Which electrical fault is most likely if a rear wiper will not turn off?

• A. a short to another circuit that is hot at all times.
• B. a blown fuse.
• C. an open in the ground side of the circuit.
• D. a loose connection at the wiper motor.

Answer: (A)

A rear wiper that won’t turn off is usually because power is being supplied to the motor continuously, bypassing the switch. A short to a circuit that is hot all the time creates a constant feed to the wiper motor, so the motor stays energized regardless of the switch position and keeps running until something opens the circuit or the fuse does. The other faults wouldn’t typically cause a motor to run constantly: a blown fuse would cut power and stop operation; an open in the ground side would break the circuit and prevent operation; a loose connection at the motor could cause intermittent behavior or failure to run, but not a reliable, always-on condition.