E87 - Can't switch front wipers off - help! :)
E87 - Can't switch front wipers off - help! :)
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Utterpiffle

Original Poster:

831 posts

211 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
quotequote all
Hi all,

Well, I'm sorry, but I'm from the dark side - a Merc enthusiast through and through.

However, a work colleague has a strange fault, that I can't seem to fix, in that his wipers are on all the time - whether the car is running or not, keys out, door locked. Very odd.

Car is a 54 plate e87 118d

I removed the blue relay on the left hand side of the fuse box, and they stopped. I swapped it out with the rear relay (same part number), and they started up again. Just to be sure, I put the front relay in the rear socket, and that worked fine, so it's definitely not the relay.

We googled it, and deduced that the stop/park switch was in the motor mech. A quick eBay session, £15 and a few days later, a new wiper mech turned up. I've just been out and fitted that at lunchtime... Same problem, and I'm now a bit stumped.

What do I try next? Is there a control module between the switch and the blue relay? What else could it be? Does anyone have any circuit diagrams?

Thanks in advance...

sunbeam alpine

7,250 posts

219 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
quotequote all
Don't know about BMW but we had the same problem last week with a 3-week-old Alfa Giulia. Had to reflash the main ECU - main dealer job - they connect a laptop to the car, which is connected directly to Alfa in Italy. Took a couple of hours but was under warranty.

SebringMan

1,774 posts

217 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
quotequote all
Where in the country are you? If in Warwickshire I am happy to try INPA on it. It may not give much light on the situation but it may help.

If there is a short for example the codes could lead you to it.

Utterpiffle

Original Poster:

831 posts

211 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
quotequote all
SebringMan said:
Where in the country are you? If in Warwickshire I am happy to try INPA on it. It may not give much light on the situation but it may help.

If there is a short for example the codes could lead you to it.
That's very kind thank you, but my colleague is in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk.
However, it might be that I send him to get diagnostics locally.
I've got a full diagnostic setup for Mercs, but unfortunately know absolutely nothing about these cars.

Utterpiffle

Original Poster:

831 posts

211 months

Friday 2nd June 2017
quotequote all
sunbeam alpine said:
Don't know about BMW but we had the same problem last week with a 3-week-old Alfa Giulia. Had to reflash the main ECU - main dealer job - they connect a laptop to the car, which is connected directly to Alfa in Italy. Took a couple of hours but was under warranty.
Yikes, that sounds scary! eek

Utterpiffle

Original Poster:

831 posts

211 months

Friday 16th June 2017
quotequote all
Hi, me again!

OK, so problem still exists. Front wipers are always on.

We've swapped out the relay front to back. So it's not that. It was then suggested that the park switch in the actual mechanism was budgered, so we've now replaced that. Wipers still constantly running.

What next? Is there a control or comfort module that could be causing it? Is it something that needs re-coding? Does anyone know where I can see a wiring diagram?

Heeeeelp! smile

Edited by Utterpiffle on Friday 16th June 13:51

ThunderSpook

3,910 posts

242 months

Friday 16th June 2017
quotequote all
The wipers have been on constantly for 2 weeks? Surely the battery must have died by now.

Utterpiffle

Original Poster:

831 posts

211 months

Friday 16th June 2017
quotequote all
ThunderSpook said:
The wipers have been on constantly for 2 weeks? Surely the battery must have died by now.
Ha!

No, the relay is removed. Windscreen covered in Rain-X. Not ideal, but luckily it's not rained much.
I'd forgotten all about it actually, but he's decided to sell the car so reminded me today that he needs to fix it.

Helicopter123

8,831 posts

187 months

Saturday 17th June 2017
quotequote all
Utterpiffle said:
sunbeam alpine said:
Don't know about BMW but we had the same problem last week with a 3-week-old Alfa Giulia. Had to reflash the main ECU - main dealer job - they connect a laptop to the car, which is connected directly to Alfa in Italy. Took a couple of hours but was under warranty.
Yikes, that sounds scary! eek
Good to know that despite 'marketing' claims to the contrary, that they are still building Alfa's to the 'traditional standards'.