Hi,

I have a Jaguar X-Type 2001 3.0L Petrol, and just today I have an issue with the windscreen washer button.

When I press the button to wash the windows, the fluid comes out without any issue, however the problem lies with the wiper blades, they fail to activate when the water comes shooting out of the jet nozzles.

I have checked my wipers, they are okay, not blocked etc.

When I move the wiper blade in to the four modes (right side UK), using the lever, the first mode 1 does nothing, the second mode also does nothing, 3rd mode the windscreen wipers start and are in constant wiping mode, the fourth one is very fast motion, which also works just fine.

I have no auto rain sensor, I have to flick the lever up on mode 1 in order for it o automatically wipe, using the radial toggler to determine the speed of the action.

So my issue lies with the following:

1) When I activate windscreen wash (small button on the side of the lever) water jets activate fine, but no wiper action.
2) When the wiper lever is on normal mode (off), then I flick it up into mode 1, it does nothing.
2) When the wiper lever is on normal mode (off), then I flick it up into mode 2, again, it does nothing. (even moving from mode 1 to mode 2 nothing happens)
3) When the wiper lever is on normal mode (off), then I flick it up into mode 3, the wipers work fine and are in constant wiping mode (slow speed). I can control the speed using the inner radial tuner *** to adjst the speed, again no issues here.
4) When the wiper lever is on normal mode (off), then I flick it into mode 4, the wipers work fine and are in constant wiping mode (fast speed), further more no issues there.

The main issue here is the fact its not working when I want to wash my windscreen, only the fluid jets out the nozzles, and that's it.

I have tried to google this, but I keep coming up with issue on washer fluid reservoirs etc, nothing to actually relate to the problem I am now facing.

Hence any help or insight into how to fix or remedy the issue would be super. Please go lightly on me.

Thank you

David

 

I found this post, I could have missed it during a google search, but it explains the exact issue I am faced with, although I can not make out how it was fixed by the OP.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...switch-140703/

If this involves me into taking off the steering wheel, then I guess I'll have to take it to an independent Jaguar garage.

Kind of stumped on what to exactly make of this and to do. :/

Cheers

David

 

David, position 1 should be off. So. I would expect the wipers to not move. Position 2 should be for intermittent wipers and when going from 1 to 2, I would expect a single swipe and then the wipers waiting until the timer times out based on where the dial is set. POsition 3 is for the slow speed wipers which appears to be running normally and Posiiton 4 is for fast speed wipers (again, functioning normally). Just to make sure that my understanding of the layout is correct, your wiper stalk is pointing at the driver's door, correct? If so, I would venture to guess that your stalk has taken a few knees to it over time and this has caused the adjustment at the end of the stalk to be damaged, leading to the need to replace the wiper stalk. This is not hard. You will need to remove the plastic off the bottom of the steering column and then replace the switch from there.

 

Yes, swapping the stalk switch might be the solution, but then again, maybe the problem is somewhere else...
I found this on youtube - other car / same issue:
So I have no idea, how that guy ends up with a relay that is one "pin" short, but it made me think: What if you have that "pin" on your wiper relay, but the electrical connection inside of the relay is not there anymore (cold weld)? So I would remove the wiper relay, open it up and look at it, to see if you find cold welds or corroded contacts in there.
Your relay is relay 1 - see (at timecode 0:34):

 

Hi Thermo,

Thank you for the reply, yes thats exactly correct, the layout you have described below is exactly on par. Also yes, the stalk is pointing towards the drivers door (right side here in the U.K).

The stalk I can find on eBay used but fully working, no problems, the main thing that I dont understand is, how the washer jets squirt out water when I push the button inside the stalk on the end, but yet the wipers only work on mode 3 & 4. Does this mean that the stalk is indeed not functional? or that the buttons or something inside the stalk that perform each action is worn out? Hence the replacement?

Will I also need to disconnect the car battery for this procedure, or go ahead with the 2 screws and lifting of the plastic part? Are there any guides to follow, or will it be simple to proceed with?

Sorry, I am just trying to figure out how this works, I have no understanding of the components inside :/.

I'll order a replacement stalk tonight, but before I do, should I also get a relay as suggested by Peter it could be the issue mentioned below, if not the stalk replacement?

Please do let me know, I'd highly appreciate the very much required help and assistance that you both have provided for me

Cheers

David.

 

Hi Peter,

Thank you for the reply, I can pop this relay out tomorrow morning and have a look inside it, I will get one ordered from eBay used (hopefully I find one with the correct part number), then see which of the two methods stated by you and Thermo will fix the issue I am faced with,

On a side note, can I use any relay or does it have to be specific to the car? (U.K) so for example a relay from 2002+ onwards X-Type? or does it have to be a 2001? I am left unsure as when I look online, I can only seem to find ones from models 2005 onwards and they are all diesels.

Please do kindly let me know.

Cheers

David

 

If you swap anything - and that includes relays - you have to swap it with an identical part. If that part happens to have found use on other models, so then you can use that too, obviously. Every part should have a part-number stamped onto it. But I was thinking that you might be able to fix your relay in case this is the part with the problem.

 

David, I want you to try something. First, start the car and spray a little water on the windshield just so we don't trash your wipers. What I want you to do is pull back on the wiper stalk to "flick on" the wipers for a single swipe. Does this work? If yes, then this confirms that Relay R1 is functional and cannot be the problem. Therefore, for the wash pump to work and wipers not to move, that only leaves 1 of 2 possibilities. Either plug JB130 (specifically Pin 19 is disconnected) and this is causing the signal from the GEM module to not reach relay R1 or the GEM module is faulty and it is not relaying the ground from the wash push button over to the line to actuate the wipers. This is where multimeter tests will be needed to determine where the problem lies. If you want to do this, let me know.

If the flick wipe did not work, then odds are, you have a bad fuse (Fuse F93 in the fuse box under the dash, 30A fuse) or relay R1 is stuck in the OFF/de-energized position. You should be able to swap relays R1 and R5 and see if you have a change in symptoms. If yes, then the original R1 is bad, replace. If no change, then odds are, you are looking at either a blown fuse or a wiring issue for the flick wipe wiring. Again, if you want me to step you through this, let me know.

 

Hi Thermo,

"start the car and spray a little water on the windshield just so we don't trash your wipers. What I want you to do is pull back on the wiper stalk to "flick on" the wipers for a single swipe. Does this work?"

Sadly no, this did not work, it was also raining today, only the normal and fast function worked (mode 3&4).

I have ordered both a spare relay and stalk, what I aim to do is firstly replace the relay (I am hoping this was the issue), then if the replacement relay works, I can keep the stalk as a spare. If the relay was not the issue, then I will replace the stalk, switch the relay back to the original one I had and test again, hopefully either method will work (fingers crossed).

I will reply back with an update within 3 days from today, whilst I await for the part.

I will check the fuses in the meantime, and see if both are in need or replacing.

If none of the above work, then I guess we need to go further, but again fingers crossed for the above 2 fixes.

Will post back in 3 days.

Cheers

David

 

Hi Peter,

I would love to fix things like this, but sadly I am useless with electricals.

I have ordered both parts, and am currently awaiting their arrival,

I will get back to this within 3 days when the parts arrive, and will hopefully have the issue resolved.

Cheers

David

 

Hello Thermo and Peter,

I apologise for the late reply, but as promised here is the fix.

I received both parts, and started with the relay, rather than going for the stalk first.

As you both previously predicted, it indeed was the relay at fault here, I just popped the replacement one in and with my fingers crossed, I had a big sigh of relief as the wipers worked on the modes that were not working previously.

I was nervous, as I did not want a big issue from this, luckily in this instance it was just the relay as you both mentioned, now I have a spare stalk should the need come next time.

Once again a very big thank you for the kind and well thought assistance, your methods were spot on and am very very happy with the outcome.

Thank you
Best Regards,

David

 

Good to hear David. This is one more very rare confirmation that spending 6.5 years at University studying Mechatronics was not utterly in vain...
...but then again: I knew relays before I even started at uni, where they teach nothing useful...
My favorite example of the pointlessness of these studies will always be a task in the major mid-term exam, which no one could deliver on:
One was supposed to calculate the integral over a single charged point suspended in a space - this is something, which cannot exist and is totally useless...