Wipers won't stop

[NorthernSands]

Hi all.

Strange one on the (A-Class) Hymer today. Driving up through a very wet France, got to the docks, turned off the wipers, only they didn't stop. Fast wipe works as expected, as does slow, but intermittent and off are both constant wipes, as per slow. Turning the ignition off does stop them working, but they start again as soon as you turn the key.

Base vehicle is a 1995 MKII Ducato.

Any thoughts? I'm thinking stalk or relay but would welcome any other possibilities.

Ta.

 

[Yorick]

If it's sunny just rip them off

 

[NorthernSands]

Thankfully still raining on the UK side (just approaching Dover docks). Drive North in the morning, so will also hope for rain. Otherwise, yes, all three will be coming off!

 

[100brian]

Thankfully still raining on the UK side (just approaching Dover docks). Drive North in the morning, so will also hope for rain. Otherwise, yes, all three will be coming off!

Just pop the fuse to stop them.

 

[NorthernSands]

Ay, good shout. Now to find it....

The Mrs can always pop it back in mid journey if it starts raining....

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[Yorick]

Buy her a brolly so she don't get too wet

 

[NorthernSands]

Luckily the fuses are in the glove box!

Update: removing and replacing the fuse stops the wipers, until you operate the stalk again, then they are as unending as before. It did start working correctly again, then broke again.

 

[Yorick]

Luckily the fuses are in the glove box!

Don't tell the missus or you won't get any praise for buying her a brolly.

 

[hilldweller]

Update: removing and replacing the fuse stops the wipers, until you operate the stalk again, then they are as unending as before. It did start working correctly again, then broke again.

Got to be a fault in the stalk - time to work out how to get it off.

 

[Drifter]

It was obviously designed to tour the west of Scotland, I’d head there quick if I were you ?

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[Wildbill]

there could be a short in the wiring loom give it sum wd 40 and try to dry it out had simuler problem with one of my old van's replaced stalk and it still done the same when it reined
or it got wet
but every thin in electrikery is difrant
bill

 

[NorthernSands]

Ay, I'll start with the stalk connection, fuse, find the relay and WD40 everything. I'll measure voltage across various points to see if I can find the point of failure. I just hate intermittent faults!

The fuse did get hot, too....

 

[autorouter]

There are two supplies to a wiper motor. One comes from the stalk switch, via the ignition. That just moves it from its parked position to the operating position.

The second supply is a permanent live, probably through the ignition but may not be. Once the wiper is moving, it powers the motor until it reaches the end of the stroke, back to its parking position. Then an inbuilt switch inside the motor turns it off. The idea is that the wiper always has power to return to its parking position even if you turn off the stalk switch.

If that inbuilt switch fails short, then it never switches off. Which is what is happening, I think.

So look for another fuse that protects the permanent wiper supply.

 

[Lenny HB]

Hymer fit a Schaudt control box under the bonnet on A Class vans that controls the wipers. Had one go faulty on my last van, from memory on mine the wiper motor kept running if you turned the ignition off without the wipers parked but wipers stayed still.

 

[Yorick]

Why not buy 2 cars. One for rain. One for dry - obviously a nice sporty convertible

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[Barclaybasher]

Just keep the washer bottle filled

 

[tonyidle]

There are two supplies to a wiper motor. One comes from the stalk switch, via the ignition. That just moves it from its parked position to the operating position.

The second supply is a permanent live, probably through the ignition but may not be. Once the wiper is moving, it powers the motor until it reaches the end of the stroke, back to its parking position. Then an inbuilt switch inside the motor turns it off. The idea is that the wiper always has power to return to its parking position even if you turn off the stalk switch.

If that inbuilt switch fails short, then it never switches off. Which is what is happening, I think.

So look for another fuse that protects the permanent wiper supply.

My diagnosis too - a failed self-parking switch or sensor.

 

[NorthernSands]

Well, the oddities of it all continued. I verified that it was still faulty, then found two relays under the bonnet, both appearing to connect to the wiper motor (a big black one, and a smaller white one). Unplugged both and cleaned the connections on those and the cables etc. with WD. All back together and the off and intermittent positions worked, so I thought all was well, at least for now.

It did start raining on the drive home, and intermittent and off both worked fine. Only slow wipe had now completely stopped. So off, intermittent and fast all worked fine, just slow that didn't. Well, then it did start working again.

 

[StitchesnFluff]

Well, the oddities of it all continued. I verified that it was still faulty, then found two relays under the bonnet, both appearing to connect to the wiper motor (a big black one, and a smaller white one). Unplugged both and cleaned the connections on those and the cables etc. with WD. All back together and the off and intermittent positions worked, so I thought all was well, at least for now.

It did start raining on the drive home, and intermittent and off both worked fine. Only slow wipe had now completely stopped. So off, intermittent and fast all worked fine, just slow that didn't. Well, then it did start working again.

Keep us updated!

 

[Robmac]

Not quite the same problem, but I am having trouble with my wipers at the moment. See this thread;

Body Control Module

I've had a problem with my wipers recently, the main problem being that they don't work! They move about an inch and then stop. At first I thought it would be at worst a new linkage and motor, or at best a strip down and refurbish so this is what I went for. Having taken away the 2 cowlings...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

I will be updating this later today as I have now been further confused by the latest event (which is not difficult!)

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