530i E39 windscreen wiper fails in heavy rain

I have had this car from new in 2001. On about 5 occasions, each time in
heavy rain, the windscreen wiper has stopped working after operating for a
few minutes. The only way to get it working again is to stop the car, switch
off and then restart the engine. The wiper then works ok for a few more
minutes.

It seems that water ingress somewhere is affecting the electronics. Has
anybody else experienced this? Any advice on where to look or what component
to replace would be gratefully received.

Malcolm H

On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 11:04:01 -0000, "Malcolm H" > wrote:

>I have had this car from new in 2001. On about 5 occasions, each time in
>heavy rain, the windscreen wiper has stopped working after operating for a
>few minutes. The only way to get it working again is to stop the car, switch
>off and then restart the engine. The wiper then works ok for a few more
>minutes.

Must be running Windows 98????
>
>It seems that water ingress somewhere is affecting the electronics. Has
>anybody else experienced this? Any advice on where to look or what component
>to replace would be gratefully received.

And you have had it from NEW -------------- ?

When did this start. Where in the world are you?

What is the general climate there?

Sounds like water or damp as you say and in the past (not on BMW though) I have
usually found this behaviour to be due to rust holes letting water into the
control units.

However, as the wipers are driven by an electric motor it is possible that the
brushes need replacing or the motor does. I suggest getting one from a breaker
to try before shelling out for a new one.

Hugh
--

Sir Hugh of Bognor

The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it!

Hugh Gundersen

Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK

"Malcolm H" > wrote in message
...
>I have had this car from new in 2001. On about 5 occasions, each time in
>heavy rain, the windscreen wiper has stopped working after operating for a
>few minutes. The only way to get it working again is to stop the car,
>switch off and then restart the engine. The wiper then works ok for a few
>more minutes.
>
> It seems that water ingress somewhere is affecting the electronics. Has
> anybody else experienced this? Any advice on where to look or what
> component to replace would be gratefully received.
>
> Malcolm H
my 1998 528i used to do this - it continued as an intermittent fault for
about 6 months before finally failing alltogether and stranding my wife and
children at a distant farm in the rain one day ...

The front wiper mech is nicely designed and comes out as one assembly that
can be worked on off the car. It was a bit of a faff getting the motor
apart to recon the commutator but it is possible - the commutator was burnt
and the segments 'smeared' . I couldnt remove the motor shaft from the rear
bearing but its possible to wrap fine emery round the commutator with the
rotor in situ. The brushes were only half worn and went back in fine. You
have to re-stake an internal earth strap during re-assembly which is even
more of a faff but it worked fine after!

Alternatively order a new one from your local friendly garage for around
£150ish and fit it in about 1/2 hour ...

atb

Steve

"Dr Dolittle" > wrote in message
news
>
> "Malcolm H" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I have had this car from new in 2001. On about 5 occasions, each time in
>>heavy rain, the windscreen wiper has stopped working after operating for a
>>few minutes. The only way to get it working again is to stop the car,
>>switch off and then restart the engine. The wiper then works ok for a few
>>more minutes.
>>
>> It seems that water ingress somewhere is affecting the electronics. Has
>> anybody else experienced this? Any advice on where to look or what
>> component to replace would be gratefully received.
>>
>> Malcolm H
> my 1998 528i used to do this - it continued as an intermittent fault for
> about 6 months before finally failing alltogether and stranding my wife
> and children at a distant farm in the rain one day ...
>
> The front wiper mech is nicely designed and comes out as one assembly that
> can be worked on off the car. It was a bit of a faff getting the motor
> apart to recon the commutator but it is possible - the commutator was
> burnt and the segments 'smeared' . I couldnt remove the motor shaft from
> the rear bearing but its possible to wrap fine emery round the commutator
> with the rotor in situ. The brushes were only half worn and went back in
> fine. You have to re-stake an internal earth strap during re-assembly
> which is even more of a faff but it worked fine after!
>
> Alternatively order a new one from your local friendly garage for around
> £150ish and fit it in about 1/2 hour ...
>
> atb
>
> Steve

Thank you Steve, that is very interesting. Please can you be a little more
explicit about how to remove the front wiper mechanism from the car?

Many thanks

Malcolm

"Malcolm H" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Dr Dolittle" > wrote in message
> news
>>
>> "Malcolm H" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>I have had this car from new in 2001. On about 5 occasions, each time in
>>>heavy rain, the windscreen wiper has stopped working after operating for
>>>a few minutes. The only way to get it working again is to stop the car,
>>>switch off and then restart the engine. The wiper then works ok for a few
>>>more minutes.
>>>
>>> It seems that water ingress somewhere is affecting the electronics. Has
>>> anybody else experienced this? Any advice on where to look or what
>>> component to replace would be gratefully received.
>>>
>>> Malcolm H
>> my 1998 528i used to do this - it continued as an intermittent fault for
>> about 6 months before finally failing alltogether and stranding my wife
>> and children at a distant farm in the rain one day ...
>>
>> The front wiper mech is nicely designed and comes out as one assembly
>> that can be worked on off the car. It was a bit of a faff getting the
>> motor apart to recon the commutator but it is possible - the commutator
>> was burnt and the segments 'smeared' . I couldnt remove the motor shaft
>> from the rear bearing but its possible to wrap fine emery round the
>> commutator with the rotor in situ. The brushes were only half worn and
>> went back in fine. You have to re-stake an internal earth strap during
>> re-assembly which is even more of a faff but it worked fine after!
>>
>> Alternatively order a new one from your local friendly garage for around
>> £150ish and fit it in about 1/2 hour ...
>>
>> atb
>>
>> Steve
>
> Thank you Steve, that is very interesting. Please can you be a little more
> explicit about how to remove the front wiper mechanism from the car?
>
> Many thanks
>
> Malcolm

Not meaning to cast aspersions on your level of technical competance but
unless you are comfortable attacking a strange engine bay with a set of
spanners then you might want to leave this to someone else ...

Assuming you are comfortable ... remove the rain tray from above the scuttle
(area where bottom of windscreen meets engine bay ) - held on wiht spring
clips and rubber trim strip I think ... this should reveal thd wiper mech.
Disconnect the connector block to the motor, remove the wiper arms (you
might want to mark their postions wiht a little Tipex to aid re-assembly).
Remove the large aluminium diecasting that carries the motor and arm pivots
etc - held on with four or five torx head bolts ... and take hte whole thing
to a bench for working on. Remove the motor and replace with a new one ...
I'll not attempt to talk you through reconning the commutator here as we'd
be here all night and it still wouldn't work I'm afraid.

When putting it all back in remember to plug in the motor and put it into
Park position BEFORE you tighten the wiper arms ...

atb

S

"Dr Dolittle" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> "Malcolm H" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Dr Dolittle" > wrote in message
>> news
>>>
>>> "Malcolm H" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>>I have had this car from new in 2001. On about 5 occasions, each time in
>>>>heavy rain, the windscreen wiper has stopped working after operating for
>>>>a few minutes. The only way to get it working again is to stop the car,
>>>>switch off and then restart the engine. The wiper then works ok for a
>>>>few more minutes.
>>>>
>>>> It seems that water ingress somewhere is affecting the electronics. Has
>>>> anybody else experienced this? Any advice on where to look or what
>>>> component to replace would be gratefully received.
>>>>
>>>> Malcolm H
>>> my 1998 528i used to do this - it continued as an intermittent fault for
>>> about 6 months before finally failing alltogether and stranding my wife
>>> and children at a distant farm in the rain one day ...
>>>
>>> The front wiper mech is nicely designed and comes out as one assembly
>>> that can be worked on off the car. It was a bit of a faff getting the
>>> motor apart to recon the commutator but it is possible - the commutator
>>> was burnt and the segments 'smeared' . I couldnt remove the motor shaft
>>> from the rear bearing but its possible to wrap fine emery round the
>>> commutator with the rotor in situ. The brushes were only half worn and
>>> went back in fine. You have to re-stake an internal earth strap during
>>> re-assembly which is even more of a faff but it worked fine after!
>>>
>>> Alternatively order a new one from your local friendly garage for around
>>> £150ish and fit it in about 1/2 hour ...
>>>
>>> atb
>>>
>>> Steve
>>
>> Thank you Steve, that is very interesting. Please can you be a little
>> more explicit about how to remove the front wiper mechanism from the car?
>>
>> Many thanks
>>
>> Malcolm
>
> Not meaning to cast aspersions on your level of technical competance but
> unless you are comfortable attacking a strange engine bay with a set of
> spanners then you might want to leave this to someone else ...
>
> Assuming you are comfortable ... remove the rain tray from above the
> scuttle (area where bottom of windscreen meets engine bay ) - held on wiht
> spring clips and rubber trim strip I think ... this should reveal thd
> wiper mech. Disconnect the connector block to the motor, remove the wiper
> arms (you might want to mark their postions wiht a little Tipex to aid
> re-assembly). Remove the large aluminium diecasting that carries the motor
> and arm pivots etc - held on with four or five torx head bolts ... and
> take hte whole thing to a bench for working on. Remove the motor and
> replace with a new one ... I'll not attempt to talk you through reconning
> the commutator here as we'd be here all night and it still wouldn't work
> I'm afraid.
>
> When putting it all back in remember to plug in the motor and put it into
> Park position BEFORE you tighten the wiper arms ...
>
> atb
>
> S

Thank you Steve, I do feel quite comfortable and will have a go.