Possessed Wiper Blades!

Coming home from work last night, miserable night, chucking it down, and I get about five minutes from my house when the front wiper blades stop moving, mid-cycle! A quick flick of the control and they start back up again, but again, about a minute or so it happens again. I tried changing them to intermittent and they went on full instead! I flick them back to hi-speed and it worked ok, the stopped, mid-action, again after a few sweeps. After a few frantic minutes I get home and turn the engine off and take out the key. The blades are still going constant!!! I'm getting seriously worried, so I put the key back in, flick the controls a few times and they eventually stop at a queer angle on the windscreen. Left it overnight and today they seem ok... touch wood. It's a Jan'02 build Cooper and I'm thinking maybe this is a hangover from the dodgy-electrics-waterproofing problem that affected some early models???

Anybody else have this happen, and is it worth mentioning to my local dealers? (what's one more visit when you've already been back eight times in six months!).

DBK

[Dom]

Sounds like a problem with the 'waterproof' control box thingy...

Best get it excorcised for good measure anyway

Dom

Spoke to the dealer (HB Glasgow) and it's booked in at the earliest possible date... 23/09/02



It was helpfully noted that if it happens again I should get MINI Emergency Assistance out and not drive the car.

Well duh!

I don't know about you, but every time I read the CAR magazine summary of the MINI's "impeccable build quality" in their GBU section, I wonder if they're living in a parallel universe???

DBK.

[mr.bill]

Maybe they meant "abominable" and didn't know how to spell it.

[Mini Beemer]

Quote:

Originally posted by dietbruking


Spoke to the dealer (HB Glasgow) and it's booked in at the earliest possible date... 23/09/02

... the earliest possible date being 13 days later!





Is this a typical length of time you have to wait for an appointment



When I collected mine from HF Glasgow on 1 September, they said when booking in for service phone about a week before, as they are usually always busy I hope the only time it needs to get booked in is for servicing and not because of any problems.

MB

[quote]Originally posted by Mini Beemer
[b]

Is this a typical length of time you have to wait for an appointment


Not sure if you'd noticed, but I have a separate thread up above http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...threadid=14915 which kind of updates the situation. It's with them just now, getting all manner of ailments looked it.

Just sick to death of the whole thing, really.

Not funny any more.

DBK.

[Mini Beemer]

Quote:

Originally posted by dietbruking




Not sure if you'd noticed, but I have a separate thread up above http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...threadid=14915 which kind of updates the situation. It's with them just now, getting all manner of ailments looked it.





Just sick to death of the whole thing, really.





Not funny any more.





DBK.





[/b]

I did read about your problem with tyre wear - very bad news. Have HB admitted that there is a problem causing this amount of uneven wear... or are they trying to claim it is your driving style?


Have you had many other problems (of the more serious kind)?



(becoming worried) MB

Yes, the are denying all responsibility - pick up my Corsa (superb, not) car in 10 mins

01/03 Collect The Cooper!
02/03 Back to HB - loud interior rattles and squeaks
11/03 Back to HB - pulls left, geometry check confirm
19/03 Back to HB - loud interior rattles and squeaks (again)
04/04 Back to HB - interior light fails, need replacing
17/04 Back to HB - back to get rear rain guttering rebonded (came off hand-washing the car!)
14/05 Back to HB - back to get rear rain guttering rebonded (loose again) and get left-pull strut six done
23/08 Back to HB - a collection of varied faults - rear boot hinge rattling and loose, rear lights fogging, rear trim near on corner loose and gear link recall work
06/09 Back to HB - rear trim near on corner loose (again!)
12/09 Back to HB - f*cked front tyres (possible tracking or compound problem), rear trim still loose, drivers side air intake (beneath the wipers on the bonnet) corroded - possibly electrical fire damage?

... and it's booked in on...

23/09 Back to HB - electrics check as wiper blades packed up earlier in the week (in p*ssing rain at worst possible moment, typical).

...don't get worried, just don't take it lying down. You've paid premium money and I think it's fair to expect premium service/quality/etc etc...

Progress report later...



DBK.

[Mini Beemer]

DBK,









Sorry to hear all of this. Asking 2 or 3 times to get trim and squeaks/rattles fixed is not acceptable. My advice would be to by-pass all the service people at HB's and send a letter into the managing director, or dealer manager, basically listing what you have said here. I went over mine last night with a fine tooth-comb and (touch wood ) everything appears to be fairly well put together (exterior trim, and guttering).



At times I do notice a slight rattle/vibration from the back (parcel shelf), but to be honest the radio drowns it out, and also I couldn't honestly say its any worse the our Big Beemer (325i sport saloon - company car).



Let us know how it goes.



MB.



PS. You should send the Corsa back to them with the tyres in the same state that yours were in!!

Quote:

Originally posted by Mini Beemer


Let us know how it goes.

MB.

PS. You should send the Corsa back to them with the tyres in the same state that yours were in!!

Will do.

The bit about the Corsa made me laugh out loud!



DBK.

[Mini Beemer]

Quote:

Originally posted by dietbruking







Will do.





The bit about the Corsa made me laugh out loud!











DBK.

It's not green, 3 door, X reg and very basic is it? A mate of mine had one of these on loan (I'm certain from HB's) after a slight 'ding' with his 3 series. The Corsa was a piece of junk - and wouldn't start on a couple of wet mornings

Its jadey-green, but I think it's a SH51 not and X reg, but yeah, it's complete pony. No matter, in a few days time I'll have my Coop back all mended and shiny!



DBK.

PS. Did you see my other thread on the tyres? Progress at long long last.

[Mini Beemer]

Quote:

Originally posted by dietbruking






PS. Did you see my other thread on the tyres? Progress at long long last.

Yes... good news. Glad you got a bit of respect from them in the end.


Hope it comes back with everything fixed.

MB

Spoke too soon... see other thread.

Incidentally, dealer HB confirmed that replaced stalk was required, not electrical fault due to poor waterproofing (allegedly!).

Wish I had known that's what they were doing, if I had it would have been a trip-computer'd stalk I'd have asked for... by way of compensation for such crap service!



DBK.