Wipers randomly coming on on their own

Mwsnowy

New Member
Hi, I would like to know if anyone else has had this problem or knows a fix.
My mother in-law owns a 53plate a2.
On a couple of occasions now she has been driving it when the front wipers have suddenly started going on their own. She can't stop them they just stop on their own or when she turns the car off. The other twist is when this happens the car then won't normally restart for around half an hour. Has anyone come across this problem or have any suggestions on what to check.
Thanks
 
I suspect it's the motor. It has contacts that park the blade correctly, regardless of when you switch it off. If that contact gets worn or dirty, the wiper does not know it is parked, so keeps looking, until the contact makes again, and then it will park, until the contact makes again. It's a wiping contact with one side moving with the wiper, and the other fixed. It only needs the ignition to be on, as the parking function is energised independently of the wiper switch.
Mac.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ami
I suspect it's the motor. It has contacts that park the blade correctly, regardless of when you switch it off. If that contact gets worn or dirty, the wiper does not know it is parked, so keeps looking, until the contact makes again, and then it will park, until the contact makes again. It's a wiping contact with one side moving with the wiper, and the other fixed. It only needs the ignition to be on, as the parking function is energised independently of the wiper switch.
Mac.

Maybe making it eternally look for its resting spot is not the best engineering. 😄
 
There may well be a fault with the wiper parking contacts but how does that explain the car not starting??????? Bizarre.

Andy
 
Hi @Mwsnowy
Does the wiper thing happen when driving, or when starting? Can you expand the not starting symptoms? When it won't start, is this after being parked up for a while, or after the engine suddenly stops along with the wiper wiggle? Do the dash lights come on, does it turn over but not fire etc.
A bit of background etc should help join the dots, or solve the mystery 🤞
Mac.
 
Yes sorry more info.
The wipers will just start randomly going when you're driving along and not straight on start ups, it's happened 3 times now and she can't stop them until she turns the car off or they stop on their own. When it has happened (say on the way to the supermarket) when she's come back out the car is dead but the warning lights are on. On every occasion it's happened it has comes back to life around 30 minutes later. On 1 occasion it showed a fault code for a coil not working. All 4 have been replaced now and when it happens it doesn't store a fault code
 
Yes sorry more info.
The wipers will just start randomly going when you're driving along and not straight on start ups, it's happened 3 times now and she can't stop them until she turns the car off or they stop on their own. When it has happened (say on the way to the supermarket) when she's come back out the car is dead but the warning lights are on. On every occasion it's happened it has comes back to life around 30 minutes later. On 1 occasion it showed a fault code for a coil not working. All 4 have been replaced now and when it happens it doesn't store a fault code
I can't think of a link between the two faults, doesn't mean that there isn't one of course.
I think the only way to go is to work on the wiper fault in isolation. If the two are linked the non start might (🤞) go away. If not come back to it.
See if Andy or Steve have a spare wiper motor, and swap it out. You'd have to take it out to check it anyway.
Mac.
 
Yes sorry more info.
The wipers will just start randomly going when you're driving along and not straight on start ups, it's happened 3 times now and she can't stop them until she turns the car off or they stop on their own. When it has happened (say on the way to the supermarket) when she's come back out the car is dead but the warning lights are on. On every occasion it's happened it has comes back to life around 30 minutes later. On 1 occasion it showed a fault code for a coil not working. All 4 have been replaced now and when it happens it doesn't store a fault code
Wipers constantly on, but not with starting problem, has been posted before back in 2011 and OP thought it was a relay problem (passenger footwell) and was going to replace but lamentably never subsequently posted the outcome.

My advice is to contact electrical guru Tom(@timmus). You are only an hour and quarter from Leighton Buzzard and Tom will be there in a few weeks.


Andy

Edit. I would keep away from local garages it is unlikely they will have the required A2 expertise to fix your problem and you will be in danger of spending a fortune and getting nowhere.
 
Ref this old post, if you are handy with the spanners, cleaning and resetting the wiper motor contacts does not sound too difficult.

It man not solve the problem but would eliminate a possible contributing factor


Cheers Spike
 
What happens if you pull the windscreen washer level, when the issue appears?
It normally has an auto 3x wipe & stop system., so it should stop the wiper.

The car battery dies than come back 30m later is really odd, could be cccu issue, common with petrol A2s at this age.
I reckon you scanned the car with a cheap/basic scanner? Those don't pick up codes way too many times, can't record previous ones either. My advice is to get a proper scanner, look up vcds lite/full infos on this site, then 1st scan the cccu, not the engine itself. Also pull the (edit) *passenger* side seat backwards, remove the thick carpet, and undo 3 black seal by turning them half way and lift the thin metal cover. Underneath is the cccu unit, check for leaks or any damage around it, no need to take it out, take note of it's serial number too, which ends with A or E or similar, for future references it might need replacing.
 
Last edited:
What happens if you pull the windscreen washer level, when the issue appears?
It normally has an auto 3x wipe & stop system., so it should stop the wiper.

The car battery dies than come back 30m later is really odd, could be cccu issue, common with petrol A2s at this age.
I reckon you scanned the car with a cheap/basic scanner? Those don't pick up codes way too many times, can't record previous ones either. My advice is to get a proper scanner, look up vcds lite/full infos on this site, then 1st scan the cccu, not the engine itself. Also pull the driver side seat backwards, remove the thick carpet, and undo 3 black seal by turning them half way and lift the thin metal cover. Underneath is the cccu unit, check for leaks or any damage around it, no need to take it out, take note of it's serial number too, which ends with A or E or similar, for future references it might need replacing.
is the cccu under the driver's seat in the UK?
 
Sorry I meant passenger seat, it was a 3am message lol, I'm gonna change it.
Well if he checks under the driver seat cover, good time to check if all the bits: pump, liquid, etc. still there
and the Bose amplifier in the boot? Otherwise the tools, pump and so on should be next to the battery..
 
Back
Top