GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: MacBain on 17 April 2007, 19:30
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The rear wiper on my 1990 1.8 GL won't work.
I've tried changing the both the wipermotor and the relays, but it still won't work.
I've also checked the wiring on the top left hand side, and it seems fine.
Anyone got any ideas on what could be wrong?
By the way, is the rear wiper suppossed to go on when you push or pull the wiper stalk?
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its push I believe
does the motor work when the wiper isn't attached.
if not maybe the stalk is broken
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No, the motor doesn't work when I detach the wiper.
Is changing the stalk a difficult job?
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Pull the rubber sleeving off on the left hand side under the top edge of the boot and check for broken wires. I had to do just that yesterday and solder in some lengths of wire to sort it. Works perfectly now. :smiley:
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Pull the rubber sleeving off on the left hand side under the top edge of the boot and check for broken wires. I had to do just that yesterday and solder in some lengths of wire to sort it. Works perfectly now. :smiley:
I've allready done that, and the wires looked ok.
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Ah, sorry... I'll learn to stop speed reading one of these days
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i have no idea how to change the arm, but thinking, if the arm didn't work then would the indicators be working? or has it got different points on the end to send different signals?
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Pull the plug off the wiper motor, and test for a "live" feed... if you have no live at the plug,, then its either a broken wire, ( the wire can break, without the insulation comeing apart!.. look again) fuse gone or the switch itself is U/S
If you have a live at the plug, then you either have a bad earth, or the motor has possibly seized...
Tom
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Replacing the arm isnt too bad, 24mm for the steering wheel then a coupole of screws and unclip the plugs to get the stalks off.
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I'm going to check if the motor get's live feed tomorrow.
By the way, just to be sure it is not a fuse/relay problem, which fuses/relays controlls the rear wiper?
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check my fusebox FAQ in the garage section :)
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I checked the fusebox and everything seem fine. When I push the stalk away from me I can hear the relay clicking with a 7-8 second pause between the clicks utill I push it again.
I Also checked the connection with a mulitimeter(I'm no electrician so I don't know if I did this correctly).
After I disconnected the wiper motor I connected the + side of the multimeter to the plug's green wire and the - side to the black one, got no voltage.
Then I tried to connect the - side to some bare metal on the car and then I got a voltage reading. Didn't check the brown wire, is this the ground wire?
Does this mean that the problem is a grounding issue, if so where should I start looking for the fault?
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Get yourself a circuit tester!.. multimeters can be confuseing, if your not entirely sure what your doing..
A circiut tester consists of a pointed probe with a bulb in it, a legnth of wire and a crocodile clip.. earth the clip, and probe your wiper plug to find a live, remember that you must have the wiper/ignition swithed ON to find your live! also, test your fusebox with this peice of kit
My money is still on that you have a broken wire!
Tom
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Do the wires to my wiper go out from the back of the fusebox?
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yep check out my fusebox FAQ in the garage section :)
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open the boot, and in the top left theres a rubber pipe, pull that backand check the wires aren't broke in there. my rear number plate lights didnt work and that was the reason why.
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I've checked the wires in the rubber pipe and they seem fine, by the way my number plate lights work :smiley:
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I've checked the wires in the rubber pipe and they seem fine, by the way my number plate lights work :smiley:
obviously, but the rear wipe wire may have split!
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As far as I can see all the wires seems to be fine inside the rubber pipe.
Any other places where the wires are likely to break?
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Have you worked out if you have a live at the plug to the wiper moter yet!
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Have you worked out if you have a live at the plug to the wiper moter yet!
When I connected the (+) side of my mulitimeter to the green plug cable and the (-) side to some bare metal I got voltage, but when I connected the (-) side to the black plug cable I didn't.
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If you touch the 2 mutimeter probes together, do you get the same reading, as if you were probeing the wires? if you do, it could be that the m/m is set up to diagnose "continuity".. not a LIVE feed! this is why m/ms can be very confuseing!
If you feel sure that youve done it right, and you have a live wire at the end of the plug, then the problem will lie with the motor itself! if this is the case, then remove the motor, and try connecting it to a battery to check for any life, normally these things are killed off by the spindle seizing!
Tom
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I've tried with a different motor, but I got it from a car at the breakers so I don't know if this works properly.
If I connect the motor directly to a 12v source should the arm turn?
Nothing happens to the spare motor I got when I connect it to a 12v source.
Maybe both my wipermotors are broken :smiley:.
Is it a common fault that these motors break down?
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Well got the spare motor working, so the motor is not the cause.
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i had this too.
have you taken apart the entire linkage from motor to arm? i originally thought it was my motor but changed that with no joy.
Take the linkage out and see if it moves smoothly by hand - mine was very difficult to turn so replaced it and now works perfectly.
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It's not the motorarm linkage or the motor that's the problem.
I tested the wires using a mutimeter and got a reading og 6v(when i grounded it to bare metal) the strange thing is that I got 6v even if I didn't push the stalk, but then all of a sudden I couldn't get any voltage at all, plus I couldn't hear the relay clicking anymore.
Any tips on what to do next?
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Get yourself a cuircuit tester that looks like this...http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=13406&Referrer=PriceGrabber and throw the multimeter away!
Once you have got your simple, no gimmicks tester, put it into action!
1, connect the croc clip to a very good earth on the body
2, switch ON the ignition, and operate the rear wiper stalk..and leave it ON
3, probe the terminals on the disconnected plug, if your new tester lights up, then you
have a "Live" feed, and thats what you want!
4, If you have no live at the plug, then you need to trace those wires back, use the
the spike on the probe to peirce the insulation, most of the time, its a broken wire,
between the body, and the tailgate, locate the appropriate coloured wire in that
area, the wire could be broken within its insulation! so it appears intact.. and test
seveal areas, if your tester lights up, then you have found your break
99 out of 100, this is where your problem will lie, so I'll only cover that ground...
Good luck
Tom
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Thanks, I'll try the find a cuircuit tester and check again.
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Well, you guys where right, the wires had broken between the body and the tailgate.
Can't beleave I missed it the first time I looked :embarassed:.
Anyways, fixed the wires and now my rear wiper works fine :smiley:.
Tanks for the help.
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:grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :wink:
Tom