Hi ive been using this forum as a good source of information for years , but never needed to actually ask a question , but now I do , so ive signed up to yet another forum lol !.
I have a rear wiper on a 2004 mini cooper that doesn't work , ive had it apart and all is fine ,I read that the relay is on the back of the fuse box inside the passenger foot well , I pulled the fuse holder complete out to turn it , and I found the relay , it seems to be very small and unlike many relays I have dealt with in the past , and to make matters very odd , when I put a pair of grips on it to try and remove it , the blinkin wiper started working , which it does every time when squeezed, but it wont work from the switch , which says to me that the motor isn't receiving a signal from the cars brain, the washer works , so at this point I am very stuck , is there any clever person on here who may throw some light where it is all dark in my head , thanks very much , Rob. Portsmouth.
It might be the coil that energises the contacts inside the relay isnt working/failed, but when you squeeze the relay to remove it you manually press the contacts together by squashing the cover so it works, looks as though the relay is your problem??
Thanks for the reply, the thing is the relay doesn't look like it it is meant to be removed , its smaller than the normal realy , and just looks like a permenant fixture .
I dont have wiring details for the Gen 1 MINI only the Gen 2 here, but even if the component is soldered in place it doesnt mean it will never fail and need replacing.
Some of the Gen 2 relays are soldered in place by the way.
I just replaced a relay in a Gm BCM that was responsible for the function of the indicators ( a common fault ). If yours is soldered in, you may be able to get one on EBay or from an electronics outlet if you can match the part and swap it out, the only fiddle is to de solder without overheating the circuit board.
Edit:
Just checked the Bentley Manual and the rear wiper relay is non replaceable and is on the rear of the A-pillar fuse and relay panel. This means if the relay is faulty, then its a de solder job, swap it out and re solder it. You will just need to identify the component part number to replace it.
Just one other thing, if the relay works if you squeeze it, which it seems to as it makes your wipers work, then it could be as I said the coil inside the relay which energises the contacts has failed, or even perhaps the supply to the relay that works the contacts has failed and the relay is ok??
OR the relay soldering to the board has failed (dry joint) and by moving the relay you remake contact??
You need to check you have supply to the relay for it to operate, if so then the relay or its soldered connection has definitely failed.
No supply then work backwards from the relay to the wiper switch?
Thanks very much for your replies . Checking to see if there is a signal to the relay is where I will become very stuck .I think that this relay also operates the horns and a few other things to , which could be why an air bag light has come on aswell. I do get the feeling that an electrical signal is not getting to the relay from the switch arm , but the washer works fine ,infact the wiper worked fine for about a minute earlier , then stopped again .These things are sent to stop us doing things we otherwise be enjoying lol!
if you know the relay works to control other items then it must be a dodgy connection supply for the wipe not coming through from the switch arm I guess? its needs disconnecting and a circuit tester to test that, as to just go and buy one would be rather expensive I would think, in the hope it fixes it.
You could try pulling off the switch arm plug/connectors and reconnecting and check for a loose/slack terminal connections as you said it works intermittently??
Thanks , my next thing will be to check that , but I have a feeling the signal comes from the switch then to the brain and then out to the wiper , I think its the brain that's possibly letting the side down, quite common especially in my life lol .
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