Windscreen wipes when I flash the headlamps

As per the title. It doesn’t do it all the time, but occasionally the windscreen wipers do a single sweep and park again when I flash the lights on the lighting stalk.

At the moment I can’t get the steering wheel off (I need a puller as it’s REALLY jambed on tight!) so I can’t get at the wiring very easily.

Any suggestions?

Wiring/switch needs checking.To remove steering wheel without puller undo center nut but leave it on a few threads [ stops wheel from smacking you in the mush when it let's go.] some release fluid on the shaft then sit in the seat and pull on each side of the wheel. A heavy rubber hammer to whack the back can also help.

Regarding the steering wheel: I've tried the big pull while whacking the end of the nut with a soft faced hammer and nothing. A Landrover garage said, "Oh they come off easily with a bit of a pull..." Five minutes of grunting and heaving and he admitted defeat as well...

j_g_uk said:

Regarding the steering wheel: I've tried the big pull while whacking the end of the nut with a soft faced hammer and nothing. A Landrover garage said, "Oh they come off easily with a bit of a pull..." Five minutes of grunting and heaving and he admitted defeat as well...

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Push the top of the wheel away, while pulling the bottom towards you. Reverse and repeat, then do the same for the 3 and 9 o clock positions. Mine came off after a few attempts.

Buy or make a steering wheel puller, an essential part of the Landy tool kit if you’re planning on doing repairs yourself.

j_g_uk said:

whacking the end of the nut with a soft faced hammer and nothing.

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That will draw the wheel tighter onto the shaft especially if it is on a taper. Same effect as hitting a track rod end on the nut - it don't work.

Easy enough to make a simple puller out of a bit of flat bar, worth the time taken to make it for the next time.
I had exactly the same problem regards lights/wipers, never found the problem after 3 years of looking when the mood took me. Then last year decided to upgrade my lighting circuit with a home made "Boomslang" harness, lights work much better now but now no problem with wipers!! 200Tdi by the way.

Wimblowdriver said:

That will draw the wheel tighter onto the shaft especially if it is on a taper. Same effect as hitting a track rod end on the nut - it don't work.

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That’s confused me as I’ve been winding pressure onto taper joints etc and then giving them a clout to shock them apart for years.

frog hopper said:

Easy enough to make a simple puller out of a bit of flat bar, worth the time taken to make it for the next time.
I had exactly the same problem regards lights/wipers, never found the problem after 3 years of looking when the mood took me. Then last year decided to upgrade my lighting circuit with a home made "Boomslang" harness, lights work much better now but now no problem with wipers!! 200Tdi by the way.

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I’ve not heard of a Boomslang harness. I must go and google. Had you tried replacing any of the switches and stalks?

j_g_uk said:

That’s confused me as I’ve been winding pressure onto taper joints etc and then giving them a clout to shock them apart for years.

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Thats right. Apply pressure and give it a whack. But the whack should be at right angles to the taper (using for example two hammers on opposite sides of the taper). If you hit the taper shaft on the end (axially) and without applying pressure it draws the taper tighter.

Wimblowdriver said:

Thats right. Apply pressure and give it a whack. But the whack should be at right angles to the taper (using for example two hammers on opposite sides of the taper). If you hit the taper shaft on the end (axially) and without applying pressure it draws the taper tighter.

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I was hitting the nut on the head, but that was me so I gave up the headache inducing whacking and I tried all the styles of whacking (ooh err) including your suggestion but to no avail.

j_g_uk said:

I’ve not heard of a Boomslang harness. I must go and google. Had you tried replacing any of the switches and stalks?

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Over the course of about three years I replaced/remade/added earths just about everywhere, remade the main fuse panel, cleaned switches etc. Ended up putting a switch into the wiper circuit to disable the system when not needed. After modding the lighting loom end of problems. I guess after all that there must have been some chafing within the looms somewhere but not being leccy savvy I could'nt find it.

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/headlight-wiring-upgrade.72348/
If I've managed to copy the link, this is all you need to know.
I've done this on both my 90 and RRC, very happy with the system.

I have tried a 3.5t jack on the steering wheel. It. will. not. move.


To get to the wires I remove the binnacle and go in from the top / back.

NiallRussell said:

I have tried a 3.5t jack on the steering wheel. It. will. not. move.
View attachment 174465

To get to the wires I remove the binnacle and go in from the top / back.

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Have you tried a proper puller? That sling probably won’t be pulling each side of the wheel evenly, hence why it’s not coming off the splines. I admire your determination though.

bluedog333 said:

Have you tried a proper puller? That sling probably won’t be pulling each side of the wheel evenly, hence why it’s not coming off the splines. I admire your determination though.

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By looks of it he might as well used two ropes going through the back door attached to a couple of competing monster trucks.

bluedog333 said:

Have you tried a proper puller? That sling probably won’t be pulling each side of the wheel evenly, hence why it’s not coming off the splines. I admire your determination though.

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the straps broke. I gave up.

Update on the unwanted sporadic wiper operation.

I bought a puller and the wheel came straight off. (I’d tried a couple if so called ‘universal pullers’ big not only did none of the bolts fit the threads in the steering wheel boss but the bolts wouldn’t have fitted the puller body either. )

I’ve now noticed that if I switch the hazards on then the windscreen wipers will give the occasional ‘wipe and park’.

It’s no big deal as the wipers still operate correctly on their switch but I don’t like annoying unresolved faults.

Any suggestions?

Probably an earth loose behind the speedo or main loom

j_g_uk said:

As per the title. It doesn’t do it all the time, but occasionally the windscreen wipers do a single sweep and park again when I flash the lights on the lighting stalk.

At the moment I can’t get the steering wheel off (I need a puller as it’s REALLY jambed on tight!) so I can’t get at the wiring very easily.

Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

I had this problem on my 300Tdi defender and it was a bad earth.

Check the main earth strap that goes from the battery to the chassis and then from the chassis to the bellhousing.

Also check the earth poll on the bulkhead in the engine bay. Its just to the above right of the clutch master cylinder.

As i say min is a 1998 300Tdi so the earthing points might be different.

Cheers Landy-Lee

Sounds like a poor earth fault to me. I'd try adding a new earth to the headlight circuit to prove it - if you temporarily run a heavy gauge wire from the chassis strap to the earth point in the wings. If that solves it then the existing earth run is faulty.