Intermittent Wipers?

[virden]

My 1996 S3 wipers have three positions- Off, Slow and a Bit Faster. However they also have an intermittent wipe which comes on after the wipers have been switch on/off several times (e.g. in drizzle).

The question :- is this a normal function and therefore my switch is faulty by not operating it when required, or is this a result of some electrical glitch?

[Jonathan Kay]

It's normal. You activate/ deactivate the intermittent wipe by turning them on and off within a few seconds.

 

This caused me a lot of confusion during the build.

 

The good point is that saves a switch, but it's a very bad piece of design because you can't tell what mode you're in.

 

Jonathan

 

[shn7]

Switch on/off with the first wipe to activate intermittent, on cars that have it. From around 2001 onwards it was dropped, I believe due to reliability problems but it could have been that it was just too confusing 😬.

[Billyboy]

Or it only worked intermittently............... 😬

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll get me coat..................

[shn7]

And make sure you shut the door too please 😬

[DaveMorris]

It utilises the Lucas 6DA unit.

 

Footprint of the unit is ~same as a cigarette packet, and it will most probably be fastened to the front scuttle panel somewhere just to the right of teh wiper motor (assuming RHD car).

 

These fabulously unreliable units, which are meant NOT to like damp conditions (so ideal for positioning under a Caterham scuttle then) have the main bonus that they can easily be taking out of service WHEN they stop working. Remove the connectors on the supply and output sides of the unit and plug them togethor. Hey presto the wipers are highly likely to start working again but you won't have intermittant functionality. (If they don't then you probably still have a working 6DA unit, and something else has failed).

 

6DA units are no longer being manufactured (have not been for some time now) but sometimes come up on e-bay. I believe that there are also new units available which can be spliced into the system.

 

6DA units can also be repaired - a thread on here explains what the most likely cause of failure is and how to repair it. (do a search on Techtalk for "oscillator" and I think that will lead you to it).

 

Dave.

[Billyboy]

BANG

[shn7]

I said shut not SLAM 😬 😬

[Billyboy]

Sorry.......Mum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or is that Mummy 😬

[Rich N]

The offending item is

 

 

And here it is with no clothes on:

 

 

and you need a new one of

if it breaks 😬

 

Edited by - Rich N on 3 Aug 2011 12:05:03

[eagle]

Quoting Billyboy: 

Sorry.......Mum

 

 

 

 

Or is that Mummy 😬

 

 

 

😬

[Billyboy]

 

Ha yes thats the Flasheroonie Da Mundo...... 😬