[Gamepsych]

Hi all, I just joined today trying to cut through the mire of "close but off base" information I've been finding on my problem.
I have a 2009 Fortwo Passion that I recently bought used. So far it drives like a champ. Just yesterday though I turned the wipers on, but when I switched them back off they keep going. The back wiper will do so as well, though less frequently. Most of the information I've been finding are about cars that the wipers keep going even when the car is off, mine shuts down with the key just fine.
Here's a breakdown of things that I've been able to check so far. Not a lot because I honestly have. No idea where to start on this problem.
Selector stick changes wiper speed just fine, just doesn't turn all the way off.
I've tried disconnecting the battery and reconnecting.
Checked the wiper motor side plug for water/corrosion: looked good.
Front and Back wipers turn off when vehicle is turned off.
Reading similar problems suggests the SAM is the culprit and while that is easy to get to I'm not sure what steps I need to take if I replace it.

Long story short: What can I check to eliminate possible problem parts? If it IS the SAM unit, do I need to do anything special after I swap it out?

Thanks for your time!

 

[jwight]

Welcome to SCoA! Hopefully not SAM related. The SAM can't just be swapped out - each SAM is keyed to a VIN, so a replacement SAM would have to be paired with your individual smart, usually by a dealer at a price. It may be as simple as needing a new wiper stalk - those are pretty easy to find.

 

[Gamepsych]

I figured the SAM wouldn't be easy. I don't suppose there's a DIY way of programming it either. Is there a way to know for sure?

 

[jwight]

First step is always look for codes. It will take more than a generic code reader to find some of the specific Mercedes codes. Any shop that does Mercedes work should have the right equipment. FWIW, Autobahn smart parts has the wiper stalk for $35, probably cheaper than getting the car checked for codes: https://www.autobahnsmart.com/electrical/wiper-switch

 

[toaster]

This may be an obvious question, but are you sure you have the stalk in the correct position?

My 2009 with the auto wipers has the following positions, as shown in the manual:

~toaster

 

[Gamepsych]

Whelp, I feel like a stooge. Thank you Toaster for the obvious fix that I should have looked into at the start. It never occurred to me that the stick being all the way down isn't 0.

Guess I'd rather feel dumb and be humbled than have to spend money on a fix.

 

[toaster]

Whelp, I feel like a stooge. Thank you Toaster for the obvious fix that I should have looked into at the start. It never occurred to me that the stick being all the way down isn't 0.

Guess I'd rather feel dumb and be humbled than have to spend money on a fix.

Well to your (and I'm sure many others') credit, it is not clear how this functions unless one reads the manual. Were I designing it, I'd have reversed the positions of 'off' and 'intermittent', as that is how I think most people would expect it to function.

As a new smart owner, I recommend checking out the manual for other goodies! I think there is also a sticky here somewhere with other useful tidbits.

One other thing to be aware of, if your car is equipped with the 'autolight' feature... letting the light switch in the auto position and the wipers in auto (intermittent) can result in battery drain while the vehicle is parked. Smart issued a software update to correct this.

~toaster

 

[jwight]

Mentioning auto wipers up front would have been a clue....