5 series estate; rear wiper and wash intermittent. Ideas?

My E34 rear screen wiper only works (very) intermittently. The washer also fails at the same time.

I've looked at the haynes manual and it's useless. Does anyone have any suggestions:

  1. Where can I find decent circuit diagrams online?
  2. What's the pinout of the wash/wipe lever on the steering column?

Better still... anyone seen this before (and fixed it!)

Reply to
deadmail
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First thing I'd look for would be a broken wire making intermittent contact. The earth would be easiest to check first by running some form of jump lead from the door to the body.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

It will be the wiring in the loom of the tailgate. Common fault. Not too difficult to work on either. You will need some Torx tips for your screwdriver though. I'm a bit busy atm, but I'll see if I can email a circuit diagram tomorrow. Also check out

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there is a section on the touring tailgate wiring.

JB

Reply to
JB

Wiring looms (all 3) in the tailgate were replaced to fix problems with the lights. Since the washer is operated by water pressure (the spout thing elevates out of the tailgate but the pump is in the rear wing) I don't think this is it. I'm hoping it's the switch...

Thanks, I'm not convinced it's this. Mainly 'cos I had it replaced.

Reply to
deadmail

I would concur with this it seems to be a p[problem with the germa estates (done a few on the marks that preceded the E class) but if this has already been done then the water pressure may have to be the only solution remaining you sure it was routed correctly when it was refitted?

Reply to
dojj

Given that it worked reliably for a week or so (last week) and hadn't worked before, I'd assume so.

I'm pretty convinced it's electrical before the tailgate. The switch is really the only common link but it seems too obvious!

Reply to
deadmail

You may have a split in the pressure pipe after the pump. Is the pump actually running? My pipe had a split and the water was running down the side of the tailgate.

JB

Reply to
JB

No, the pump isn't running.

Reply to
deadmail

I thought about that but... the lights work in the tailgate.

The wiper in the tailgate is handled through the tailgate wiring and the washer is a different loom. I'm pretty certain it's at the front of the car but without a ruddy pin-out for the wash/wipe control it's hard to work backwards. Or come to that any form of wiring diagram.

Reply to
deadmail

The pump is located inside the righthand side 'cubby' hole behind a panel in the load area. It may be worth checking that you've got volts present when the pump switch is activated.

JB

Reply to
JB

It's possible the lights have a different ground. And being plastic, don't pass it on.

12.21/22 in your Haynes gives the basic wiper connections which should help eliminate most - and hopefully, the other end will show the colours for the rest.
Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Don't know if it's relevant to the 5 series, or to this problem, but on the E30 3 series touring the earth connecion of the rear wash switch goes all the way back from the dash to the wiper motor in the tailgate, where it is earthed by a sliding contact and metal plate inside the wiper gearbox.. The idea is that the washer only works when the blade is moving in one direction.

Reply to
brian moore

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