Wiper stopped

M

Merlin

Member
Apologies for the familiar title of this post - I know there are many other similar posts but they don’t seem to answer my specific question.

My wiper stopped last night during the rain, resumed again as I neared the end of the journey and has stopped again this morning. In common with other posters who had earth failure, the wipers have been sluggish for the three years I have owned the car. I have tried earthing the wiper motor with a jump lead but no success.

I might be being thick but the fuse box on my A2 (pictured) doesn’t fit the diagram in the logbook so I’m not sure if it’s the fuse to blame HOWEVER the screen washer is working fine and I believe it runs off the same fuse? My question is: does the same relay 602 supply both wiper motor and screen wash pump and if so does a healthy screen wash pump mean the 602 relay is good?

Trying everything to avoid removing wiper assembly at this point…

2f150b071eeb23a7840a3e37af83010f.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The manual is written for LHD cars. The fuse box is the same but is rotated 180 degrees for RHD cars. So if you place a mirror on the right end of the diagram the reflection is what we have in RHD cars..

First port of call after the fuse is checked with a meter is to see if the earth connection to the windscreen wiper motor has failed. To do this use a length of wire ( preferably a jump lead ) and connect one end to the block the wiper spindles come through and the other to the engine. Now turn on the wiper to see if the work. If they do now work it is an earthing issue. The wiring connector for the wiper does get wet and this lets the contacts corrode. The earth is the first one to go. The best solution is to clean the corrosion out then smear dielectric grease around the outside of the plug to stop water getting in again. I realise this may not be easy for you to do. As you would have seen the jump lead brought the wiper back so replacing that jump lead with a length or wire screwed onto the wiper block and the other end onto a suitable engine bolt such as a tensioner mounting bolt.

Note if the jump lead did not make the wipers work and it was connected properly then come back to us as it could be the wiper stalk, fuse, relay, wiring or even the wiper motor itself. The wiper mechanism could also be seizing up especially the non driven spindle.
 
audifan said:
The manual is written for LHD cars. The fuse box is the same but is rotated 180 degrees for RHD cars. So if you place a mirror on the right end of the diagram the reflection is what we have in RHD cars..

First port of call after the fuse is checked with a meter is to see if the earth connection to the windscreen wiper motor has failed. To do this use a length of wire ( preferably a jump lead ) and connect one end to the block the wiper spindles come through and the other to the engine. Now turn on the wiper to see if the work. If they do now work it is an earthing issue. The wiring connector for the wiper does get wet and this lets the contacts corrode. The earth is the first one to go. The best solution is to clean the corrosion out then smear dielectric grease around the outside of the plug to stop water getting in again. I realise this may not be easy for you to do. As you would have seen the jump lead brought the wiper back so replacing that jump lead with a length or wire screwed onto the wiper block and the other end onto a suitable engine bolt such as a tensioner mounting bolt.

Note if the jump lead did not make the wipers work and it was connected properly then come back to us as it could be the wiper stalk, fuse, relay, wiring or even the wiper motor itself. The wiper mechanism could also be seizing up especially the non driven spindle.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info about the fusebox. So the 25A fuse is fine, as I thought it would be because the washer is working fine. Earthing the wiper motor with a jump lead didn’t make any difference.


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Update: looks like it is indeed the earth. I tried again with the jump lead and the wiper sprung to life - much faster than it ever has before. Guess I didn’t find a decent enough earth the first time I tried. I am now going to earth the motor by connecting it with a cable to an anchor in the body, as done by others on this forum.


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Merlin said:
Apologies for the familiar title of this post - I know there are many other similar posts but they don’t seem to answer my specific question.

My wiper stopped last night during the rain, resumed again as I neared the end of the journey and has stopped again this morning. In common with other posters who had earth failure, the wipers have been sluggish for the three years I have owned the car. I have tried earthing the wiper motor with a jump lead but no success.

I might be being thick but the fuse box on my A2 (pictured) doesn’t fit the diagram in the logbook so I’m not sure if it’s the fuse to blame HOWEVER the screen washer is working fine and I believe it runs off the same fuse? My question is: does the same relay 602 supply both wiper motor and screen wash pump and if so does a healthy screen wash pump mean the 602 relay is good?

Trying everything to avoid removing wiper assembly at this point…

2f150b071eeb23a7840a3e37af83010f.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Hi, could I ask if you got an answer to your question? Read the faulty motor on your wiper arm?
 
Anne said:
Not the motor then???
Click to expand...
yes, it is the earthing of the motor that is the most usual cause for slow wiper action or complete lack of activity.

pasting from another thread :

Using the jump lead trick recommended by Graham (@audifan ) above usually restores rapid action and demonstrates the need for a better earth cable connection secondary (as he said) to corrosion of the earth contact in the actual motor power cable connector.

Supplementing this with a 2 foot additional earthing cable from the motor casing to a suitable bolt somewhere in the engine bay is the usual easiest way to get the motor working effectively again.
Plug is dry and contacts clean (if I've got the right plug - down and to the right from the wiper spindle end of the wiper motor casing - loom then runs around underneath the motor casing to the left and disappears under the scuttle somewhere?) - but the added earth has been a revelation today.

@Alan_uk

I've managed to find the Ebay link for the cable in Ebay order confirmation Emails from summer 2018! Still available from the same supplier (H. Bowers) - ordered two more, although the price has gone up from £3.98 then to around £6.50 each now.

For future reference if someone finds this in years to come - the link on 17th November 2022 :

www.ebay.co.uk

18" INCH 450mm CAR BATTERY BLACK EARTH EARTHING NEGATIVE LEAD CABLE WIRE STRAP |

eBay​

450mm Length. 16mm² Conductor (Cross sectional area) Flexible copper cable. Black PVC insulation. 110A Rated.
www.ebay.co.uk
search term on Ebay - 18" INCH 450mm CAR BATTERY BLACK EARTH EARTHING NEGATIVE LEAD CABLE WIRE STRAP, options
specifications -

450mm Length
8mm Ring terminal fitted on either end
Black PVC insulation
16mm² Conductor (Cross sectional area) Flexible copper cable
8.85mm Outside diameter
110A Rated


herewith the images of the extra earth showing the existing bolts used. Just in case anyone is confused by the astounding perceived levels of workmanship, I should make it quite clear that this installation wasn't done by @timmus (!) :)

1668871240779.png

1668871288806.png

1668871339111.png
 
Robin_Cox said:
yes, it is the earthing of the motor that is the most usual cause for slow wiper action or complete lack of activity.

pasting from another thread :

Using the jump lead trick recommended by Graham (@audifan ) above usually restores rapid action and demonstrates the need for a better earth cable connection secondary (as he said) to corrosion of the earth contact in the actual motor power cable connector.

Supplementing this with a 2 foot additional earthing cable from the motor casing to a suitable bolt somewhere in the engine bay is the usual easiest way to get the motor working effectively again.
Plug is dry and contacts clean (if I've got the right plug - down and to the right from the wiper spindle end of the wiper motor casing - loom then runs around underneath the motor casing to the left and disappears under the scuttle somewhere?) - but the added earth has been a revelation today.

@Alan_uk

I've managed to find the Ebay link for the cable in Ebay order confirmation Emails from summer 2018! Still available from the same supplier (H. Bowers) - ordered two more, although the price has gone up from £3.98 then to around £6.50 each now.

For future reference if someone finds this in years to come - the link on 17th November 2022 :

www.ebay.co.uk

18" INCH 450mm CAR BATTERY BLACK EARTH EARTHING NEGATIVE LEAD CABLE WIRE STRAP |​

​

eBay​

450mm Length. 16mm² Conductor (Cross sectional area) Flexible copper cable. Black PVC insulation. 110A Rated.
www.ebay.co.uk
search term on Ebay - 18" INCH 450mm CAR BATTERY BLACK EARTH EARTHING NEGATIVE LEAD CABLE WIRE STRAP, options
specifications -

450mm Length
8mm Ring terminal fitted on either end
Black PVC insulation
16mm² Conductor (Cross sectional area) Flexible copper cable
8.85mm Outside diameter
110A Rated


herewith the images of the extra earth showing the existing bolts used. Just in case anyone is confused by the astounding perceived levels of workmanship, I should make it quite clear that this installation wasn't done by @timmus (!) :)

1668871240779.png

1668871288806.png

1668871339111.png
Click to expand...
The garage have ordered a new motor the Earth was checked by the AA, but he didn’t suggest anything about the one in the foot well?
 
Anne said:
The garage have ordered a new motor the Earth was checked by the AA, but he didn’t suggest anything about the one in the foot well?
Click to expand...
They appeared to be only one in the country that they could order from a parts department, which is in Heathrow. I am covered with parts and Garage costs so if it isn’t right diagnostically I have some leeway.
 
If you are going to locate the earth wire in that position on the motor mount please be careful which one you use. The spinning arm may catch the earth wire and jam the motor. Ask me how i know... 😖
 
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Dave M said:
If you are going to locate the earth wire in that position on the motor mount please be careful which one you use. The spinning arm may catch the earth wire and jam the motor. Ask me how i know... 😖
Click to expand...
I've got my additional earth wire there on all three cars and they don't catch. But I agree, if the wire / connector was much prouder than that it could/would snag. Clearance is about 3mm over the head of the bolt - but it takes a few goes to turn the ignition key off with the wiper moving at exactly the right time to then be able to observe how much space there is between the arm beyond the angled part and associated pivot and the bolt head to confirm it for ones' own satisfaction. Owing to the diagonal it is perhaps a little less than 3mm to the edge of the bolt head at the angled end, granted.

Thing is - that bolt head was already there. The eye on the earth cable adds less than 1mm thickness, and I added a 0.75mm stainless washer to that to ensure maximal contact area, as well as sanding the wiper motor casing to remove oxide.
 
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Even if you are covered with parts and labour this is not going to be a cheap job.

Are you 100% sure the extra earth lead did not make the wiper work?

Are you 100% sure the fuse was checked with a meter or replaced with a known good one?

Do the washer jets work?

Does the wiper work on any setting?

Can the wiper arm be moved manually across the windscreen by gently rotating it or is it rigid?

The issue is by fitting a new motor it may well earth better due to no corrosion and mask the issue......

P.S. Who mentioned anything in the footwell and how did the AA check the earth?
 
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