Lights keep the wipers running?

[RoosterRoomster]

Hi I am new to the site so apologies if I ask a silly question. I have a Roomster 2007 model and it just sailed through the MOT only for the electrics to play up the next day.

Initially the door open light on the dash came on and the boot light stayed on as well  (with all doors closed). This light had never worked before. The problem seems to have gone away now and the boot light doesn't come on any more. However the problem is now I have had to remove the fuse for the rear wash wiper because the wipers in their normal stalk position work fine (intermittent, normal and fast speed) until I turn the lights on and then the wipers just continue to work without intermittent or turning off facility. The only way to stop this is by pushing the stalk to the rear wiper position where the front wipers then operate normally but the rear wiper is constantly working (hence removing the fuse to stop this).  I could continue like this but as I love the Roomster I want to keep it running as it should be....has anyone got any ideas?? My thoughts are toward the stalk itself or perhaps when the door locking issue was present it messed the wipers up??  I have checked all the fuses mentioned on this forum and they seem fine. So before a trip to the dealers I thought I would ask for your help....Thanks again

[RichardatWakefield]

Hi there Rooster Roomster, welcome to Briskoda.

 

This sounds weird, not had that happen with mine.  My thoughts are look in the Diagnostics & VCDS section further down the forum, you can search for a member near you who offers to do VCDS plug-in diagnostic.  You then roll up at theirs, they plug in their kit and hey presto up come some fault codes.

 

Often people do this for free, or beer tokens.... But importantly it will give you the fault codes.  (and remember the dealer would charge you up towards £100 to do this.)  

 

Then get back into this post and state what fault codes have shown up, at which point someone will hopefully chip in with exactly what's playing up.

 

And someone may have the part number(s), or you can do like me, be cheeky, ring your local Skoda dealer, ask for the part number, retail price and trade price.

 

Then Google to find the part via t'internet, then choose whether to buy online, or like I did for the (heated) mirrors control switch, and order it from the dealer at the trade price you've been quoted.  And then got my friendly local one-man-operator garageman to fit the part; he does all my servicing, repairs, MOT preps.  At a fraction of dealer prices, and an easy 15mins walk instead of far side of town.

HTH.

Richard

PS. If you get good help from Briskoda, consider becoming a Freedom member, it costs very little, but helps to keep the site running.

PPS. It can be useful to show your location in your "signature" or "profile", that way, a member very near you may come on and offer advice/help.

Edited 11 November, 2017 by RichardatWakefield
Improve reply to post.

[RoosterRoomster]

Thanks for the advice I will go and do some hunting and put my area in the profile. Then hopefully I will be able to sort something. 

[bryanb]

Had similar problems last year. It was the wiring in the gaiter of the tailgate broken and shorting.

[RoosterRoomster]

Thanks for the info I will investigate...

[RichardatWakefield]

Hi again Rooster,

Earlier this year I had a thing where all other doors were locked, but tailgate latch wouldn't engage.  

 

As Bryan B says, in my case it was several broken wires /  wires copper intact but with insulation already failed, within the gaiter up at top LHS of tailgate, if so, my garage chap was able to solder in short temp repair pieces, tape them and the broken-insulations, re-attach gaiter.  I then searched online for a repair kit.

 

IF, as is likely, this is your same problem, there is a beautifully-engineered repair kit from a German company, Sencom, part number is SKU 888913, was 58.67 euros,  £49-51, called SenCom Kabelbaum Reparatursatz Skoda Roomster (5J) Hecklappe.  The quoted P&P of 9.90 euros didn't get charged, maybe this is an older stock item they want to clear out?

 

The part was sent on May 3rd this year, my local chap found it easy to fit, you'll see a pic on Sencom's website, you get all the wires, with crimpable end connectors, and a rear screenwasher pipe with push fits, within a new gaiter.  The wires were lovely and soft, so should last the lifetime of the vehicle.  A top-quality repair kit!

 

I think he first cut the old gaiter lengthways to remove it, probably taped and clipped the two bundles of wires plus pipe where they disappear into the body and hatch, cut them at the mid-span, then attached the new stuff one at a time; there's an instruction / colour coding chart or diagram.

 

Or he may have cut one old wire at a time, crimping in each new line as per chart supplied.  There is quite a variety of wire thicknesses, presume rear screen heater will be the thickest.

 

My notes say a part number 5J7971147, that's probably the silly-priced Skoda/ VAG item.

 

Hope that helps, keep us all posted!

Richard

Edited 14 November, 2017 by RichardatWakefield
Accuracy.

[RoosterRoomster]

Hi thanks again for all the help. I have been doing a bit of fiddling around with different ideas. I have only lost the use of the rear wiper, I can operate the front wipers normally by pushing the stalk into the far position. I am not sure if it is just the lights causing the problem as I removed the light fuse and switch and the wipers keep going on their own still with the stalk in the normal position. Someone said it could be the actual wiper/light stalk/arm and now I am trying to find the correct part number to get a second hand stalk but again there are so many part numbers and my wiper arm doesn't look the same as the roomster ones I see online??  I will get there in the end and will keep you posted....thanks again

[bryanb]

19 hours ago, RoosterRoomster said:

Hi thanks again for all the help. I have been doing a bit of fiddling around with different ideas. I have only lost the use of the rear wiper, I can operate the front wipers normally by pushing the stalk into the far position. I am not sure if it is just the lights causing the problem as I removed the light fuse and switch and the wipers keep going on their own still with the stalk in the normal position. Someone said it could be the actual wiper/light stalk/arm and now I am trying to find the correct part number to get a second hand stalk but again there are so many part numbers and my wiper arm doesn't look the same as the roomster ones I see online??  I will get there in the end and will keep you posted....thanks again

 

I'd check the wiring to the tailgate before buying parts.

[RoosterRoomster]

Thanks to all the advice on here. To finish the story, well I think it's finished. I did some fiddling around and was today about to take it to the local VAGCOM garage to read the code faults etc. Then it decides to work perfectly fine and I have done over 140 miles today on a round trip and tested the wipers and lights several times and they now work fine??? Can the ECU re calibrate itself to put things right??  So as it was not a serious problem I saved myself the diagnostics fee and now have fingers crossed that it will stay working...If not I'll be back!