Where is my w/s wiper relay control unit located? I have a problem with front wipers that wont turn off, or go on intermittent setting.

Nov 26, 2020
2
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Hi, problem with control of my wipers. They switch from normal speed to fast, but won't switch off or go on intermittent. Turning on the rear wiper made front wipers go off, but only temporarily! A quick search on google showed a good video, someone with identical problem, but on a BMW, and anyway, that U-tube video they dont give detail of location of the problem relay.
My car is a Ibiza Mk5 1.2tdi CR copa. I'd assumed the relay control unit would be behind passenger side "glove box", but now not so sure. Can anyone tell me what I should be looking for and an idea of location?
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
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983
South Scotland
Body Control Modul) and it is roughly above the pedals, this might be a BCM issue or a wiper stalk issue.

Wiper stalks have been known to cause many issues in all VW Group cars of this era, I've not had any issues with that so far, but had it once with a 2000 VW Passat 4Motion, I pulled into the side of the road and switched the ignition off, then restarted that car, all was well from that point on and that issue never happened again over the next 9 years of ownership, so what it was, I can't say!

The more I think about this, your reported findings do indicate a failed wiper stalk in my opinion.
 
Nov 26, 2020
2
0
Weirdly, my wiper control is working normally again, but I've a feeling this problem will come back before too long. I'm inclined to believe it is related to the relay rather than the stalk part. RUM4MO seems you are right in location of BCM for wiper relay. Listening for the click as wiper's operated defo come from this area... but how do I access it, without completely dismantling steering panel/fuse panel assembly.
Even if problem was in the stalk, how would I diagnose fault and sort?
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
I'm not sure, that without having a fully compliant scan tool like VCDS etc, you could 100% get a correct diagnostic, I'd hope that by using VCDS you could look at the wiper "demand" input to the BCM and its output response - I've never looked that deeply into BCM I/Ps and O/Ps, just trying to be logical, but "the word on the street" does point to the wiper stalks and their poor manufacture, either the very old and long term internal shedding of metallic material that is causing tracking - which for a system that uses very low currents as these demands are only signal switching and not higher current load currents, are very significant. This used to be a big issue for the indicator switching systems on VW Group cars and some people resorted to while sitting in the car with a thick old towel on their lap, then spraying electrical cleaner into the void/area under the steering wheel - and so ending up with a bit of luck, washing the free moving metallic shards out and onto the towel. I have to date, never read of anyone trying that trick when ending up with wiper switch issues.