Technical Front wipers have suddenly stopped working [solved]

[Airbusboy]

Hello all

Just wondering if you could shed some light on why the front wipers have just died on my wife's 2014 1.2S ?

We were driving home in the pouring rain on the A2 just before Christmas, when the front wipers just stopped in the up position. We managed to limp off of the A2 and called the RAC out.

After a couple of hours, we were back on the road with no further issues. Apparently, the wiper motor had 'lost' its earth connection. The RAC guy had to solder a wire to the existing earth connection on the 4-way wiper motor plug and connect it directly to the chassis.

However, when I tried the wipers the next day, they worked for a couple of seconds, but then stopped and have failed to work ever since. Initially I checked that the soldered earth connection was still intact, which it was and then the fuse, which hadn't blown. After checking the motor for any obvious issues, I eventually decided that the motor may have failed, so ordered a second hand from ebay. This turned up today, but unfortunately, made no difference. So now I'm at a loss.

Of note is that when the wiper controls are operated, you can definitely hear a relay clicking, so I'm not suspecting the wiper control switch assembly.

I'm starting to wonder about a module issue or something as subtle rather than a hardware fault, but any help would be much appreciated !

Regards

Gary

 

[chris3234]

Can you get the the motor power connector
Try a multi meter on the power pins to check for voltage if there nothing
Try one on the positive and the other meter lead to another earth point in the car see if you can get any signs for power

 

[Airbusboy]

Can you get the the motor power connector
Try a multi meter on the power pins to check for voltage if there nothing
Try one on the positive and the other meter lead to another earth point in the car see if you can get any signs for power

Thanks for your replay.

Yes, I can get to the motor as it's out already.

The problem I have is that although I can measure the respective voltages, I have no idea whether they're good, bad or indifferent as I don't know what their levels should be.

I've looked online for a schematic and have found the attached, which kinda looks right regarding the five connections to the motor (N015), but doesn't state definitively that it's for the 1.2S and apart from the earth connection, doesn't state what the wiper motor connection functions are ?

Have you any idea what voltages I should expect to see ?

Looking at the schematic, it appears that the wiper functions are "drive by wire" with all functionality being controlled by M001, this being the case, I'm a worried that the problem may be a faulty body computer ?

Regards

 

[puntodeltathema]

Had similar issues recently and it turned out to be a dodgy connection inside the motor. One can carefully pop off the black plastic cover and there is an earth connection internally which relies solely on pressure against the cover (en route to the wiring plug socket), and an interference fit in a socket on the circuit board. I think mine had become misaligned but adjusting it and popping it back together has (so far) sorted it.....

Appreciate though you have tried a second motor - two duff units would be unusual.

Is the patrolman's earth worth disconnecting (at least temporarily) as it may be throwing you off the scent (and it may be the body computer normally does the earthing)?

Nick

 

[puntodeltathema]

PS be careful with the bottom of the windscreen when moving motors in and out - I caused a crack to appear (some days later) and according to the glass fitter this is a reasonably common thing on 500s (change a motor and get a windscreen crack)....

 

[Airbusboy]

Well, this was interesting !

Finally solved the motor problem. It turned out that upon further investigations, all of the wires except the thin grey one (motor feedback I think), appear to have been cut at the point where the motor connection loom joins the main loom.

I really couldn't work out how this had happened. Anyway, I rejoined all of the wires using inline crimps et vola, the motor started working. It was only when I reinstalled the wiper mechanism and tested it that I could see that the sawing motion of the wiper mechanism was actually now rubbing against the wiring loom due to the loom sitting in the wrong position.

So, this probably explained why the original earth connection was lost. Added to this, what I think then happened is that the RAC patrol guy then placed the wiring loom incorrectly back so that during the journey home, the wiper mechanism gradually 'sawed' its way through the wiring loom until eventually, it went all the way through and the motor just stopped working.

I've repositioned the wiring loom and cable-tied it down, so that now it's nowhere near the wiper mechanism and job seems a good-en ;-)

Thanks to all who replied.

 

[John202020]

I rejoined all of the wires using inline crimps et vola, the motor started working.

For a long term fix, solder the wires together and use "adhesive lined" heat shrink to create a fully waterproof fix(water can creep in normal heat shrink)

 

[steveras57]

Well done to you for finding and solving this one! bet your pleased! - A lot more pleased than you would have been had it been the body control module that was faulty i can tell you! deep breath !/ beer/ relax!

 

[Greasytrucker]

For a long term fix, solder the wires together and use "adhesive lined" heat shrink to create a fully waterproof fix(water can creep in normal heat shrink)

Or if you can’t solder for toffee like me use the heat up solder type butt connectors as they’re simple to use with a decent heat gun and they’re waterproof. Plenty of videos on youtube on how to use them. Well done for sorting it

 

[Airbusboy]

Well done to you for finding and solving this one! bet your pleased! - A lot more pleased than you would have been had it been the body control module that was faulty i can tell you! deep breath !/ beer/ relax!

These Fiat modules put the fear of God into me ! A couple of years ago, the same car, when left for 2 or 3 days without starting, would completely flatten its battery. This ended up being a faulty Blue&Me module pulling a parasitic current of ~200mA. Cost, around £250...

Or if you can’t solder for toffee like me use the heat up solder type butt connectors as they’re simple to use with a decent heat gun and they’re waterproof. Plenty of videos on youtube on how to use them. Well done for sorting it

Fortunately, I can solder as I'm an electronics engineer by trade. The problem was that my own iron wasn't a high enough wattage to solder what was quite heavy guage cable, I'm guessing 32/0.2 or something. I'll blag one from work and make a better job of it when time allows.

 

[Greasytrucker]

These Fiat modules put the fear of God into me ! A couple of years ago, the same car, when left for 2 or 3 days without starting, would completely flatten its battery. This ended up being a faulty Blue&Me module pulling a parasitic current of ~200mA. Cost, around £250...



Fortunately, I can solder as I'm an electronics engineer by trade. The problem was that my own iron wasn't a high enough wattage to solder what was quite heavy guage cable, I'm guessing 32/0.2 or something. I'll blag one from work and make a better job of it when time allows.

The one thing i wish I could do is solder, always seem to blob it everywhere other than where i need it to go! One day maybe!

 

[Airbusboy]

The one thing i wish I could do is solder, always seem to blob it everywhere other than where i need it to go! One day maybe!

It's all about heat dissipation and ensuring that both parts of what you're attempting to join are a) hot enough and b) at the same temperature. Using an iron that's capable of a) is essential. I didn't, so gave up trying ;-) Good luck !

 

[steveras57]

If you think the blue&me module is a problem? you should try solving issues with the body control unit! blinking can-bus and sensors for everything! (including what you had for dinner and when you last took a i think!) slightest thing gives it a hissy-fit and makes me feel like this
do you remember? when it was just a wire from one part to another and the only bleeding computer was the one between your earholes!

 

[John202020]

These Fiat modules put the fear of God into me ! A couple of years ago, the same car, when left for 2 or 3 days without starting, would completely flatten its battery. This ended up being a faulty Blue&Me module pulling a parasitic current of ~200mA. Cost, around £250...



Fortunately, I can solder as I'm an electronics engineer by trade. The problem was that my own iron wasn't a high enough wattage to solder what was quite heavy guage cable, I'm guessing 32/0.2 or something. I'll blag one from work and make a better job of it when time allows.

Need one like this maybe, its a beast from 50+ years ago