Wipers

Purely a guess, the switch?

Looking through the Repair Manual there's a lot mention of the wiper switch settings, in association with Radar Cruise and Lane Departure. A fair bit of troubleshooting flowcharts.

Here's the section on removal/install, fwiw:

 

Another guess. I believe there is a mechanical switch internal to the motor that provides logic concerning wiper arm position. This is also the mechanical switch that makes sure the blades are parked when you turn off the wipers. Might be a problem there, or perhaps more simply in the connector to the motor or the steering wheel stalk switch. Bad ground? Find the motor and unseat/reseat the connector, say a brief wishful statement of your choice, and see if it's fixed. Otherwise, off to the dealer. As Mendel says, the ATP model has "premium" features that interact with standard features like the windshield wipers. Perhaps a problem there.

 

This is an old thread, but GF has 2012 with exactly the same problem as Steve F. mentioned in 12/15 at start of this thread. Did Steve (or anyone else) really figure this one out (rather than just guessing at possibilities to try)?

 

We always encourage anyone who posts to give us the rest of the story. Helpful for our diagnostics and it provides closure for anyone with a similar problem. It is possible but unlikely that this was a mechanical issue. The first thing to check in any Prius malfunction is the state of health of your little 12 volt battery. There are 13-odd computers (ECU's really) that have to boot up properly when you press that Start button, and any low voltage in that sequence can cause problems. Have your battery load tested.

 

OK; here's the rest of the story: solution was to buy a new (used) wiper motor on eBay and install. There are instructions on the web about how to install and a decent youtube video for a 2011. Pay special attention to aligning the motor with the wiper mechanism when you install so the wiper landing position is correct. Cost: $70, time to install: about 2 hrs (b/c I didn't align it correctly the first time).

 

Sorry just found this old thread. I am experiencing the same problem but while researching I came across the possibility that it is the relay switch as the motor is still working on the fastest setting. I am trying to get a hold of said part (relay switch) but regular parts shops do not have the relay that can fit my 2011 prius. Anybody knows where a compatible relay can be ordered?