2003 Buick Park Ave.
delay wipers with auto rain sensing.
I've been fighting this problem for months. when I start the car when cold the wipers come on, wipe once or twice and then go to park position. they seem to be in delay mode also because there is a delay after the car starts before they wipe. there'* also a delay between the first and second wipe. When the car has been driven a while they don't do it. I unplugged the rain sensor and it still does it. I took the motor out and checked the round thing that turns on the circuit board and it seems to be positioned where it'* supposed to be.
months ago it only did it like once a week and as time went on it gradually did it more often. now it does it every time the car is cold.
Any ideas? could it be the turn signal stalk? or connector?
Thanks

Considering how much it rains here, some days I wonder what my 97 PA wipers will act like today.
In my case they either won't park, or have to activate the windshield washer to make them park, before I turn the car off. If I get them to park, then all is well (sort of)
It might just be water in the control baord, because mine seem to be fine, when it not so wet out.

Then there is the light rain where is goes from a normal smooth delay to the fastest possible for some unknown reason. When that happens you literally think the wipers are literally going to fly away! ~ ~

According to this 97 similar thread, sounds like control module wetness. https://www.gmforum.com/buick-172/no...-rains-302075/

I had my control board out and it was dry. when I put it back in I sealed the case with caulk. but I'm going to take it back out and check all the solder joints.
and yeah, when the wipers go on hi I thought they were going to fly off the windshield! LOL.
They do work perfect when I need them. I didn't want to go after the turn signal stalk either because you have to pull the steering wheel.

well I may have good news! Maybe. I took my circuit board that sits on top of the wiper motor out today. I soldered every joint I could get to. half the board was coated in something so I couldn't get to all the joints. but I also noticed the little round wheel that is turned by the motor was loose. this wheel trips two contacts at different times as it spins and I think this is what tells the electronics where the motor is in it'* cycle and hence where the blades are. so i glued a washer over it and put the whole thing back in. The engine hadn't been started for hours and that'* when the problem usually happens so I started it and the wipers didn't move! went out about 4 hours later and started the car and Bingo the wipers didn't move! I am so happy I could scream! this has been a problem for over a year I think.
Don't know if it was solder or that wheel, but I'm just glad it'* fixed.
I hope this helps someone who has the same problem.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

I do believe there was a part revision on park avenues for the electronics but that was before your model year. Your solder i hope was on solder joints you meant not other joints lol. There are isolators for the thing I think, that are on the firewall, they are still good right? vibrations is what im looking at.

There is a common issue with the actuator arm and the linkages that is decently common to wear, a bushing I think, but Your issue is electrical. The switch on stalk, if you have it in off, shouldnt do anything when starting. there is a power being tripped either from your stalk not being 100% off or your board having some conductivity over some things that shouldnt. You must have fixed the issue lol. there is a seal for that cover I believe.


With your wiper in the any position , like 1 off, your wipers will stand at off-park but shouldnt swipe except at turn on to remind they are on.

I would seal it with butyl rope or a silicone sealant personally because you want it to seal yes but removeable or handle the conditions over time better.

the bushings seemed OK but I didn't really look closely at them. I will now.
drove it twice today (thur) and it didn't act up so I really think it'* fixed because lately it was doing it everyday when cold started.
I will seal it this weekend, thanks for that, I forgot about doing it.
As far as the electronics, I think the car thought the wipers weren't in park when I started it because I would start the car, and then the wipers would start, wipe once or twice and then park. but a while back, maybe a few months, they would move up a few inches and sit at the bottom of the windshield for a few seconds and then wipe and go to park. thinking they were in delay. Maybe it was that round part. it'* on the circuit board and spins with the motor and as it does it hits 2 different contact switches at different times and I think this is how the car knows where the wipers are. on the board there is an outline of it where it is supposed to sit when off. the couple times I took the board off, it was off that mark a little. It was also very very loose. probably wear.
You know what they say, "don't forget to check the little things!."
After all, I'm the one who hooked up his power steering pump line to his tranny!!! LOL. (other car)
thanks for the tips!

Thanks for letting us know what you did to fix it!