[solved] Front wipers stopped working - help diagnosing?

[8Jb9]

Yesterday I was driving in light rain, when at some point I noticed that it had been too long since the intermittent wipe had done anything.

Manually actuating the wipe with a push down doesn't work, nor does it work with wash+wipe. Wash works fine. The relay clicks at the times I expect it to, as if it was working.

The fuse (Fuse B on the BSI) is OK.

It's three weeks since I replaced the aircon relay on the BSI. I didn't notice anything wrong, and wipers have been working fine until yesterday.


I'd like to somehow check the output of the BSI, and also check the motor manually. What's the easiest way to do it? At least here in the beginning I'd prefer not to remove the wiper arms.

Peugeot 406 D9 semi-mux V6 saloon.

[steve_earwig]

Obviously the easiest place would be to test at the wiper motor connector but I'm pretty sure that involves removing the wiper arms.

There's always the possibility the plug has fallen out of the wiper motor, or (more likely considering you've had it out recently) the BSI Or, for more comedy effect, a pin or 3 have pushed out of the plug as you've connected it...

[Doggy]

Worth checking you've got a good earth to the wiper motor too?

[8Jb9]

Thanks, Steve.

So I'm guessing that we're looking at the green connector (VERT) as the one most likely the culprit (BSI to unit 5015)?

Also, I'm guessing the top sub-relay is ON/OFF, and that the lower sub-relay is low speed (1) and high speed (2)? I think I'll try manual high-speed to see if it makes a difference.

Unit 0005 - what is it?


Wiper GND - how can I check that? Any other way than to access the motor itself?

http://www.deruiter.jp/index.php?page=P ... b=Projects

[Doggy]

So I'm guessing that we're looking at the green connector (VERT) as the one most likely the culprit (BSI to unit 5015)?

Also, I'm guessing the top sub-relay is ON/OFF, and that the lower sub-relay is low speed (1) and high speed (2)? I think I'll try manual high-speed to see if it makes a difference.

Unit 0005 - what is it?


Wiper GND - how can I check that? Any other way than to access the motor itself?

Hope steve doesn't mind my 2p worth?

Yes, the green one
Looks like top relay is slow, both relays for fast, (which I think is what you said)
0005 is your wiper stalk
Sorry, I haven't looked at access to the motor.

[markw]

No, I think the OP got it right.
Bottom relay just selects which of the motor's two windings get power. ie slow speed or fast.
Upper relay provides power when energised (contacts over to the left.) When de-enegised, the contacts click over to the right and put an earth on the end of the motor's slow winding which brings it to a dead stop. (no spooling down).

Slow speed= top relay energised, contacts pulled over to the left......bottom relay not energised, contacts at rest to the right.
Fast speed= top relay energised, contacts pulled over to left..........bottom relay energised, contacts pulled over to left.
Stop=both relays de-energised. Both sets of contacts at rest over to the right. Top relay puts earth on end of slow winding.

It looks like terminal 1 of the 16 pin Green connector(16V VE) connects to the slow winding and terminal 9 connects to the fast winding.
I'd check for 12v appearing at those two terminals first with respect to ground. If you get full volts there, you can then go on to fault find in the wiring or motor.

[steve_earwig]

Top relay puts earth on end of slow winding.

In order to stall the motor in the park position.

506 : Front windscreen wipers low speed signal
507 : Front windscreen wipers high speed signal
503 : Engine fixed stop command

[8Jb9]

It didn't work to put it to high speed. Another relay clicks, but nothing happens.

Is there a good place on the BSI to use as GND-reference? Or just in the vicinity of the BSI/drivers position? I think I'll drag the BSI down so it dangles, I should be able to probe the wires from there.

[8Jb9]

Thanks guys, problem solved - the connector was most likely not fully homed.

I couldn't measure anything on pin 1 or 9. Because pin 9 was difficult to access with my multimeter I pressed a bit more to squeeze it in when suddenly something happened. After that both low- and high speed worked, and I could now get a reading on the multimeter.

There was continuity between the brass/zinc-plated nut holding the kickstand and the steering column+steering column bracket. The bracket had useful holes for locking the multimeter into.

[steve_earwig]

Ah spendid

The ignition lock is usually a good earth if you'd not found anything else. I used to use the door check straps until I forgot and slammed the door