Wipers stop & restart after 25 minutes!

[Gunswick]

Really need some guidance on this problem guys!

2002 Octavia.

The front wipers only have stopped working. This is on all slow speeds, intermediate and fast setting. They are parked 100% normally at the bottom of the windscreen. They did not slow down, judder or behave abnormally at all.

+ All other buttons / functions work 100% on the wiper stalk (rear wiper, all washer jets, trip computer).

Heres the important bit:

+ If I leave the stalk pushed up, attempting to put the front wipers on (say in the fast position), after about 25 minutes, the wipers will suddenly kick into life and work 100% normally again!

+ All the speeds work, I can start and stop the wipers for minutes at a time and use them 100% as normal.

+ If I don't use them for say 20 minutes+, then they stop working again! Again, if I leave the wiper stalk in the "On" position, then they will turn on again after a few minutes.

+ It's almost as if they are frozen in position or something and after 20 minutes of pushing, the wipers move!

+ The wipers cannot be "helped" to move if they are stuck by me pushing the wiper blade arms upwards.

1) Which fuse numbers cover the front wipers?

2) I will check the large black 377 relay above the pedals tomorrow, give it a clean and inspect them.

3) Could it be the linkage and/or the motor (baring in mind the behaviour I have described above)?

4) What else could it be?

Many many thanks in advance!

[mbames]

1) Which fuse numbers cover the front wipers?

Fuse 24, 20amps according to my owners guide.

[Gunswick]

excellent, thanks mbames.

I have had the relay out and it looks fine. Can I confirm which relay it is though?

I opened up and checked both the Large Black 387 one, which was just a circuit board inside really. It seemed fine.

I then opened up the Large Brown *603, which had a large electromagnet coil inside. Again everything seemed fine, no drama going on!

So which one is actually the front wiper relay?

I then removed the linkage and the wiper motor. Even with the linkage removed fully from the car, the motor would NOT turn at all (or make any noise etc).

So I guess I can eliminate the linkage as the problem.

So it must surely be the relay or the motor? How can I test further to pin this down?

[Delcac]

New motor, my one did the same.

[rwbaldwin]

Relay 387 is the wiper relay on your car (the number changes depending on the wiper features).

As you have already discovered it has a circuit board inside.

[Gunswick]

FOLLOW UP UPDATE:

I phoned my local dealer who were very helpful. The wiper relay is the big brown one pictured, 603. 100%. With the electromagnetic coil inside.

After removing the linkage and the wiper motor from under the windscreen, I drove to Skoda who allowed me free of charge to go and plug in a brand new relay and a brand new wiper motor.

It was the brown relay which was broken. As soon as I plugged in the new one, it all worked perfectly again.

Great to be fixed, though slightly long winded way to find out by having to remove the linkage and the motor, but at least it is fixed!

Thanks for all the help, I hope this thread helps someone else.

Definately start by trying to assess if the relay is duff as it is the easy bit to get to (try a brand new one and see if the problem is fixed). Then try removing the linkage and motor (they are attached) and trial and error replacing bits.