Wipers

[Henry]

Driving along today with light rain and intermittent wipers on. Suddenly they stopped working as did all the other settings. Pulled into a lay-by and checked the fuse card. No mention of wipers anywhere. Headlight cleaning, washers but nothing about wipers. Note that the engine is off but only to accessory. Rain stops so move on to petrol station and switch off, fill up and when started the wipers work?? Why has this happened. Things don’t normally fix themselves. Any ideas.

[Charles]

Perhaps an ailing battery?

[Henry]

Don’t think so as it’s not old and the screen shows voltage. It will generally be between 13.6/13.8v although if checked with a multi meter at the under bonnet jump start points it will show 14.1v. The other suggestion I’ve had is the stalk. We’ll see no doubt.

[JohnW]

May be the wiper relay?

[Henry]

Showing my lack of knowledge, where’s that located

[JohnW]

IMG_1633.jpeg (510.14 KiB) Viewed 208 times

Engine bay, take off the ECU/relay cover lid, it’s the brown relay at the top.

[Henry]

Thank you.

[JohnW]

It’s worth a shout to swap it with those symptoms as many just stop working intermittently, probably worn contacts and carbon build up over the years of operation.

[Henry]

Just looked up the relay, I mean what around £80. Will check with the dealer tomorrow. Might need to get a cloth on a stick. Loads of used ones for under £20. Will take it apart and see if contacts are corroded and try a bit of emery.

[JohnW]

That’s a cheaper option, just the same as cleaning the old points before electronics replaced them, You could try and get some Servisol switch cleaning spray in there with the nozzle straw.

I hadn’t realised the cost from new had escalated so much.

[Henry]

I opened up the relay and there was some evidence that it could be/look better so I’ve cleaned it up and put it back in. Haven’t had a problem since. Fingers crossed.

[JohnW]

Hope that was the cause, it’s a suck it and see thing, the relay has the most mechanical wear and tear apart from the wiper motor itself.

The full circuit is here if needed:
https://www.bmwgm5.com/E46_Wiper_Relay.htm