so basically tonight we got our first rain in awhile, i had my wipers on, when the rain cleared up i turned the wipers off, but now when i turn my turn signals on either direction the windshield wipers come on low speed as long as the signal is on. btw this is a 1996 honda accord.

 

hmm sounds like the arm is shorting out or is being activated when you use the turn signal. Is the control for the wiper loose? the twist switch that is

 

doesn't seem loose to me, so if it is shorting out, then would i just need to get a new combination switch? or would i have to track down the wiring harness for it

 

well you can always tear it down and check it out. I would more than likely assume get a junkyard one, replace it and move on

 

i really don't know anything about wiring, i can wrench but when it comes to that stuff im clueless. so would a combination switch cause the circuits between the turn signal and wiper switch to cross and activate each other?

the rreason i ask is because a couple weeks ago i did a trans swap, and the starter shorted out when i attached it, causing some of the grounds to start smoking, i didnt see any major damage. but i figured some of the damage would turn up eventually

 

today it isnt raining, i got in the car, turned on the signals no wipers come on, turned on headlights highbeams, horn, no wipers. turned on the wipers, they work as they should. I looked under the car, the ground behind the left headlight is attached well, but i couldnt really see it. but it seems to be a consensus that the ground behind the left headlight grounds the turn signals, wipers, windshield fluid, and horn.

i don't have fender liners, would water on the ground cause a poor connection?

 

of course water can become an issue with any electrical. Good for you sounds like you're getting close to the issue. Without liners you may be sending water into those areas fairly easy, my liners were ripped out as well but I haven't had issues yet. Make sure all the wires are not loose or have breaks in them. Might be a short somewhere

 

but today, no rain, no problem with my blinkers and wipers. i imagine if it was a short the problem would persist, same as if it was a faulty ground, when i parked it last night it was doing it when wet, today before moving the car it was dry and no problem. i think im going to get under there and try to seal the ground someway or another from water.

 

Water is a conductor. So say there is a bare wire somewhere, if water connects it to another point it will short to ground. The water is agitating the issue but the wire or ground may be the actually problem to begin with