Wind screen wiper intermittently stopping working

[tomo72]

Hi all,

So, on the rare occasion I use them - often because I get my sticks mixed up, they sometimes freeze mid wipe and nothing moves them. Then, after the car has been turned off for a bit and started again, they work again.

Any ideas...?

Many thanks in advance

[bobfather]

There are versions, what year is your car

[Mr Plow]

I've got the newer wiper motor that's under the dash. I have this problem - its the relay in the fuse board. I have give it a wiggle. As a bodge its currently held into the fuse board with some tape.

[tomo72]

Is a 1998 car 4.0 - S reg

[N7GTX]

Probably got the wiper motor on the passenger side, under the bonnet right in the corner? If so then this might help. If not ignore it all.
Its held down with a strap. It sits in the recess part of the wing which attracts water. Check around and under it for water as you will see the electrical wiring there.
If it works on speed 1, try lifting the arms off the windscreen and then operating the wipers. This will reduce drag and if the gearbox grease is tired/solid or the spindles are a bit tight, this may free them up. Make sure the engine is running as the motor is not particularly strong. A couple of minutes on speed 2 should maybe help.
If no better, I undid the 2 x 13 mm nuts holding the strap so I could lift the motor up a bit. Disconnected the plug to check for corrosion, cleaned with contact cleaner and refitted. Also, undid the 2 small screws that hold the end cover on to the motor unit. Then carefully pulled it off. You will see the motor. I removed the rotor part and cleaned it all up and refitted after checking the carbon brushes still had plenty of life in them. I doused everything in WD40 and when dried off, reassembled. Been good for over 2 years now.
If none of this works then you will need to strip the motor off from the car, clean out, check for damage/wear in the gearbox, re-grease and refit. After that time for a full refurb or a new item.
Just to add, some owners find their wiper blades work better if Rain X is applied:
https://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories...

Edited by N7GTX on Friday 12th January 00:18

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

tomo72 said:

Is a 1998 car 4.0 - S reg

Before anyone can give meaningful help, we need to know which type of wiper your car has.

Newer cars, including my ‘99 450, have the wiper motor inside the cabin, underneath the dashboard just above the driver’s knees. Older cars have the motor in the engine bay, in the rear left corner just in front of where the passenger sits. I don’t know when the design changed, but discussions about wipers indicate that the great majority of people have the older design and many people seem completely unaware that later cars have a completely different design.

I’m guessing that the design changed around 1998-99, so I wouldn’t like to guess which design your car has. N7GTX’s advice is all good stuff that relates to the older design, but as he says it’s not relevant to the newer wipers. You could waste a lot of time following advice that’s inappropriate for your wipers.

So first things first: please take a look in the rear left corner of your engine bay. Is there a motor there, or is it just an empty corner?

If you have the older design with the motor in the engine bay, then the most common failure is water affecting the park switch - water pools in that corner of the engine bay. But if you’ve got the newer design then you should ignore this - the motor and switch are not likely to be affected by water.

Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Friday 12th January 08:14

[echazfraz]

tomo72 said:

Hi all,

So, on the rare occasion I use them - often because I get my sticks mixed up, they sometimes freeze mid wipe and nothing moves them. Then, after the car has been turned off for a bit and started again, they work again.

Any ideas...?

Many thanks in advance

I've a similar issue although more specific - position 1 does not work nor do the wipes in the "skoosh and three wipes" function activated by pulling the wiper stalk towards you. But the "skoosh" still works as do positions 2 and 3 of normal wiper operation. The switch itself on the stalk is working - all contacts here are fine.

I may have to have a poke at the motor this weekend and report back.

[JimTC]

echazfraz said:

I've a similar issue although more specific - position 1 does not work nor do the wipes in the "skoosh and three wipes" function activated by pulling the wiper stalk towards you. But the "skoosh" still works as do positions 2 and 3 of normal wiper operation. The switch itself on the stalk is working - all contacts here are fine.

I may have to have a poke at the motor this weekend and report back.

I have the same fault - 2000 Chimaera with in cabin Bosch motor.

The fault developed in stages.

Initially the intermittent wipe stopped working intermittently but the wiper park worked fine in all cases.

Then the intermittent wipe and wiper park failed simultaneously. Positions 2 and 3 run fine, but no park.

Interestingly, with the wiper switch set to intermittent mode (but the wipers not moving), you can hear the relay clicking on and off periodically, so looks like this part of the circuit might be working OK (unless part of the relay has failed).

I have tried re-seating the relay but no change.


Very keen to know how you get on...

[tomo72]

Many thanks for all the advice. Located the motor under the bonnet where you said it would be. It has a piece of cardboard shoved under the connector which makes me think this may have happened before and is a loss connection. If course they worked fine, but grind to a halt on the friction on the screen - so will try some rain plus or whatever it is to make it easier for them!

Best

[Steve_D]

The connector on the motor is part of the park switch which is easily and cheaply replaced. The connector on the loom is also available from places like Car Builder Solutions.

Steve

[N7GTX]

^^^ and for less than £12 (plus p&p).

https://tvr-parts.com/tvr-parts/part-details/tvr-m...

[GR_TVR]

Pretty sure this is compatible for less - someone let me know if not as I'm planning to buy one soon!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER-SERIES-3-WIP...

[Penelope Stopit]

GR_TVR said:

Pretty sure this is compatible for less - someone let me know if not as I'm planning to buy one soon!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER-SERIES-3-WIP...

Yes this switch will do the job

[tomo72]

thanks again!!

[jimed]

I had a problem a bit like this on the Griff. The wiper motor is on the nearside under the bonnet. The park switch was the problem caused by damp/water. Solution as advised by Heath (X Works) was to remove the park switch and then gently warm it with a hair drier and maybe leave it somewhere warm (airing cupboard?) how a little while and then refit spraying some waterproof grease round the connectors.
That was fairly simple to do and a few years later all is still working fine. Maybe this doesn't always do the job but worth a go.
Jim

[Steve_D]

jimed said:

I had a problem a bit like this on the Griff. The wiper motor is on the nearside under the bonnet. The park switch was the problem caused by damp/water. Solution as advised by Heath (X Works) was to remove the park switch and then gently warm it with a hair drier and maybe leave it somewhere warm (airing cupboard?) how a little while and then refit spraying some waterproof grease round the connectors.
That was fairly simple to do and a few years later all is still working fine. Maybe this doesn't always do the job but worth a go.
Jim

But having gone to all the effort of removing/lifting the motor to get at the switch why not just throw in a new £10 switch.

Steve

[jimed]

As you say Steve you can always just put a new switch on. But if you don't happen to have one around or don't want to wait for one to be delivered it doesn't take long to dry the old one out. I guess it is all part of the do you bother to fix it or just buy new debate.
Jim

[phillpot]

jimed said:

I guess it is all part of the do you bother to fix it or just buy new debate.
Jim

Mine was rusted to f##k, no amount of drying would have fixed it!


From memory two or three of the terminals were brass but others were steel,(something to do with how it's made?) probably zinc plated from new but any plating and most of the terminal long gone.

[JimTC]

JimTC said:

echazfraz said:

I've a similar issue although more specific - position 1 does not work nor do the wipes in the "skoosh and three wipes" function activated by pulling the wiper stalk towards you. But the "skoosh" still works as do positions 2 and 3 of normal wiper operation. The switch itself on the stalk is working - all contacts here are fine.

I may have to have a poke at the motor this weekend and report back.

I have the same fault - 2000 Chimaera with in cabin Bosch motor.

The fault developed in stages.

Initially the intermittent wipe stopped working intermittently but the wiper park worked fine in all cases.

Then the intermittent wipe and wiper park failed simultaneously. Positions 2 and 3 run fine, but no park.

Interestingly, with the wiper switch set to intermittent mode (but the wipers not moving), you can hear the relay clicking on and off periodically, so looks like this part of the circuit might be working OK (unless part of the relay has failed).

I have tried re-seating the relay but no change.


Very keen to know how you get on...

Still wrestling with this problem.
Does anyone have the wiring diagram for the later Chimaeras with in-cabin Bosch motor?
Anyone know of other fuses to check?
Any help much appreciated.
Thanks
Jim

[stumpage]

Mine did the same. I just tightened up the bracket holding the wiper motor and all solved.