new ones, if I were 18 again and want to be a automotive mechanic I would definitely seek your advice and tutorial as to my endeavors. I love watching you chase the ghost in the wires, the windshield wiper ghost on the mini van was my favorite so far! Thanks

[@carlbrandon8040]

i have learned sometimes i can figure out what they "service information people " are trying to tell me and what they actually print.. you know like the ever popular search for open , search for ground. search for short. i beleive it gets interpeted wrong by the publishers. Thanks Eric O. I had a Blackwood that would not ground the cruise control. $800 steering wheel. I am glad it was no longer available. $2 switch was a fix

[@yamaha37776]

Keep videos like this coming!! “Is the repair complete? No, but there’s no, no. So throw an ecu at it” 😂😂😂😂😂

[@wallyg4445]

Great job of explaining things. Electrical was always my weak spot in vehicle repair.

[@markh.6687]

A high school computer instructor told us to "think like a computer" and walk through our programs in our heads, making sure to understand what each step was trying to do. With wiring and logic circuits it's the same challenge: think like an electron flowing through the wiring. Where does it start, where it goes on its journey, and what it's supposed to do when it's done. Eric does a great job of using the diagrams to think like the electron. Too many "technicians" lack this skill, and just fire up the Parts Cannon hoping a Super Wild A-- Guess will fix it. It doesn't help when the factory diagrams are wrong either.

[@THEDRAGONBOOSTER8]

Yes it is a cool pen ..Cheers from Tassie Australia..

[@rrmech11]

Excellent Dr. 0 👍👍

[@debrajohnson4871]

Sweet great job as always

[@dB_944]

The meter was autoranging when it was doing that funny business.

[@bigbear5510]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@sdgelectronics]

Pretty poor behaviour on the autorange. It's a 4000 count meter, but with basically no hysteresis.

[@dans_Learning_Curve]

As a kid, the Apple II was introduced. I was in 10th grade. The keyboard didn't have a 10 key. So I designed one using resistors and the gaming plug. Long story short, I assigned each key on the number pad a resistance 0-150K. The computer then took that value and converted it to that number/operation. Got an engineering award. Still have the device, award and an Apple II. Back then I didn't realize where I could have gone in industry knowing what I knew.

[@richardclemmens9410]

Like your son you go fishing for information on the problem. But his bass looked alot better. God bless stay healthy.

[@robarnt6]

Just answered my own question by looking on RockAuto. I see a 'right' and 'left' wiper motor listed for a 2016 Ford Fusion. Well, THAT certainly would save some space over cantilever. NOW you're talkin' some REAL serious electronics there, Chris Day!!

[@braddoane939]

Beautiful truck

[@zx8401ztv]

Smashing diag :-D Another way to test a switch plus resistors is to wire it up to a portable radio volume control position. Any slightly bad connection will make the radio jump in volume or crackle. Your ears will detect tiny errors that the ohm meter will miss.

[@joeplourde9261]

A good job thank you you are so right

[@99andrianmonk]

Another great video. Really appreciate when you take a step-by-step approach in showing how you diagnosis an issue especially electrical issues and wiring diagrams. If possibly would like to see how you install the replacement - always pick up something from how you install parts. Hmmm....wonder why Chevy didn't call this vehicle Centaur.... Oh wait, wasn't that a Buick back in the day.

[@franknewling1139]

Century

[@mtebaldi1]

Alright, another good video and great commentary also.

[@carlosanzola2938]

Love the pen!