Window Wipers

[Ed Hall]

Hi,

Hopefully someone somewhere may be able to help me. My Clio 197 has a problem with its window wipers. I previously had cleared out the drain holes in April and replaced the wiper motor. It worked fine up until yesterday and the rain we had. I took it all apart this morning to find the drain holes blocked. Cleared the drains and dried the wiper motor connector and greased the wiper linkages. Eventually the wipers started working again. Hastily I put it all back together again and now the wipers are not working.

So we can outrule the wiper motor, linkages, but can't be sure if its the UCH, the fuse on the UCH, or the wiper stalk.

Any other suggestions...

Ed

 

[Dumdum]

Could still be the wiper motor... but no way to really tell... have you got a mate with the same car? Swap bits over

Plugging it into a diagnostic pc will left you check the switch gear etc

 

[Ed Hall]

Update:

Still got the same issue. Although I did have the wipers working for a while. I replaced the wiper motor back in the summer believing this to be the fault. I'm still not convinced that it's not the stalk that is shorting out. I've spent so many hours taking it apart and putting it all back together that I am now so frustrated, that I am considering getting rid of it.

 

[LOCKE]

Could be wiper stalk as you suggested but you don’t want to be guessing and throwing money at it.

 

[Doogle]

The wiper stalks are a bit pants and become loose and wobbly. A new part is about £65-70 from eBay, maybe try a second hand item first? The left stalk (indicator and lights) plugs into the right stalk (wipers and menu options) and have shorted out/stopped working. Its common for the high beams on the left stalk for example to get stuck on when worn.

Have you plugged it in to see if any codes come up? And tried disconnecting the battery to see if its a weird fault?

I put ignition only on the other day, pulled the right stalk down to activate wipers, they activated but stopped halfway and wouldn't go back to normal. Once I turned the car it worked fine but now the wipers wont activate unless the car is running.

 

[Ed Hall]

The wiper stalks are a bit pants and become loose and wobbly. A new part is about £65-70 from eBay, maybe try a second hand item first? The left stalk (indicator and lights) plugs into the right stalk (wipers and menu options) and have shorted out/stopped working. Its common for the high beams on the left stalk for example to get stuck on when worn.

Have you plugged it in to see if any codes come up? And tried disconnecting the battery to see if its a weird fault?

I put ignition only on the other day, pulled the right stalk down to activate wipers, they activated but stopped halfway and wouldn't go back to normal. Once I turned the car it worked fine but now the wipers wont activate unless the car is running.

- I believe its the stalk, but I've booked the car in at a garage that specialises in Renaults and was formerly a dealership, but the mechanics have setup on their own. So they're gonna do a diagnostics check for £35.00, which is very reasonable. They've previously seen Clio's where the stalk has melted, so much so the chap vividly recalls how much it stank his workshop out! But I did buy another stalk with a different part number and that didn't work. But as soon as I plugged the old one back in it worked.

But it has since stopped altogether, and again it was soon after I flicked the wiper stalk. I think the next thing will be to get it fixed, but then work a solution to the scuttle panel and water getting onto that motor connector. I've already used some black rubber gloves and cut them to make a sleeve and cable tied that around the connector to stop water getting onto that. But I gather there is a flap in the drain hole tube that needs cutting so its only one way. The only other thing that has crossed my mind is whether I could get a custom scuttle cover with no holes?

Just some of my thoughts. But I need a B road bash, to get this out my system and forgotten about.

 

[Doogle]

- I believe its the stalk, but I've booked the car in at a garage that specialises in Renaults and was formerly a dealership, but the mechanics have setup on their own. So they're gonna do a diagnostics check for £35.00, which is very reasonable. They've previously seen Clio's where the stalk has melted, so much so the chap vividly recalls how much it stank his workshop out! But I did buy another stalk with a different part number and that didn't work. But as soon as I plugged the old one back in it worked.

But it has since stopped altogether, and again it was soon after I flicked the wiper stalk. I think the next thing will be to get it fixed, but then work a solution to the scuttle panel and water getting onto that motor connector. I've already used some black rubber gloves and cut them to make a sleeve and cable tied that around the connector to stop water getting onto that. But I gather there is a flap in the drain hole tube that needs cutting so its only one way. The only other thing that has crossed my mind is whether I could get a custom scuttle cover with no holes?

Just some of my thoughts. But I need a B road bash, to get this out my system and forgotten about.

Its always frustrating when this kinda thing happens. I use mine for commuting mainly on short (6 mile) journeys and the suspension and hard ride get tedious at times. Then I take it up on the moors for a blast and remember why I love it.

Everything you've done I'd do too. I was worried about changing the indicator stalks myself but honestly, very easy job as long as you are methodical and pay attention to how it comes apart. Id like to think they'd charge you peanuts to replace it.

As for drain holes, I removed my offside rubber grommet all together. It empties onto the inner arch liner as the wings are basically empty. My nearside I could feel an electrical wire of some kind underneath the rubber grommet but not been able to see what it is. A solid scuttle cover would push the water into the engine bay, thats not what Id want to do. Grease up the wiper linkages with a decent PTFE grease and clean the scuttle panel so its free of dirt. If its shiny its more likely to slide dirt away with water than it would if it was dirty. And dont park under trees!