Trouble with front windscreen wipers

[sidneyTDI]

Hello!

Yesterday the wipers on my '99 SLX TDi estate started playing up; the intermittent speed went erratic, then loopy, then stopped half way over the screen, before returning to some form of calm.

This morning, the intermittent was odd again, doing 3 strokes then none. I went to slow speed on the wipers, and everything was fine. I tried intermittent after a while and it worked, but only at the slowest speed.

I read up related items on the forum yesterday, and saw that people typically thought it was the wiper motor packing out, or occasionally the relay.

Before I go down that route of repair, I am wondering on a third option, and I was hoping for some feedback for anyone in the know. I have only had this car for three weeks, and it has done 105K with two previous owners. I've merrily used the variable speed all the time during my brief ownership (that's wet weather for you...), and I'm wondering is it the intermittent speed button on the stalk that's failed? Is it possible the previous owners didn't bother with it, and the switch (or wiring to it) detiorated through lack of use before I merrily put it to full time use?

I hope someone is able to help, or tell me of their similar experiences. Thanks to all I've read on the forum already, I'm feeling relatively calm about dealing with this!

[cheezemonkhai]

Is the problem only with intermittant going crazy?

If so I had that and it was a relay change that was required. The dealer changed the motor and linkage then the switch and finally the realy. If you are unsure I would give the thing a new relay as they are cheap parts. Either that or swap it with a friend who has a car with the same relay and see if that fixes it.

HTH

[Tech1e]

Personally I would have thought the motor myself.

[sidneyTDI]

Well, thanks for the responses - it's appreciated. It's also good to know someone else has been in the same situation and resolved it! I will try the relay route first if it is cheap - what sort of damage will I be looking at?

[AwesomeSarah]

What about the linkage Lummox?

Would that have anything to do with it?

Although it would seem strange that it can go quicker?

Sarah

[Griffster]

I've just had my linkage and then my wiper motor replaced.

My symptoms were a very slow and juddery sweep - noticeably worse after rainfall and my car had been standing for a while, ie, overnight. I first had the linkage replaced hoping this would resolve the issue, however after that was done it almost immediately started to stop mid sweep or move a couple of inches and stop intermittently.

A switch off of the ignition and back on parked the wipers OK.

I then had the motor replaced and they have been much better since (only done yesterday but they have been well tested in rainy Manchester since!).

One thing I notice now is that I can hear the wiper motor in the car where as before not at all.

[sidneyTDI]

The mechanism of the wipers seems to be working beautifully (to an untrained eye like mine) - it's just the timing on intermittent and the fact that the speed switch on my stalk makes absolutely no difference...

[cheezemonkhai]

Hi Sid,

I'm fairly certain i've said relay and ross has said motor before on another thread and he was correct, however the relay IIRC was under £25 and is locacted under the sterring wheel area. Think it was a 1 minute job to change for the dealer.

[sidneyTDI]

Thanks for the details cheezemonkhai - when I next have some spare cash (ha ha) I'll pop over to my nearest dealer and get one popped in. I'll leave a message here with whether it worked or not.

Thanks again,

Sidney

[fordfan]

My money is on the motor.

[cheezemonkhai]

Why the motor when it is only intermittant that doesn't work, but everything else works fine?

If it didn't park at all i'd be fine with the motor, and as i said ross said motor when it affected parking in general and was completely correct. I would however genuinely like to know what makes people say the motor for intermittant wipe faults.

Ta

[sidneyTDI]

Just an update on what's happened... The wipers started behaving themselves after this post, and kicked off again just as all the snow fall started last week; typical!

I pulled out the relay and took some contact cleaner to it, and it made no difference. Trying to fit some more detailed work before using it at the weekend wasn't an option, so I took it to a good local mechanic I know, highlighting the relay/linkage/motor points all well highlighted on this forum. The linkage was fine, and he pulled the motor out to see what was what, and found nothing obvious to work with. He popped it all back together and it's been sweet as since!

Whether or not this lasts is another thing altogether, but at the mo things seem good... Let's hope it stays that way!

[mbames]

I ended up with a tow-truck home when my linkage failed. Not the best day in my life! In my case it was the linkage that was the problem. Wipers moving slower than normal and juddery as well.

I took the linkage out, cleaned it up and all been ok since, but it must be a design fault. I took the issue up with Skoda who denied that corroding metal in the wiper linkage was their fault! Well who can you blame if not the designer!?

[zzonyx]

Wonder if this may help, but I've gone through a similar experience with the rear wiper on my SW: erratic, snappy rotation, not slow-down. It seemed like wiring trouble, not a mechanics (motor) problem. I decided to ignore it and it eventually disappeared. The more I used it, the less it failed. Could it be a dirty/sleepy (relay) contact? I'll never know, and it's worked well now for two years or so.

For obvious reasons, you can't afford to do the same.

Before spending anything, I'd try this:

with all systems off (no contact), work first the intermittence lever on the stalk end-to-end for say 10 - 15 times; do the same with the wiper control (stalk) between 0 and I (intermittent operation) positions.

This helps remove oxide and/or dirt from switch contacts.

Try the normal intermittent operation and see if the problem is still there.

If not, you win, but before leaving, switch off the ignition and spray some contact spray (better if you have the marine type) into the contacts of both controls (they are not easily accessible, but don't soak it) and work them again for 2...3 times as described before.

If the problem persists, try the relay route by replacing the relay (the wiring diagram helps here) with a borrowed or old working one OF THE SAME KIND and see what happens; depending on the result, replace the old one or ... keep looking for the cause, you're not yet there - this is where I have to bow out for lack of experience and/or ideas. Anyway, good luck and let me know.

[krbenson]

Why the motor when it is only intermittant that doesn't work, but everything else works fine?

If it didn't park at all i'd be fine with the motor, and as i said ross said motor when it affected parking in general and was completely correct. I would however genuinely like to know what makes people say the motor for intermittant wipe faults.

Ta

From experience with a french car - I would also say motor.. Mine started playing up exactly as described and finally gave up @ 60mph in the fast lane of the m4 in torrential rain.. :thumbdwn: Not fun having to drive at 20mph along the hard shoulder to get the car off the motorway! on the plus side - Police escort!

[Morley]

With this type of fault I would be inclined to take it to an auto-electrician who would check things out in a logical, methodical manner. Nobody here has mentioned the possibility of a faulty switch! Anyway, systematic testing of the individual components should reveal the fault. Far better than guessing and probably less expensive. With a small amount of know how and a multimeter, I'm sure an enthusiastic DIYer could easily carry out these checks themselves.