ZX fuse puzzle

Hack boy · Post by **Hack boy** » 03 Jun 2004, 03:07

I've got a L-Reg ZX Avantage 1.9tdi and it is misbehaving in the wet. Pretty much every time it rains the fuse blows on the wiper relay. I've had it checked out by a automotive electrician who can find nothing wrong with the wiring, but that doesn't help much when the heavens open.
It has been suggested to me it could be a fault in the wiper motor itself but I wondered if this sounds likely to people out there?
Any help would be much appreciated.
Oh, and the central locking is knackred too but I'm resigned to living with that...

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 03 Jun 2004, 03:31

The ZX wash/wipe circuit diagram is found here :
http://citroeny.cz/servis/zxser/elektro ... kovace.GIF
I'd say you should try run the wash/wipe in dry weather (car parked) as long as it would take the fuse to blow, when the rain pours.
I have yet to see that water would cause a fuse to blow. I think it's coincident with the fact that the wipers are running fairly constant in rainy weather.
Could be any movement/vibration from the running wiper motor that causes a cable weakness to short out a circuit. Or as you say, the wiper motor itself.
There should be no fuse in the relay ??
The complete circuit is fused by F2.

Hack boy · Post by **Hack boy** » 03 Jun 2004, 03:38

Thanks - I'll give it a go when dry.

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 03 Jun 2004, 13:21

Hi (hackboy?)
I had exactly the same problem. Are the lenses on your front indicators intact? If not, rain will get into bulbholder and track across, blowing F2 (incredible but true)
If not, as Anders suggests, run wipers with arm lifted off screen, and see if fuse blows, or measure the current if you can. Also feel wiper motor and see if it is getting hot
There is a bit of print inside the relay that can go open-circuit. You can swap it for the rear one.

Hack boy · Post by **Hack boy** » 04 Jun 2004, 03:55

Thanks very much for the advice. Forgive my ignorance (I know little to nothing about car mechanics) but when you mention the lenses do you mean the mirror reflectors? If so they are intact but it is a truly bonkers problem you've found nevertheless.
I've had suggested to me (and I think this is what masked the problem before I bought the car) that I simply plop in a higher rated fuse. It sounds like an easy road to a lot of problems but what think you?
PS Hack boy is a stupid username, I know, but I'm a journalist and lacked inspiration last night when trying to think one up... oh well.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 04 Jun 2004, 07:09

About fuses -
Should be the common blade fuses with 2 spade legs.
AFAIR if the fuse is rated above 10Amps, you have a choise of higher fuse ratings in steps of 5Amps.
Whatever your fuse is rated, do not choose a higher rating than next step, i.e. if the fuse is rated 15Amps, then dont go higher than 20Amps. The fuse rating is both stamped on, and recognised by the base colour.
Fuses are there for one single reason : to protect against a meltdown disaster in the cabling, which is prone to set off a fire.

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 04 Jun 2004, 15:08

Lenses - the clear bits on the outside front of the lights. Mine were missing when I got the car, and I found that during a shower, one of the now exposed bulbs blew when it got wet, and water got in the bulb holder, tracked across, leaving a conductive mess that blew the fuse.
Hackboy seems an excellent user name for a journalist - I wasn't sure what to address you as [;)]
Anders is spot-on with his advice on fuses - two wrongs - fault plus heavier fuse - do not make a right, usually a fire, instead [:(][:(]

Hack boy · Post by **Hack boy** » 05 Jun 2004, 15:32

Thanks again to both of you for your help - I'm much more confident about what I need to do now.[8)]