My wipers are coming on randomly, but when they do, it's both the back and front.

I can get them to park if I gently push the switch forward, but very often, as soon as I let go, off they go again.

 

I took the switch apart to try and see if I could suss out whether something was causing a short. I ended up adjusting the pivot screw in the middle of the stalk switch. This worked well for a while but then it slowly started to revert to coming on randomly.

Maybe I should have put some Loctite on the screw when I put it back together ? Is there a certain way of setting this screw ?

 

What puzzles me is that both back and front come on at the same and will just stay on, going permanently until I try and push the switch forward a little.

 

Rather than try and find a good switch in the  scrappy, I'd like to fix the problem as these wont be in the scrap yards for ever, so would be good to fix it.

 

Also, what sort of grease should you use for the electrical contacts in the steering column ?

As  there has been no take-up to your post, I will throw in my idea - but that is all that it is!

 

If you took a job like this to most garages, they wouldn't even consider adjusting your switch (I didn't even know that it was adjustable), they would simply replace the switch.

 

Like yourself, I like a bit of a challenge and have spent many an hour repairing things that are not supposed to be repaired.

 

You are obviously on the right track, as your repair did in fact form a cure, albeit, only temporary, so maybe a dab of threadlock is all that is needed to make the repair permanent, as you suggest yourself.

 

Most electrical contacts are not lubricated (think of the commutator and brushes in your starter motor) but a small dab of silicone grease may prevent an annoying squeak, from your steering wheel contacts.

 

Regards

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

The pivot screw/bolt in the centre of the switch can be wound in to a point where it causes the rear wiper/washer operation to engage. I then backed it off a bit. LIke I said, this worked quite well for a while.

 

I'll take it apart again and see if I can suss out what may be loose or slightly out of place.

 

When I took it apart before, it had grease all over the electrical contacts subject to sliding movement, which I cleaned off. But I do feel I ought to replace it. I get the impression, it's to reduce wear rather than prevent squeaks.

 

Do the front and rear wipers have separate relays ? I've wondered if that could be the problem, or at least part of it ?

 

Sometimes, when I switch on something else, it seems like the voltage drop triggers the wipers to go off.

My pennies worth.

My first reaction was.... a faulty relay.

That voltage drop comment might just be the clue, or you may have high resistance somewhere due to possible corrosion in a connection.

It would be a good idea to check and clean as many earth connections as you can locate, particularly on the wipers themselves.

 

It may of course, be a relay problem as suggested, but as the front and rear wipers have their own relay, this would be something of a coincidence.

 

Do remember that high resistance is NOT the same thing as low voltage - it is quite possible to have battery voltage at a point in the system, but not enough current flowing to operate the item in question, due to high resistance.

Regards

A quick update as I've let this rumble on because of it's intermittent nature. Just about making it bearable although annoying at times.

 

I had to go to the scrappy for a good battery, so while there I had a look round for a 6N that I could salvage a wiper switch from.

There were no 6N's but there were 3 Lupo's and I discovered that the stalk switches are the same as my 6N. Happy days.

One of them may have been owned by an old lady as it was like new and gave the impression of very little use. The action of the stalk switches was crisp and precise and the printed symbols all clean and clear. They were like new.

 

So for the princely sum of a fiver, my 6N has new indicator and wiper switches and the luxury of wipers that behave as they should.

 

I should imagine that there will be a steady supply of Lupo's in the scrap yards for a while yet, so a good source of spares. I wonder what other parts the 6N and Polo share ?