Technical Problem with wipers when turning engine over

[mlocky657]

Hi i have the 2004 model 1.2 8v active. When i turned the ignition on or when i start the engine up the wipers automatically start going then stop half way in between the windscreen. I then have to nudge the wiper arm where you turn the wipers on if raining a couple of times to get the wipers back down to the bottom of the windscreen. Its a little bit annoying and due for mot soon so need to rectify it. Can anyone point me to fixing this problem thanks.

 

[Brendan W]

Check under the wiper motor that the scuttle drains haven't clogged up and the motor is in a pool of water.
Even if they are clear it may have taken water onboard. Open the motor and drain the water.

 

[Ziggy122]

Check under the wiper motor that the scuttle drains haven't clogged up and the motor is in a pool of water.
Even if they are clear it may have taken water onboard. Open the motor and drain the water.

Im all for this as well

Either that - or recent work has left the wipers in the incorrect "park / home" position

Ziggy

 

[mlocky657]

Thanks ill give that a try and get back to you.

 

[mlocky657]

Im all for this as well

Either that - or recent work has left the wipers in the incorrect "park / home" position

Ziggy

You say recent work. The thing is there has been no recent work this problem just started one day when i started the engine they just started working on there own.

 

[Brendan W]

There is a short arm at the back of the wiper motor gearbox that drives the two connecting rods to the spindles. It's normal park position is nine o'clock as you face the motor. It's not keyed so it can slip if reassembled incorrectly of if the wipers are used when stuck to the screen by heavy frost or a few inches of snow.

 

[mlocky657]

There is a short arm at the back of the wiper motor gearbox that drives the two connecting rods to the spindles. It's normal park position is nine o'clock as you face the motor. It's not keyed so it can slip if reassembled incorrectly of if the wipers are used when stuck to the screen by heavy frost or a few inches of snow.

im a little boggled really ive checked the the things they said in the 1st 2 posts nothing looks out the norm no water nothing blocked.

now onto what you have said would this be the cause though of them starting on there own without me even turning on the wipers at start of engine or just turning the ignition??

i have a video and pics of what happens ill try to upload them.

 

[mlocky657]

cant seem to upload pics or video just keeps saying cannot connect to website. Also someone else not on here said it maybe the wiper relay, could this be correct.

 

[mlocky657]

managed to upload a few pics. how do i upload a video if thats possible

 

[varesecrazy]

now you've 5 posts it MAY be possible.. ;-)

 

[mlocky657]

now you've 5 posts it MAY be possible.. ;-)

still cannot upload video

 

[Brendan W]

Looks to me as if the arm at the back of the motor has shifted to about 10 o'clock instead of 9.
Take out the entire assembly and loosen the 13mm nut at the back and reset it.
Might be possible to reach around in there but for God's sake disconnect the battery. The torque in the wiper motor can chop fingers off if activated accidentally.
While it's out crack open the motor a bit and let the water out. Not too far or the brushes will pop out and it's fiddly to reassemble.

 

[mlocky657]

Looks to me as if the arm at the back of the motor has shifted to about 10 o'clock instead of 9.
Take out the entire assembly and loosen the 13mm nut at the back and reset it.
Might be possible to reach around in there but for God's sake disconnect the battery. The torque in the wiper motor can chop fingers off if activated accidentally.
While it's out crack open the motor a bit and let the water out. Not too far or the brushes will pop out and it's fiddly to reassemble.

thanks for help, i have reset the arm also there is no water in it or water damage from the looks of it. but even if this was the problem it would solve the wipers going on there own when i turn ignition on or start engine would it????

 

[Brendan W]

thanks for help, i have reset the arm also there is no water in it or water damage from the looks of it. but even if this was the problem it would solve the wipers going on there own when i turn ignition on or start engine would it????

Not the arm.That alone won't cause the wipers to hunt for position. What does is that the motor thinks it's not in the park position. A while back there was a rash of cars with juddering wipers, running at one speed only etc etc. Most of these issues were solved either by removing water in the motor, cleaning or replacing the motor brushes or removing the grease on the contact plate inside the wiper gearbox.
Another is is the stalk control. They can go bad. Sometimes you can hear a slight buzzing in there. Contact cleaner spray can help other wise it's replacement.
Another issue, unlikely in your case is fitting a used assembly from a different model year. The changeover was about 03 iirc. This did give park problems.

 

[mlocky657]

Not the arm.That alone won't cause the wipers to hunt for position. What does is that the motor thinks it's not in the park position. A while back there was a rash of cars with juddering wipers, running at one speed only etc etc. Most of these issues were solved either by removing water in the motor, cleaning or replacing the motor brushes or removing the grease on the contact plate inside the wiper gearbox.
Another is is the stalk control. They can go bad. Sometimes you can hear a slight buzzing in there. Contact cleaner spray can help other wise it's replacement.
Another issue, unlikely in your case is fitting a used assembly from a different model year. The changeover was about 03 iirc. This did give park problems.

Thank you i understand a little bit more now. What i couldnt get my head round was the wipers starting on there own. But now i think i have it lol. As soon as the ignition is turned on if the wiper is not in the correct position which is 9 o,clock it automatically starts hunting for it. So what i will do now is look to find out how to correctly set the wipers in the correct position, then i hope this will solve the issue, is this correct????

 

[Brendan W]

Thank you i understand a little bit more now. What i couldnt get my head round was the wipers starting on there own. But now i think i have it lol. As soon as the ignition is turned on if the wiper is not in the correct position which is 9 o,clock it automatically starts hunting for it. So what i will do now is look to find out how to correctly set the wipers in the correct position, then i hope this will solve the issue, is this correct????

Not quite. The park position is decided by contacts in the motor. The wipers could be anywhere if the arm slips. The motor itself would have no idea that they had slipped and would park in the usual position as far it it was concerned unaware that the position of the wipers had changed.
For some reason your motor thinks it's not where it should be and tries to get there when you switch on. It's like when people shut the car down mid sweep of the wipers. Even if they then turn the wipers off the first thing the wipers do when you go to restart is head for the park position.
The first and easiest thing to do is open the cover on the front of the motor gearbox. You will see a contact plate with wiper finger contacts. Clean these and see what happens.
As you have moved the arm, which may have been in the correct position, you might find the wipers taking off downwards initially if cleaning the contact plate works.
Lift the wipers from the screen when testing to avoid them pushing against the scuttle.

 

[mlocky657]

Not quite. The park position is decided by contacts in the motor. The wipers could be anywhere if the arm slips. The motor itself would have no idea that they had slipped and would park in the usual position as far it it was concerned unaware that the position of the wipers had changed.
For some reason your motor thinks it's not where it should be and tries to get there when you switch on. It's like when people shut the car down mid sweep of the wipers. Even if they then turn the wipers off the first thing the wipers do when you go to restart is head for the park position.
The first and easiest thing to do is open the cover on the front of the motor gearbox. You will see a contact plate with wiper finger contacts. Clean these and see what happens.
As you have moved the arm, which may have been in the correct position, you might find the wipers taking off downwards initially if cleaning the contact plate works.
Lift the wipers from the screen when testing to avoid them pushing against the scuttle.

I will try this in the morning thank you. Is there a way to reset the motor to the right park position if for any reason the other does not work thanks again

 

[Brendan W]

I will try this in the morning thank you. Is there a way to reset the motor to the right park position if for any reason the other does not work thanks again

It's not something you can adjust as such. You are depending on the electrics to put the motor spindle in a consistent park position. The arm setting is done assuming the motor is in park and you choose where you want the wipers. Bottom of the windscreen usually. Bottom of the windscreen for the Punto is with the arm at 9 o'clock.
See what the morning brings.

 

[mlocky657]

I will try this in the morning thank you. Is there a way to reset the motor to the right park position if for any reason the other does not work thanks again

ive done what you have said and it still the wipers start on ignition but after cleaning they have now stopped in the downwards position like you said. not sure what i should do now.

 

[Brendan W]

I they no longer jump when the ignition is switched on all you need to do now is reset the arm to the new 9 o'clock position.