E36 Windshield Wiper Problems

frengel · 12-22-2005, 10:48 AM

I've got a problem with the windshield wipers on my 1997 328i. Whenever I turn them on for an extended period of time, like 10 minutes or more, they stop and start intermittently on their own, until a point where they stop altogether, this lasts indefinitely unless you turn off the switch, if you turn off the switch and wait about 10 minutes you can turn them on again and the whole process starts all over. I suspect there is some kind of relay that's overheating, but I haven't been able to locate it. I had the controller unit replaced, a 1" x 1" x 3" black box that plugs in somewhere (?), and costs about $80, but that didn't do it. Any help out there?

Wlodek · 12-22-2005, 08:09 PM

Hi!

I had a very similar problem with my 1997 318Ti. After approx 10 min the wipers would stop in any position on the windshield. If I did nothing and kept on driving, after something like 5-8 min they would restart on their own, and fail again... If I stopped, turned off the engine, and started the car again, they would reset right away and back to failing after few min.

Each time, the first sign was when I cleaned the windshield - the wipers would miss the 3 wipe cycle and wipe 4-7 times.

I replaced the wiper control module - no help. I suspected the motor. The third time I had the wipers apart and the motor out, I thought it looked OK, almost like new! I decided to bend a little the steel arm of a microswitch that is mounted under the motor cover, and probably tells wiper electronic module the motor is in a rest position, anyway, gives a full rotation "complete" signal.

I bent it just a little, but enough to make sure the contact inside the microswitch is made each time a plastic pointer on the motor presses the arm.

Since then the problems are gone!

It has been 3 months and the wipers never malfunctioned.

Takes time to get the motor out. IMPORTANT!!! Make sure you disconnect the battery, remove the key from the ignition, take out the fuse. Do all to avoid any accident with motor/wipers/linkage suddenly moving when you work on them. At the same time, since you have things apart, you might replace or clean/wash the cabin air microfilters that are hidden in the same area.

Good luck!

Wlodek

Jeron · Jeron's Garage

That's a gem.

Let us know how it turns out frengel.

frengel · 12-23-2005, 04:18 PM

Hey Jeron, your the old pro w/ 839 posts, where's the love? We Junior Members look up to you guys. How about giving us something we can use.

Jeron · Jeron's Garage

I thought Wlodek described a very likely fix to your problem. It just doesn't get much better than that. I hope I can remember it when my time comes, and it will...

This is the first wiper issue I can remember. Sorry I got nothin'.

frengel · 12-24-2005, 05:53 AM

Yeah, your probably right, Wlodek's fix sounds plausable, I was just hoping for some sage advice that would result in a really simple fix like swaping out a relay or something. Well I guess I know what I'll be doing with my time off next week. I'll let you all know how it goes.