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Thread: Rear wiper quit today

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
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    1999 Z3M, 1999 2.8 Coupe

    Rear wiper quit today

    Anyone ever repaired rear wiper wiring before and have any tips? Photos?! I can pop the rubber boot out of hatch and roof. Do I just cut the loom and look for a broken wire? I don't seem to have power at the motor (I assume power is the big fat red wire at the plug and the brown is ground, but can't find a '99 wiring diagram). I'll post some photos later of what I'm looking at. There doesn't seem to be any room to look at wires with the rubber boot there...it takes up most of the space between roof and hatch.

    I know someone will just tell me to delete the wiper, but I find it invaluable in the rain (and of course it was raining when I discovered it quit).
    Last edited by s8ilver; 04-20-2018 at 10:33 PM.

  2. #2
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    Texted you a link

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    99-01 M Cpe & Rdts, X5M
    I'm in favor of keeping the wiper.

    Yes, just peel back until you find the broken wire, and fix it. Wiper motors are funny, because of the neutral park switch, which breaks the ground connection. Expect to find more than one (>1) fractured conductor...

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    Charlottetown, PE, Canada
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    '99 M Coupe, '13 335ix
    I fixed mine last week. Just purchased my coupe site unseen. 3rd brake light, hatch power lock and wiper did not work. I found about a dozed severed wires in the wiring harness at the top left of the hatch. I soldered all of the wires back together and all my problems were solved.

    trunk wires.jpg

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by cdn View Post
    I fixed mine last week. Just purchased my coupe site unseen. 3rd brake light, hatch power lock and wiper did not work. I found about a dozed severed wires in the wiring harness at the top left of the hatch. I soldered all of the wires back together and all my problems were solved.

    trunk wires.jpg
    Wow that looks fun!

    My hatch power and brake light is fine. Maybe I actually have a dead motor. Haven't gotten around to this yet as it's not THAT big a deal, but thanks for the insight.
    Nathan in Denver

    1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
    1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Tim @ BMW of Dallas
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    98 Z3 2.8
    Yeah, I'd check the motor before digging into all that. I had a broken wire for my rear defroster... That was no fun to fix. I too don't understand deleting the wiper, I use it all the time. And happen to like the way it looks.
    96 320i Touring
    98 Z3 2.8 Roadster
    01 PY M Coupe
    96 Z3 1.9 - DASC
    95 318ti Clubsport
    94 Miata M-Edition
    13 smart fortwo



  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    E36/7 E36/8x2 E46 F25
    The rear wiper is removed because it snags the feather duster.

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Anyone know for certain which fuse is for the wiper? I thought I found it for sure but now I'm second guessing myself.
    Nathan in Denver

    1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
    1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42

  9. #9
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    /.randy

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Manual shows F1 30A for the rear and F44 15A for the front if this reference is correct.

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    2001 Z3 3.0 Coupe
    I had the thought the other day to delete the wiper and put a backup camera in its place. Could be pretty cool if done right.

    But being able to use the wiper is also pretty cool.
    2001 Z3 3.0 Coupe--Sterling Gray/Sunroof Delete/5MT

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by rf900rkw View Post
    Yeah, #1 is what I checked. My Bentley seems to have listed the rear wiper strangely. Shows 1998, 2000-2002. I assumed a 1999 was identical, but I've been fooled before.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by z3forlife View Post
    Manual shows F1 30A for the rear and F44 15A for the front if this reference is correct.
    I would have been more confident had my manual shown "1999" explicitly., but already checked F1 (it's a good place to steal a fuse if you aux fan fuse ever goes out ).
    Nathan in Denver

    1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
    1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42

  13. #13
    Join Date
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    BMW Z3 3.0 VF SC'd
    Quote Originally Posted by rf900rkw View Post
    The rear wiper is removed because it snags the feather duster.


    ...seriously though!!!

    It doesn't rain very much or very often here in Socal, so mine went the way of the dodo years ago! #buhbye

    "You don't win silver....you lose gold."

  14. #14
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    Back up and running...somehow only ONE broken hatch wire, and it's the ground to the wiper motor.

    20180512_132330.jpg

    Since I still have the hatch trim off, might as well do this mod: http://www.eatsleeptinker.com/2013/0...ar-wiper-leak/

    So I definitely think I have car ADHD. After I fixed the hatch wire, I planned to install a keyless entry module that's been collecting dust. I pulled the glove box and soon learned I was missing the harness (thanks Abel). So, I decided to swap center consoles instead (two-toning in progress). I got distracted again, started staring at firewall grommets and ended up installing a couple spare gauges. Everything went smoothly, but now waiting on materials to repair the glove box and drivers panel tabs...they were mush upon removal. Wait, wasn't I talking about the rear wiper??

    20180513_190629.jpg
    Last edited by s8ilver; 05-15-2018 at 02:21 PM.
    Nathan in Denver

    1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
    1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
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    Toronto
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    2000 M coupe
    Anyone know what size/gauge the hatch wires are?
    I see what looks like two different sizes from the pictures in this thread.

  16. #16
    Join Date
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    If I had to guess, 16ga for the heavier wire, and 18-20ga for the control wires. Wires with a greater number of finer strands, besides being more flexible, have a marginally greater current-carrying capability.

  17. #17
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    2000 M coupe
    Thank you Randy! I want to get the wire and butt connectors before tearing into the harness.

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