Help! Wipers stuck on in intermittent mode

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

Hi folks...

I'm in France at the moment, and the Chimaera has developed an electrical gremlin.

After parking up at a French service station, I now find that my wipers come on in intermittent mode when the ignition is turned on. I can't turn them fully off at all, although wash/wipe works and I think they work in normal mode.

But obviously I don't want them running on a dry screen, even in intermittent!

I tried pulling the intermittent wiper fuse (which is also the brake lights), but they still came on with the ignition.

I then tried pulling the wiper fuse (also the indicators), and that has stopped them.

But obviously that leaves me with no wipers and no indicators. Neither was much of a problem on a sunny Autoroute, but if I can fix it that would be nice.

I'm suspecting a sticky relay; is that possible?

Any help would be appreciated. I've got very basic tools with me, and spare fuses.

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

Some further information occurs to me...

When I parked up, I fiddled about in the passenger footwell because my wife had been reporting cold water dripping on her feet. I'm pretty sure it's just aircon condensation coming out of the air vent, but wanted to check there was no risk of water getting to the battery, fuse board or ECU. So it is possible I've disturbed something when moving the wiring...?

Also, it is very hot and it was parked in the sun. Could this have caused a relay to stick?

[FlipFlopGriff]

You dont want the wipers runing on a dry screen as they'll burn the motor out and cause a fire.
Do you have or can you get another relay. Is the wiper on the same relay as some of the others on the fuseboard? if so you could swap them. I seem to recall its one of the "special ones".
FFG

[portzi]

check in your handbook, as some fuse boxes are different and try changing the relays, or it might just be a case of puling it out and refitting it. good luck

[Harrytsg]

Cant you just pull the plug off the wiper motor?

[Ribol]

Why not try and pull the relay from the fuse box and see if they stop, that would leave everything else working.

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

Thanks guys. I'll have a go at swapping relays in the morning.

Mine is one of the later Chimaeras with the wiper motor above the driver's knees, which makes it VERY difficult to access. It isn't simply a case of pulling the connector from the rear corner of the engine bay I'm afraid.

I'm still hoping that once everything has cooled down it'll all start behaving itself. Ever the optimist, me!

Also, indicators seem like an optional extra on this side of the Channel, so maybe I'll just live without them. And if it rains I can always just speed up to clear the screen. What can possibly go wrong??

Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Thursday 26th July 21:12

[Ribol]

I wouldn't swap the relay, just remove it - it will be in the fusebox by the battery.

The flasher unit is under the dash top.

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

Thanks Ivan, I'll definitely do that if it happens again. But for the moment my blind optimism is working - this morning the problem has gone, which suggests that a sticky relay could well be the cause.

I will need to dry out the passenger footwell when I get home though: the carpet is quite damp from the aircon condensation.

[Ribol]

Dr Mike Oxgreen said:

I will need to dry out the passenger footwell when I get home though: the carpet is quite damp from the aircon condensation.

My mate has aircon in his, it has been a bone dry car in all conditions for the years he has owned it - you may need to look elsewhere.

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

Cold water was dripping from the plastic air vent, and it stopped shortly after switching off the aircon. There is no sign of water ingress from anywhere else. My money is on the aircon - it only started dripping when the outside temperature was well up in the 30s and it was hazy, so there was lots of water vapour in the air.

Edited to add: The footwell was bone dry before we started yesterday despite being parked outside during all the wet weather (not always covered), so it's definitely not rain getting in.

Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Friday 27th July 15:40