Engine cuts out when wipers go on

Engine cuts out when wipers go on

Author
Discussion

Rik Blythe

Original Poster:

94 posts

118 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
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Hi
Has anyone come across this before, the car runs fine until you switch the wipers on, then the engine cuts out. Turn the wipers off and the car runs fine. I have power coming in the fuse box the wrong way ( that's how it's been described to me, I'm not a mechanic) according to my mechanic it shouldn't be. I've replaced the whole fuse box in the engine bay but it's not fixed the problem.
04 XJR 159k

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Regards
Rik

snafu10

64 posts

162 months

Saturday 25th February 2017
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Check earth connection on wiper motor just for elimination run temp earth cable from motor to good earth point .

OCDave

22 posts

91 months

Saturday 25th December 2021
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Hi Rik,
Did you find the cure for this?
Have an 07 XJR doing exactly the same!
Thanks
Dave

Dodsy

7,172 posts

228 months

Sunday 26th December 2021
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Had this recently on my 07 XJR.

If the earth points on the drivers side are faulty it will cause the engine to cut out when you turn the wipers on so start there.

Easy to get to , remove the plastic cover that is above the rad . There are 2 earth points behind the drivers side headlight , 1 behind the passenger side headlight.

Be aware the earth points can look fine but they corrode from the inside. I had my local garage replace all of them - 2 on the drivers side 1 on the passenger side all behind the headlights .

Its easy to check and clean the earths but its easy to break the studs when undoing or tightening. When retightening only go finger tight then an extra half turn. And use some penetrating oil on them before trying to undo . If they are like mine , when you go to undo the nut the stud will just fall off as its corroded through

I also had some weirdness last month with wipers working once then not again until engine was switched off , same with headlights. The turned out to be a faulty alternator chucking out around 17volts.
.
Eta looking at the op he had power coming into the fuse box ‘the wrong way’ which is exactly what happens when an earth is faulty. The power tries to find another way to earth , basic car electrics.



Edited by Dodsy on Sunday 26th December 08:56