Wipers not working - brown relay changed, fuses checked, wiper motor or switch next?

[VladGold]

Windshield wipers stopped working on my '02 540i.
No movement at all when I do anything with the wiper switch. Weird thing is, windshield sprayers work for a couple of seconds after I start the car, wipers don't move, then the sprayers stop working after 10 or so seconds of the car running.

-Checked the fuses, those are fine
-Changed the brown relay (Mfg Part # 61368384505) to new one, still nothing

After researching on here, I'm thinking either the switch or the wiper motor are next. Any insight or feedback based on my symptoms would be amazing.

[VladGold]

Bought a new wiper motor. Going in this weekend armed with Bentley book, wiper motor DIY from Pelican Parts and BavAuto windshield cowl removal video. Over/under 5 hours for a novice?

[jmc1590]

I'd say under. Just make sure you have tools for (or experience) pulling the wiper arms from the shafts. The 1st time I tried, that was my stumbling block. After that, fairly simple.

I had a motor fail on me about 18 months ago. Went through all the troubleshooting I could get my hands on. Swapped wiper motors / linkage and everything ran fine.

[geargrinder]

Just one other thing as I posted in the other thread - the GM controls the wipers (wiper relay).

So its not remotely as simple as power -> switch -> motor.

It is:

Switch -> GM
Motor position sensor -> GM
Power supplies -> GM
Power supply -> relay
GM -> relay -> motor

I'd try scanning that GM for codes first. And you if you have INPA you should be able to manually override-trigger the relay/motor, if you try that in INPA and there's no power to the relay, then either the GM is blown or the power fuses to the GM or relay are blown.

You should also be able to trigger the motor at the wiper relay socket with some jumpers to test if the wiper motor works. The circuit is a little elaborate unfortunately... There are 2 inputs to the motor, one for each of the 2 speeds. I'd use heavy gauge wire, with a high amperage switch inline with it, supply 12V to one speed terminal at a time, and only flip it on for a second or two to "see if it moves" (TWSS).
Disclaimer - this might be a stupid idea and your will car catch fire and assplode and burn the house down, or at the very least might burn out your wiper motor and GM and the cell phone plugged into the lighter socket... and if so, well... I warned you.

[VladGold]

I'd say under. Just make sure you have tools for (or experience) pulling the wiper arms from the shafts. The 1st time I tried, that was my stumbling block. After that, fairly simple.

I had a motor fail on me about 18 months ago. Went through all the troubleshooting I could get my hands on. Swapped wiper motors / linkage and everything ran fine.

@jmc1590 Outside of the regular suspects (sockets, wrenches, torx bits, screwdrivers) I got:
-Battery Terminal and Wiper Arm Puller
-Trim removal tools for the cowl (should have gotten these a while back)
-New torque wrench

I'll definitely check out a couple of additional videos for tips on wiper arm removal, but think the Wiper Arm Puller will help. Let me know if anything else springs to mind that I may be missing.

Just one other thing as I posted in the other thread - the GM controls the wipers (wiper relay).

So its not remotely as simple as power -> switch -> motor.

It is:

Switch -> GM
Motor position sensor -> GM
Power supplies -> GM
Power supply -> relay
GM -> relay -> motor

I'd try scanning that GM for codes first. And you if you have INPA you should be able to manually override-trigger the relay/motor, if you try that in INPA and there's no power to the relay, then either the GM is blown or the power fuses to the GM or relay are blown.

You should also be able to trigger the motor at the wiper relay socket with some jumpers to test if the wiper motor works. The circuit is a little elaborate unfortunately... There are 2 inputs to the motor, one for each of the 2 speeds. I'd use heavy gauge wire, with a high amperage switch inline with it, supply 12V to one speed terminal at a time, and only flip it on for a second or two to "see if it moves" (TWSS).
Disclaimer - this might be a stupid idea and your will car catch fire and assplode and burn the house down, or at the very least might burn out your wiper motor and GM and the cell phone plugged into the lighter socket... and if so, well... I warned you.

@geargrinder Thank you for that. That actually helps me understand the setup a little better. Electric stuff might as well be Greek to me. Testing stuff (with different gauge wires, different amperage, etc.) might need need to be a rabbit hole I pursue learning in the future. Given your warning/disclaimer, I'm thinking I'm going to stick to the stuff I know for now.

On a another note, pardon my ignorance if this sounds idiotic, but if this is an issue tied to the General Module, could it be an isolated issue like the wipers not working, or would other issues rear their head that the GM also controls?
Should I buy a scan tool? Is it something you use to diagnose issues/CELs or is there any other purpose to have it? Any recommendations on brand/model?

[jmc1590]

Def +1 for a scan tool. There are a number of units available, with varying capabilities. I've got a bluetooth unit that connects to my phone and it's eh...ok. But I also run INPA / DIS, which provides an overload of information, occasionally in foreign languages! All kidding aside, I've found I use it all the time. But I've also got a handful of BMW's to take care of. (Mine, My E36, the neighbors E46, co-workers E53 ...)

[VladGold]

Update. I installed the new motor and the wipers work (with one minor issue below).

The wiper arms came off pretty easily with the Wiper Arm Puller. My biggest struggle was the wiper arm mounting block that is under the left (driver's side) wiper arm. It's a 1/4" thick metal spacer/washer that looks like a chocolate Russell Stover candy pushed over the wiper arm shaft. The wiper arm puller's arms were not long enough to reach around to the bottom of this mounting block so i had to modify the center shaft on the puller so it could reach longer/lower. Plus lots of cursing and scraped up fingers helped.

The pelican parts DIY was super super super useful. (link) https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tec...eplacement.htm
I also referenced BavAuto's cowl removal video. (link) https://blog.bavauto.com/17332/bmw-d...im-seal-panel/

New Issue
The issue that I now have is that the wiper park/stop at a 45 degree angle in the middle of my windshield. Going back to research about this but any ideas would be great.

[geargrinder]

Uh oh.

Do they do it while you're actively driving but the wipers are turned off? (hope for "No")

Or do they just do it when you turn the car off, they zip up to that position? (hope for "Yes")

IF the former - they do it all the time, even when driving - then the lever-mechanism and the motor are out of sync. Very possibly the motors were in service position (more on that in a minute) when you disassembled, and now the motors and arms are off by 45 degrees. That will indeed, kinda rancid suck goat balls, because it means you have to pull it all down again to re-sync the motor vs the mechanism. Very obviously, you can't just reset the wiper-arms because they'll then immediately try to slam down into the engine bay past the cowl. (seemed like a good idea to bold that). It may be that the motors are shipped in "service position" and that you're supposed to put the mechanism in the same orientation when it gets reassembled, but I've never done the job.

IF on the other hand, it is the latter, then, much easier, it means you just have 'service position' enabled, which is a coding option that says "if the wipers are on when the car is shut down, park them in service position". This is useful for: 1. wiper blade changes, 2. people who live in snow belts who like to lift the blades during snowstorms so the wipers don't freeze to the glass w crusty ice and then get damaged when you try to pop them off (and also the WS is easier to scrape w the wipers lifted...) This is not a problem particularly, it will only do it if the wipers are ON when the car is turned off, and, it can also be turned back off again.

Oh and I missed the scanner thing - Makenzie and a few others have bought "Creator" scanners which are cheapie-but-BMW-compatible little handhelds that seem like a good inexpensive option for somebody who's not wanting to get too hardcore but needs to check modules from time to time. Search for his recent threads on his Creator 501.

[VladGold]

I think I'm in the first category, that you so eloquently and rightfully described as sucking rancid goat balls.
When I run the wipers, they cycle through and return to the 45 degree position, which is now their "home position."

So I don't blow this and have to do it for the third time.. tell me if I got the "re-sync the motor vs the mechanism" idea correct.

When i have the wiper transmission out, the motor will be mounted with three screws. The linkage that moves the arms will be disconnected. I'll connect the motor to the power supply and run it (basically turn my wipers on and then off). When i reconnect the shaft of the motor to the wiper linkage, i'll want to make sure the linkage is in the "down" or compressed position?
(Basically the linkage arms are aligned straight when i put them on the motor)

[geargrinder]

Yes... Heres the factory instructs. Note they tell you to run the motor once before the assembly is in, then turn off so it parks into the rest position, THEN line the arms up horizontally.

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...-drive/Ox83yGH

- - - Updated - - -

(basically exactly what you said I think...)

[e39kiwi]

my wipers failed,replaced relay no go, so i did the wiper motor,got one off e bay, they are inexpensive and motor replacement pretty easy and straightforward,most difficult part for me was removing wiper arms, my bearing puller was a bit bulky and had trouble getting it under wiper arms,once they came off it was easy

[VladGold]

Update: Last weekend I took out the driver's side airbox allowing me to access the wiper motor and linkage that moves the wiper arms. I did not remove the cowl or the wiper arms.

I ran the wipers and shut off the engine so the wipers landed in the normal ‘home’ position, not the 45 degree position they were stopping at. This is the key. Getting them stopped where you want them to land in the future, before proceeding to the next step. Keeping Geargrinder’s advice in mind, I disconnected the linkage from the wiper motor’s shaft, ran the wiper motor (basically just let it spin by itself so it goes to home position) and then reattached the linkage to the motor shaft with the linkage in a straight (horizontal) line (as per the factory instructions provided via link above). After a short prayer, I ran the wipers with the re-positioned arms, ‘reset’ motor and reconnected linkage… and it worked! Great relief.

My only concern is, when I tightened the linkage to the motor, since I did not remove the entire assembly/cowl/etc., I was not able to torque it to the proper spec with a torque wrench given the limited space/access. Instead, I held the linkage with plumber’s pliers and tightened the nut with a regular wrench as best I could, despite it being pretty hard to hold the linkage steady. Hmmm.

[geargrinder]

Should be OK Vlad... unless you try to fire them up in winter all frozen to the windshield or something and they get super wrenched! Glad it worked out...

[ninetyseven1]

Just one other thing as I posted in the other thread - the GM controls the wipers (wiper relay).

So its not remotely as simple as power -> switch -> motor.

It is:

Switch -> GM
Motor position sensor -> GM
Power supplies -> GM
Power supply -> relay
GM -> relay -> motor

I'd try scanning that GM for codes first. And you if you have INPA you should be able to manually override-trigger the relay/motor, if you try that in INPA and there's no power to the relay, then either the GM is blown or the power fuses to the GM or relay are blown.

You should also be able to trigger the motor at the wiper relay socket with some jumpers to test if the wiper motor works. The circuit is a little elaborate unfortunately... There are 2 inputs to the motor, one for each of the 2 speeds. I'd use heavy gauge wire, with a high amperage switch inline with it, supply 12V to one speed terminal at a time, and only flip it on for a second or two to "see if it moves" (TWSS).
Disclaimer - this might be a stupid idea and your will car catch fire and assplode and burn the house down, or at the very least might burn out your wiper motor and GM and the cell phone plugged into the lighter socket... and if so, well... I warned you.

Geargrinder, I have a 97 540i, My wipers stopped working , I seem to have only one relay that has to do with the wiper functions under the hood in the ebox, its the salmon colored relay. i pulled the relay out and put a jumper wire in sockets 87 and 30 if i remember correctly and my wipers started working. So, i thought it may have been a bad relay. A new relay did NOT fix the issue tho. What do you think ? my locks works fine , the car will lock and unlock using the key in the door or using the remote BUT, my lights no longer flash on the car when locking or unlocking and also the trunk relase button inside the car no longer works! it only works on the key. Im thinking the GM3 module is bad?? does it have a relay or fuse?

[ninetyseven1]

UPDATE: I solved my issue. It was the GM3 module, the big connector was not seated fully . Disconnected neg battery cable and unplugged all of its connectors and wiggled all of the wires, then plugged in and made sure everything was plush and seated correctly. Wipers are now working and trunk release switch works again. Also the cars lights flash when locking or unlocking again.

[QuantumMexTex]

I am having this same exact issue on my 2014 X1 sDrive28i (e84). Windshield wipers stopped working, the locks will lock but will not unlock using the fob or the central module. I went through all the possible fuses and relays in the glove compartment and they are all in working order. I also read somewhere that you could reset the modules by taking the battery off, draining all energy from the system and plug it back. I did that as well but this has not solved the issue.

Does anyone know where is the General Module for the X1 sDrive28i? I can't find it.

[JimLev]

QMT, Welcome to the forum. This is the E39 forum, our wipers are different.
You should post your question on the X1 forum, here.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/f...12-X1-X2-(E84)

[QuantumMexTex]

Thanks. I'll post there.