Rear wiper relays

[Alistair C]

I took a look at my inop rear wiper today and after having spent a good few hours renewing the wiring at the hatch joint and dismantling & cleaning the wiper stalks, I have discovered that it was all down to a duff relay.

I know this because I've just slotted in a spare relay I had and all seems to work.

However,

According to ETKA, the relay should be: 191 955 529 (or maybe 191 955 531)

The one I removed was : 445 955 529a

And the one I tried successfully was : 431 955 531 (from a '89ish 80)

So I guess my question is - what was the one that was in there & is it OK to use the one I pulled from the old 80 ???

[porkkis]

191 955 529 is the rear wiper relay before MY92
191 955 531 is the front wiper relay
445 955 529 A has been replaced by 191 955 529 so they're virtually the same.
431 955 531 has been replaced by 321 955 531 A and that is replaced by 191 955 531.

HTH

[Alistair C]

excellent - many thanks for that!

So I guess my only question now is - is it OK to use a front wiper relay on the rear wiper circuit ??

[porkkis]

No as the rear relay is toggle type and front is not.

[Jonas_R]

I got a brand new relay for the s2 you can buy for 15£ if you interested?

/Jonas R.

[s2avant95M]

my rear wiper has been inop. for a while, where exactly is the relay for it?

[dan_b]

My rear wiper is playing up too - I can't switch it on very often, and when I can I then can't switch it off, and I can't get the wash function to work either - could this be a duff relay or has the wiring gone?

[Ski]

OOOo im so glad you guys mentioned this subject. I have an issue and im not sure if its the relay or not. The rear window wiper seems to work when it wants to. sometimes it comes on sometimes it dosnt. Once it does come on/off, it stays that way untill i order it a million times to turn on/off. make sence?

could this be down to relay? or is it the switch on my steering rack?

[Mikes2]

Dan,

this sounds like the switch on the steering column. This is what caused the same error on my car. I also had a duff relay but the switch was destroying the relays

[nigelm]

Rear wiper woes

Take a look at the wiring where it enters the tailgate (on coupes).
The plastic insulation tends to wear due to repeated opening of the tailgate leading to shorts which can fry the relay as well as give the symptoms you mention.

Hope this is helpful.

nigelm

[dan_b]

@Ski - it sounds like you ahve the same issue as me.
@Mike - is the switch on the steering collumn an easy part to check/replace?
@Nigel - I do have a small leak at the top of the tailgate which drips down on to the rear seat, so maybe I've got some water ingress in the electrics too? Hope not!

Where is the tailgate wiper relay located?

[Jonas_R]

Well my rear wiper was working and then getting worse and worse and then one day simply stopped working.

Well in my case, i simply cleaned the contacts on the wiper arm and it worked again. So try this before anythin else

In regards to the wash thing not working it might as well be the washer pump that has died. Mine is dead any way

/jonas R.

[nigelm]

Rear wiper woes

Take a look at the wiring where it enters the tailgate (on coupes).
The plastic insulation tends to wear due to repeated opening of the tailgate leading to shorts which can fry the relay as well as give the symptoms you mention.

Hope this is helpful.

nigelm

[Sidspud]

my rear wiper has been inop. for a while, where exactly is the relay for it?

Its under the rear seat on the passenger side

[dan_b]

So it's directly underneath where my leak drips...