Central locking operates rear wiper!!

A strange thing started happening on my 2001 TD5 a few days ago. The drivers door unlocks ok, but when I press the key button again to unlock the other 4 doors they unlock slowly and the rear wiper moves a quarter of a pass. Sometimes they don't unlock first time so I have to press the button again.

All doors lock ok.

The same happens with the lock / unlock switch on the dash. Everything else works ok.

This is the first electrical problem I've had with the car.

Any ideas out there?

it's not unusuall for the locking to be a bit lazy on some of the doors now and then. However the wiper going is very odd! ...you gotta gremlin living in your back door..!

Thanks Battenberg, I think you're right.
I suspect it's a shorting of wires so I've wiggled all the exposed wires I can find but it's made no difference. I think I'll look inside the back door next.
The thing I'm wondering is - would a main dealer trace the fault straight away using their diagnostics equipment, so would it be best just to let them have the car.

Garry.Harling said:

Thanks Battenberg, I think you're right.
I suspect it's a shorting of wires so I've wiggled all the exposed wires I can find but it's made no difference. I think I'll look inside the back door next.
The thing I'm wondering is - would a main dealer trace the fault straight away using their diagnostics equipment, so would it be best just to let them have the car.

Click to expand...

if you wanna re-mortgage!

check were the wires enter the door the maybe worn threw and shorting

iannotts said:

check were the wires enter the door the maybe worn threw and shorting

Click to expand...

definatly sound like its shorting a live to the wiper, specially as its only making a quarter of a wipe which is prob the same amount of time its taking for the locks to operate.

Also check the earth connection for the wiper motor.

dont take it to a stealer until you've got no other option...
it's a simple electrical fault which wont show up on computersed diagnostics

Thanks Guys, and I like the comments about main dealers.
I've only had bad experiences with my local one!!
I'll have a look inside the rear door tomorrow.

Had a look inside the rear door today, and everywhere else I could find and inspected / wiggled wires but couldn't see anything wrong. Problem still the same.
One thing I did notice is that the fuses for the locking and rear wipe seem to be next to each other at the top of the fuse box under the steering wheel ......................... coincidence?
No sign of any water or shorting.
Has anyone out there had any problems with this fuse box?
Guess it's off to the 'stealers' next :-(

Check the rubber boot that connects the door to the body, that where the wiring flexes and most likely for the short to be at. The only thing I don't get is does the rear wiper drive your CDL stupid? Surely the short would work both ways?
Dont go to the stealers, they'll only want to throw parts at it. I'd try a local auto-electrician if you have no joy.

Rob

the rear wiper works off a switch on the binacle and also when you select reverse if the wipers are on.

The central locking works with the BCU unit?

do the wipers also use the BCU unit for the switching in reverse???

check the wiring diagram... you may be looking in the wrong place...

it's not beyond reality that water ingress from the windscreen has found it's way behind the glovebox into the BCU area... check the multiplug here for traces.

RobCSH said:

Check the rubber boot that connects the door to the body, that where the wiring flexes and most likely for the short to be at. The only thing I don't get is does the rear wiper drive your CDL stupid? Surely the short would work both ways?
Dont go to the stealers, they'll only want to throw parts at it. I'd try a local auto-electrician if you have no joy.

Rob

Click to expand...

sure i said that in post #5

got my first ever lanny today, a 1995 tdi es disco, on my way home in it i pushed the central locking button down and loan behold the wiper came on aswell lol doesnt do it all the time just now and again.

I Know a Local MOT Garage owner had a TD5 with dodgy CL & 4 warning lights he couldnt get to switch off (Hill decent ABS etc etc). He spent 4 weeks stripping it down and swapping parts as hed rather die than go to the stealers. When he was losing hope, he swallowed some pride and took it to an auto electric place that did fault code reads for £50, they cleared the errors and it cleared the problem.

Bet you couldnt park in the f'in stealers for that !