I bought a reproduction unit with the cruise accessory (because my car is equipped with that). I never got around to installing it until recently. It works very well, at least compared than the original which was broken at the narrow part of the chrome plastic, rendering the windshield wash function non-functional. I don't have the cruise wire hooked up because the cruise doesn't work and it would require taking the column apart.
So I bought a non-cruise lever a week ago and tried it in place of the last reproduction one. I don't know if I got a defective lever or not, but the wiper knob won't turn. I compared the metal insert rods between the cruise and non-cruise levers and the non-cruise lever has a stubbier tip and a shallower groove. It snaps into place and pulls back out fine, so I don't know what the problem is. Perhaps the different types of levers don't actually interchange? Does anyone have any ideas on this?