C5 Mk II 2008 - Front Wipers Not Working (going crazy :) - Motor?

[Shred]

Hi,
Long time Citroen driver here (1st car to present). I repair/maintenance the car when possible.
I have same/similar problem as http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =3&t=44224

My front wiper stopped working. First the left one was stuck up with the right wiper kept going but only at one speed.
The left one randomly came back down the next day. Another day both stopped working completely, then left goes up and get stuck again. Now of course both stopped working again. Tried BSI reset, didn't make any difference. When the wipers don't work, it does a clicking noise somewhere like it wants to work. Car going in Economy mode more than I've ever seen it. Strange.

Can someone tell me how to get to the Left wiper motor? From internet research, it looks like changing that one should solve it.
I have googled it in English and French. I also have the french 'C5 II Revue Technique Automobile' book, and there is nothing on it.

Dealer wants 71 pounds just for diagnostic and then 142 pounds per hour labour + parts. I was rather shocked, it's like a Porsche dealer price!

Thanks a lot!

[GiveMeABreak]

I think you've already referred to the previous topic on this. - it was the driver's one that needed replacing on mine. I have the procedure here for removing the scuttle and replacing the wiper motors.

Edit:
The procedure can be found here:
How to Remove & Refit the C5 X7 Windscreen Motors

[Shred]

So, I replaced the left side motor with a brand new one, the wipers are still not working. Nothing changed.
Anyone have any ideas? Thanks

[GiveMeABreak]

Did you check out this post:
http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =3&t=44224
It would indicate that a faulty wiper can affect the other one and vice versa - so difficult to know which one is at fault. However, I'm not sure, but these may need to be configured / calibrated with the Lexia if changed.
I'll try and dig something up tomorrow.

[vborovicfan]

I had exactly same problem. only one speed and passengers wiper stucked time to time (LHD) i repalced it with no real impoovment. then replaced drivers (master motor which conrols passenger) and works like charm. not sure which are which on RHD

[white exec]

Hell's bells . . . Have you checked you've got the correct digital blade rubbers fitted?

Chris
from my iPad in San Seriffe

[GiveMeABreak]

So, I replaced the left side motor with a brand new one, the wipers are still not working. Nothing changed.
Anyone have any ideas? Thanks

Shred - have you tried to check if your vehicle is part of the wiper motor recall:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls ... nk&tx=VOSA
This was the driver's one that needed replacing (it affects both wipers although the right hand one is at fault). I know the build starts from 2009 but worth trying to pursue it with Citroen UK - you never know.

[GiveMeABreak]

OK, here's the update:
There is no configuration to be undertaken, according to the documents, however it is confirmed that both the wiper ECUs are built into the wiper motor unit - AND that the Driver's motor controls the Passenger slave unit - here is the relevant part from the docs: So it could well be that it is the driver's wiper that needed replacing Shred.
3. Function
Functions of the driver’s windscreen wiper ECU (master) :
To receive the wiping speed reference values from the BSI1 on the LIN, via the engine compartment fuse board-fuse box (PSF1)
To control the driver’s side windscreen wiper motor
To control the passenger’s windscreen wiper ECU (slave) via the connection between the windscreen wiper motors
The passenger’s side windscreen wiper ECU controls the passenger’s side windscreen wiper motor.
The windscreen wiper motor transmits the rotation movement to the windscreen wiper blade via an internal mechanism.
N.B. : Each windscreen wiper blade has its own motor and its own ECU.

[Shred]

Thanks so much for the information GiveMeABreak.
I am taking the Driver's side motor apart now to see what's wrong with it. Maybe I just have to buy a new one of that too. They both appear well 'looked after' by the British wet weather! The Left side (Passenger's) motor looked perfectly fine with no contamination inside.

[Shred]

Unfortunately my car is a 58 reg car and I have spoken to Citroen and they obviously said no recall.

[GiveMeABreak]

No probs - There's also a bit about this on the CCC Forum:
http://www.citroen-owners-club.co.uk/ci ... per-motor/
Have a read through as it mentions aluminium contact at fault - but might be worth a read as you already have the unit out by the sounds of it!

[Shred]

Thanks to everyone for the help.
After replacing the Right side motor, everything is working again.
Here is some info for anyone who will face this problem in the future.

The main problem I faced was removing the wiper arms. I bought 2 tools and none of them could do the job by themselves.
- Lloyd Motor Spares's Laser branded wiper arm removal tool does not fit at all, it is too small and too short.
- From Amazon the 'Sealey VS807 Wiper Arm Puller Heavy-Duty', also wouldn't fit due to the plastic cover not giving enough room for the legs to get in to grab both sides. After cutting off parts of the plastic cover to make room for the 'Sealey' tool, it was able to get in. However the wiper arm was just too tight and still would not come out. The tool kept slipping off.

So I had cut the wiper arm off, remove the motor with it and got it on my workbench to be able to finally remove the wiper arm from the motor with some clamps holding the Sealey tool's leg to not slip off. After that was done, I created an extra tool to help remove the other wiper arm and replaced the Right side motor too. The wiper arms were incredibly tight on a car with 138k miles, year 2008.

So the DIY cost, tool £10, 2 motors left and right from Citroen about £230 and 1 new wiper arm £33 + VAT.

Citroen cost? Wouldn't escape without at least £500 for changing 1 motor if they got it right the first time.
I can't imagine how Citroen could have removed the Wiper arm without cutting off the wiper arm, it was incredibly tight, they have to have a 'really' special tool or be a magician.

[petef]

Having replaced the steering rack sometime ago on my 2009 tourer, I thought the next thing to fail would be the front window lifts. But now it appears that the windscreen wipers may be competing for that doubtful honour! Having bought the car in 2014 I thought that I would check that it had already been dealt with in the wiper motor recall. Strangely though my VIN number is nothing like the ones in the recall as listed on the VOSA site. Mine has RWRHRJ in the middle followed by 8 numbers, the VOSA VINs have 9L followed by 6 numbers. Does this mean there are different wiper motors for different C5 X7's of the same age, mine was first registered in May09? Or was the recall incomplete?

Question for Marc really.....

[GiveMeABreak]

No, same wiper units Pete regardless. It will be down to the batch that were fitted between the particular build dates. There were no replacement parts shown - so I suspect it was an internal part such as the motor that was potentially faulty and replaced on subsequent batches, but nothing materially different to the mechanism.

[WiCoDj]

Hello!

I've got the same problam! The passenger side wiper stoped working and then after 3 days the driver side one. So shall I replace only the driver side one? Or can be relay problem?

Thanks!!