Wipers not working properly.
Wipers not working properly.
Author
Discussion

groucho

Original Poster:

12,134 posts

275 months

Tuesday 11th January 2005
quotequote all
I just went out to do a bit of shopping in the Griff a 20 mile round journey even though there is a supermarket 1 mile from me.

On the way I noticed the wipers weren't working properly.

If I put them in wash mode the wipers would wipe three or four times but stop vertically up the windscreen.

If I put them on intermittent they would just go to vertical and stop.

If I put them on normal wipe they would work properly until I turned them off and then they would stop vertically.

The same applies for fast wipe.

The funny thing is that when I returned home all modes were working properly but it was piing down then as opposed to raining sporadically when I left. Maybe it was the wetter windscreen causing less friction, but somethings going on.

Fickle things eh?

Does this mean the wiper motor is on it's way out or something like that?

Cheers
Grouch.

catretriever

2,090 posts

271 months

Tuesday 11th January 2005
quotequote all
groucho said:

Does this mean the wiper motor is on it's way out or something like that?


Yep, mine went similarly.

The park switch was knackered and the contacts inside the motor had disintegrated.

groucho

Original Poster:

12,134 posts

275 months

Tuesday 11th January 2005
quotequote all
Easy to do yourself? and forgive my ignorance, what is the Park Switch. Is that the lever stalk inside?

Grouch.

>> Edited by groucho on Tuesday 11th January 16:36

catretriever

2,090 posts

271 months

Tuesday 11th January 2005
quotequote all
The park switch is easy, and probably the first thing to try since I gather it only costs a few bob. I couldn't say about the motor as I didn't do it myself. Most difficult thing tho' may be sourcing a replacement.

groucho

Original Poster:

12,134 posts

275 months

Tuesday 11th January 2005
quotequote all
catretriever said:
The park switch is easy, and probably the first thing to try since I gather it only costs a few bob. I couldn't say about the motor as I didn't do it myself. Most difficult thing tho' may be sourcing a replacement.


Yeah, but what and where is it? I'm a bit of a simpleton sometimes.

Grouch.

catretriever

2,090 posts

271 months

Tuesday 11th January 2005
quotequote all
surely you've got the bible

the wiper motor is situated just under the rear passenger side of the bonnet. Unbolt the bracket that is clamping it down and you should be able to twist the motor round. The plastic thing under the motor that the wires go into is the park switch. Replacements available from your local dealer I believe

groucho

Original Poster:

12,134 posts

275 months

Tuesday 11th January 2005
quotequote all
Thanks for that catretriever. Yes I do have the bible but I couldn't find anything in the index under Park Switch.

I shall have a look at it and send away for the bits.
Bldy hell, just seen the other thread just about seven down.

Grouch.



>> Edited by groucho on Tuesday 11th January 16:58

monkeypilot

106 posts

274 months

Tuesday 11th January 2005
quotequote all
There's a lot of this about. On mine it was just the park switch - it's conveniantly (HA!) located under the wiper motor. Mine just needed a clean and the terminals wiped then sealing up. I think it's a water ingress problem that gives a poor electrical contact.

Hope this helps!

groucho

Original Poster:

12,134 posts

275 months

Tuesday 11th January 2005
quotequote all
monkeypilot said:
There's a lot of this about. On mine it was just the park switch - it's conveniantly (HA!) located under the wiper motor. Mine just needed a clean and the terminals wiped then sealing up. I think it's a water ingress problem that gives a poor electrical contact.

Hope this helps!


Yes, it does help. I will try and clean it up. We have had a bit of rain lately and it was OK the last time I put it away.

Grouch.

mrmaggit

10,146 posts

277 months

Tuesday 11th January 2005
quotequote all
Wait for Barreti to post. He has chapter and verse on wipers and their relays and switches.

RichB

56,224 posts

313 months

Tuesday 11th January 2005
quotequote all
On the subject of wipers (and I did do a search but could see an answer) what do most of you do for replacements? I need some new blades, do you just get the rubbers and slide them in (Ooo err missus ) and what make is best? Rich...

groucho

Original Poster:

12,134 posts

275 months

Tuesday 11th January 2005
quotequote all
I could do with some new blades also.

Grouch.

barreti

6,689 posts

266 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
Thanks maggit

There seems to be a couple of problems relating to wipers. One is the park switch as mentioned earlier which gives problems which are different each time. Cleaning things up first or replacing the park switch as a last resort seems to be the answer for these odd problems. A quick search shows me this only costs about a fiver.

If the intermittent doesnt work at all or the wipers stop dead instead of returning to the park position when you switch them off it could be the relay which has come loose or popped out. The relay is in the passenger footwell, the second one in from the left and second row down.
I've spent bloody hours trying to find a replacement item on the web but can't so it might mean a call to the dealer to replace this little blighter.
If anyone finds it please let me know.

Just for reference. Should you ever need it, I also found this during a search, posted by Northern Paul
I chased down this company off the internet J & L Spares 01706 644210 Mike Carlisle is the wiper man, they can recondition a wiper motor for £75.00 +VAT (which includes delivery).


Wiper blades:
The best I've ever had are PIAA Silicone Wipers. If you can't get the metal blades to fit your car you can remove the rubbers successfully and transplant them into your existing metalwork, or at least I could on my Alfa156. I've yet to get to this job on the Griff.
Running with these on is better than rain-x because they lay a coat of silicone on the screen and add to it with every wipe, they dont judder and are very quiet - when you need to switch them, which isn't often.
Do a google search for Silicone Wipers, everybody sells them these days, but make sure you are sitting down - they are NOT cheap.

RichB

56,224 posts

313 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
barreti said:
Wiper blades:
The best I've ever had are PIAA Silicone Wipers. If you can't get the metal blades to fit your car you can remove the rubbers successfully and transplant them into your existing metalwork.
Yes I saw these mentioned on a number of car sites as being good. I would have to strip out only the rubber and slot it into the Griff's wiper blade because on the Griff it is drilled to take the washer pipe and nozzles. Rich...

groucho

Original Poster:

12,134 posts

275 months

Wednesday 12th January 2005
quotequote all
Cheers Barreti, I will start with the relay, that's if I ever get enough time off work.

Grouch.

>> Edited by groucho on Wednesday 12th January 17:25

IPAddis

2,521 posts

313 months

Thursday 13th January 2005
quotequote all
RichB said:

barreti said:
Wiper blades:
The best I've ever had are PIAA Silicone Wipers. If you can't get the metal blades to fit your car you can remove the rubbers successfully and transplant them into your existing metalwork.

Yes I saw these mentioned on a number of car sites as being good. I would have to strip out only the rubber and slot it into the Griff's wiper blade because on the Griff it is drilled to take the washer pipe and nozzles. Rich...


The blade is drilled, not the arm? Interesting.

dtuson

719 posts

310 months

Friday 14th January 2005
quotequote all
The PIAA website lists all makes apart from TVR. Does anyone know the size and whether the likes of Halfords stock them?

RichB

56,224 posts

313 months

Friday 14th January 2005
quotequote all
IPAddis said:

The blade is drilled, not the arm? Interesting.
Oops, you're right - Rich...

fazz81

324 posts

264 months

Tuesday 18th January 2005
quotequote all
Hi all,

I've got the same problem with the wipers not being set back to their park position. Just been reading the bible and doesn't sound to hard to get to the parker swtich, but it does say when you put it all back together you should use a sealant....anyone got any recomondations on what sealant to use?

Cheers
Fazz

groucho

Original Poster:

12,134 posts

275 months

Saturday 5th February 2005
quotequote all
Funny isn't it? the way TVR's seem to repair themselves. Went out today in the rain and the wiper problem is not there.

Grouch.