When I press the windshild wiper control for one swipe they go on and do not turn off unless I switch off the ignition. Last time they went off after about One minute. Any ideas about what part might be failing would be appreciated. Thanks, vic
Damned if I know, and I am a BMW mechanic. I changed out my wiper control module, and it got better, but would still do this sometimes. I wonder if it is in the park switch of the wiper motor, but have not had time to mess with it. I am leaning this way, though.
Thanks for the reply. I also notice a click sound coming from the passenger side, perhaps a relay, at the start of each wiper swipe. I also wonder if it is a faulty ground wire. The wipers also operate continuously when switched to intermittant, and do not stop when switched off until the ignition is turned off. -vic
That click is the relay in the control unit turning on the wiper motor. I am really leaning toward the park circuit in the wiper motor itself, because I believe that the control unit is looking for the wiper motor to stop, and when it does not seem to, the control unit turns off to protect the system (think about pushing snow- it sends power to the motor, the motor never parks, it turns off the motor to prevent wiper motor, linkage, and circuit damage.) Those are the exact symptoms that I have. You should still be able to do a single wipe by pushing down on the stalk. It may not automoatically make the entire run across the windshield, but you can time letting it go to where it stops near the bottom. It would not be a faulty ground wire causing this.
Not sure we are talking about the same symptom. In my case, I can not make one and only one swipe because the wipers keep going on their own. I can not turn them off. I do hear what you are saying about the wiper motor park switch. -Vic
Well, maybe apart from that, mine do all the same things as yours- mine used to do that never turn off thing, but now they seem to let me do a half-assed swipe if I keep holding it down. Intermittent is on all the time (low speed I think.) I have a spare. I gguess I should see if the motor is the problem.
Thanks again for your replys. Now I am noticing that the problem happens on damp mornings when there is a lot of dew. As the day goes on the problem goes away. This mornig when I turned off the ignition the wipers stoped mid-stroke. When I turn the key on again, the wipers parked. -Vic
Hi Paul, did you ever sovle the wiper problem? Mine still do not turn off, even with press-down for single wipe they just go with a click sound coming from the passenger side under the glovebox. -vic
It has sorta semi-solved itself. They have worked in the rain for the last few days. I still suspect the park circuit in the wiper motor itself. The click from the glovebox is totally normal. The relay that actually turns them on is in the control unit behind the glovebox. Since replacing my control unit did not immediately solve the problem, and it still might re-occur in the mornings sometimes.
