Window Wipers Speed & Home Position problem

[IAmOrion]

I've been having a problem with my wipers - but thanks to fairly decent weather I'd kept forgetting to ask about it... until today when it's p****d it down non-stop since silly o'clock this morning.

So it may be entirely coincidental, but the problems (At least, the home position problem) started just after I fitted new wiper blades...

Having just re-done my research I'm planning on giving this a go: https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=55535 as it sounds like that could very well be my issue...

But that still leaves me wondering about the wiper speed which I only noticed today. It seems no matter what position the wiper stalk is at, they go full pelt. Even the intermittent position (where you then 'roll' the other bit to choose the timing) goes full pelt.

Is that just a relay problem (I've seen a few similar posts so guessing) or could it be something else?

Some obligatory pics:
(PS: Not driving!! I'd just dropped my brother off at his mates, so was kerb side, outside his house, about to leave)





Sometimes they'll stop even higher!! I was on the motorway the other day and it was very lightly spitting, so I just pushed the stalk down for manual wipe, and because of the speed I was travelling they almost half bloody way up!!

The weirdest thing, is that when I pull the lever to wash the windows, the wipers goes at the normal speed and *almost* return home perfectly - may be half an inch up from where they should be. It's only like the pics when I'm using the wipers normally (so not washing the screen)

 

[euaniebabs]

I had similar symptoms.

Spent a while removing wiper drive, cleaning the rotating contacts and reassembled with no improvement whatsoever.

Changed the control relay behind glove box fuse panel and problem instantly resolved. I think I posted some pictures a while back.

Relay was dirty and worn and taking a fraction of a second to disengage, allowing the wipers to move beyond park before stopping. The more sticky the relay, the higher the wipers park. Simply replaced it - easy once the fuse box is removed.

Euan

 

[IAmOrion]

I had similar symptoms.

Spent a while removing wiper drive, cleaning the rotating contacts and reassembled with no improvement whatsoever.

Changed the control relay behind glove box fuse panel and problem instantly resolved. I think I posted some pictures a while back.

Relay was dirty and worn and taking a fraction of a second to disengage, allowing the wipers to move beyond park before stopping. The more sticky the relay, the higher the wipers park. Simply replaced it - easy once the fuse box is removed.

Euan

Great, thanks for the info - from memory, the relay is in the clear box, with black lid (I think 4 torx screw) at the back of the car, right hand side (when stood in front, facing the windscreen).

I think I'll get prices and if it's cheap enough I might give that a go before I started pulling stuff apart (The relay is the easiest to to)

 

[euaniebabs]

Here it is with photos:

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=91275&p=1351417&hilit=Euaniebabs+relay#p1351417

 

[IAmOrion]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=91275&p=1351417&hil ... y#p1351417

Thanks for the info - but harder to get to than I thought (since I though it was somewhere else) but still easier than faffing around removing wipers, so will give this a go first. Since the relay controls the speeds to (I Assume) this may be where my fault lies entirely

 

[mr nurburgring]

My z used to do this, I fixed it by cleaning all the grease out of the wiper motor contacts with brake cleaner and re lubricating with a non conductive grease, molycote. Problem solved and this was about 4 years ago.

 

[mjennings23]

Same issues here and the relay was the culprit. In honesty I just swapped it over with the adjacent one for fog lights, as no doubt that one has hardly seen any use!

 

[IAmOrion]

Same issues here and the relay was the culprit. In honesty I just swapped it over with the adjacent one for fog lights, as no doubt that one has hardly seen any use!

Fair play - I've ordered a relay as I think that's the easiest fix attempt first and was only £10. If that fails I'll have a go at the de-greasing method

 

[IAmOrion]

Just to update: my relay arrived today... fitted it and now the wipers home perfectly 8)

Now..... it didn’t however seem to fix the wiper speeds. Am I being thick? Is there another part else where controlling speed etc?

 

[Dean'o]

Not sure how old this post is but mine do exactly the same, cleaned motor connection and changed relay but still only got intermittent and normal speed

 

[SonnyA85]

Relay solved all my wiper issues. It's a simple and easy effective fix

 

[Mr_E85Bim]

I have the same issue! Cleaned motor of grease and replaced the relay. Fuse seems fine. Still the manual wash wipe is not working correctly. It only sprays water but won't wipe. I have to push stalk down afterwards to wipe. Also, the wipers seem to go at just one speed when I push stork upwards. Only wiping the windscreen more often :headbang:

Did anyone get to the bottom of this?

Cheers