Wiper issues

[EXILED FALCON]

Hi,

Helllllpppp please!!

When driving to work the other day my wipers came on for no reason and wouldn't go off. The rear one goes off if you switch it off and on but comes back on if I touch the front wiper stalk and no longer comes on in reverse.

My friend spent hours looking at it and he seems to have ruled out a load of potentials....the motor is fine, wiring seems ok, the ECU seemed to be ok. The only slight possible clue was there seems to be a click from the glove box direction when the wipers start which is after a bit of a delayed time.

The scoopshers don't come on at all now and when I try the back wiper comes back on.

Does anyone have any suggestions please.

As much as I genuinely love the car and it has been trouble free in the time I have had it, giving me brilliant mpg on a regular basis, the thought of having to spend hundreds for what seems like a simple problem is a bit sickening and even if I say I've had enough I can't even sell it as the constant wipers is a bit of an off put, even to someone like We Buy Any Car I would imagine.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Car is Zt-T diesel 2005 registration.

Cheers
J

[EXILED FALCON]

Sorry I should meant to say earlier that the only avenue we really didn't explore was the looking at the switches on the steering column as we were a bit reluctant to activate the air bag. Is removing the column cowling and accessing the switch a simple task? I really don't want to cause any chaos in there!

Thanks all

[Dave Goody]

The first thing I would do is check the plenum for water ingress:}
funny things happen when the ECU gets wet

[ProfDave]

The first thing I would do is check the plenum for water ingress:}
funny things happen when the ECU gets wet


as he says!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! look there soon Do not want a submerged ECU!:mad:

[EXILED FALCON]

Guys, thanks for the advice.

We had a good root around the ECU and removed it from where it sits and also took off its cover. There didn't really seem to be any signs of water ingress to be honest.

I know this maybe sounds a bit naive but is it a possibility it could be an issue in the steering column switch? It's maybe me being stupid but I had the car in the garage I've used for years and he said neither he nor a passing auto electrician could find anything and he'd need it for longer to have a good look. However there is no apparent sign if any removing of the column cowling and I would have thought that would be the first port of call so to speak. But that is maybe why I work with spreadsheets not cars!!

[oldcarguy]

Have you tried disconnecting the battery for 30 minutes?, it seems to cure a lot of silly faults.

[EXILED FALCON]

Hi, yes, that was one of the last resort desperation attempts!

No luck however.

Thanks anyway.

If the absolute worst comes to the absolute worst, can someone tell me how much a replacement ECU costs supplied and fitted....even roughly. Don't worry, my weekend is already spoiled!

[Dave Goody]

Hi, yes, that was one of the last resort desperation attempts!

No luck however.

Thanks anyway.

If the absolute worst comes to the absolute worst, can someone tell me how much a replacement ECU costs supplied and fitted....even roughly. Don't worry, my weekend is already spoiled!

were there signs of water in the plenum? ie. pollen filter in a mess?
check this before buying a new ECU. If it is obvious the plenum has flooded a drying out session can sort it or it may be repaired. The "ECU Doctor" [do a search] has had good results for many at reasonable prices.

[EXILED FALCON]

Hi,

No, there didn't seem to be any undue evidence of water ... certainly nothing to cause alarm apparently. Trouble is I'm not too confident of rumaging around with the electrics for fear of causing greater chaos.

Thanks for the link...certainly a bit more palatable than some of the horrow quotes I've been picking up.

[chrissyboy]

any code reader that reads k-bus and display panel should come back with stork problem,i believe the stork is faulty if you was to power the wipers they should work .by powering them or becoming the switch so it would show the switch on the stork is faulty

[EXILED FALCON]

Cheers Chrissy.

[EXILED FALCON]

Sorry all, can I just ask about the ecu suggestion please? I had it confirmed that one of the drain holes on the passenger side plenum had been blocked so we cleared it and there was signs that there had been water in some time. Sorry, I must have been too cold and wet to hear / notice.

However, the wiring from the wiper motor doesn't go into the ecu, it disappears behind the dashboard. If this is the case, why would the ecu be potentially the cause of the fault?

[SKS Disco]

Sorry all, can I just ask about the ecu suggestion please? I had it confirmed that one of the drain holes on the passenger side plenum had been blocked so we cleared it and there was signs that there had been water in some time. Sorry, I must have been too cold and wet to hear / notice.

However, the wiring from the wiper motor doesn't go into the ecu, it disappears behind the dashboard. If this is the case, why would the ecu be potentially the cause of the fault?

As yours is a diesel, a common cause of wipers having a mind of their own is the glowplug relay has got wet. It is next to the ECU.
Water shorting out the pins will backfeed a signal into the ecu via the Kbus which will in turn send spurious electrical signals all over the place, the wipers suffering more than most.

[EXILED FALCON]

What would you suggest as a remedy or does the process you describe have the end result of damaging the ecu?
Thanks for your help.