General Wiper

[FuzzyPanda]

Howdy,

My front wiper's being a bit temperamental, and most of the time will now only work with a smack on the dash, so I suspect a connection problem. So... What needs looking at, and where is it?

Bloody rain in summer, grr.

Other than this, Panda is going fantastically well and the mileage is being relentlessly piled on without any fuss.

 

[oldernowiser]

If the blower doesn't work when the wiper is faulty you have a problem with the "hedgehog" earth connector on the bulkhead under the bonnet.

If it really does need a clout to get it going, and the external wiring is OK, the easiest way to sort it is to replace the motor.

If you're determined to mend it it's possible that the relay integral with the motor assembly is dry-jointed on the circuit board.

Try an "advanced search" for wiper in the classic Panda section. It's a regular problem one way or the other...


ONW

 

[Steven]

I think that this car is too late to have a hedgehog thingie. Working with a smack on the dash sounds like an internal wiring problem. But yeah, the wipers are a pain in the arse sometimes.

 

[Alan.D]

The switch/lever was a common problem in the past so either that or a loose connection on the relay or wiring to and from

 

[FuzzyPanda]

Thanks guys, I'll investigate after work tomorrow if the light's good and see how it goes.

 

[oldernowiser]

I think that this car is too late to have a hedgehog thingie.

Absolutely right - I hadn't noticed it is "M" plate.

 

[FuzzyPanda]

Well I changed the oil, filters and plugs today and... It seems to be working again. Not quite the fix I had in mind but I'm not complaining!

 

[FuzzyPanda]

Ok, just had a gander at the wiper's guts and have a couple of pictures.

The wiper will come on when the large metal bracket which holds the motor in place is tapped even very gently. I've looked at the connections (the green bit, pic 2) and they seem fine and have been cleaned, even though they were clean already.

I'm now stuck on what to do next, is there another bit that needs looking at? Could something inside the motor be knackered?

 

[Steven]

That sounds to me like a simple connection problem. Are you sure that both plugs are in tight?

 

[FuzzyPanda]

Yeah I took them both out and put them both back in with a reassuring click.

 

[oldernowiser]

I'm now stuck on what to do next, is there another bit that needs looking at? Could something inside the motor be knackered?

Post #2 above talks about a relay on a circuit board inside the "back" of the motor.

The easy fix is to replace the whole motor and bracket assembly.

However, you might find you can resolder the relay to its board in the plastic housing underneath the bracket where the gears and self parking bits live - it's underneath the bracket in your pictures.

 

[FuzzyPanda]

I discovered the board, but quickly put it away as I didn't want to interfere with it!

Guess I'll check it out in the morning.

 

[FuzzyPanda]

Several months later I return to tackle this problem - went to my local scrapyard but they have no Pandas, so... What are my options? There's a few Cinqs and Puntos there with front and rear motors, but they look like they have different designs and may be tough to mount.

Plus they have two wipers... And there's no Unos.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

You noted eariler in the thread a smack on the dash did/does sort it a little. Could it be the steering wheel stalk switch?

 

[FuzzyPanda]

Switch is ok, the problem seems to be at the wiper motor end as dash-slapping no longer works, but tapping the bulkhead does. Rrrgh.

 

[oldernowiser]

further to post #2 in this thread, here's the original I was thinking about.

 

[FuzzyPanda]

Perfect! Thanks for that.