Windscreen wiper/screen wash problems

Hi everyone, want to put my car through MOT but Im having a problem with the windscreen screen wash and wiper speeds on my mk1 golf cabriolet gti only the fast speed is working all the others including the forward pull screen wash operation are all inactive I have got a new screen wash motor and still no life does the system have a relay or not could it be the column stem switch or the wiper motor itself has anyone experienced this or does anyone have a better idea then me would be very gratefull for any assitance whatsoever cheers guys

take the plastic trim off the column and look into the base of the wiper stalk. you should see the contacts for the washer, these might just need a slight bend and a clean up.

as for the wipers sounds like the relay to me, see the fusebox sticky for the relay/fuse layout. you need a 19 (std intermittent) or 99 (variable intermittent) relay

I've been looking for a cure to my screen washer problem. Like Boxy's mine don't work. I tried the solution recommended by rubjonny but it hasn't worked. Anybody got any ideas about how I check for a broken or shorted out wire? Can anybody point me to the wiring diagram for a '96 Rivage. Failing all of the above anyone know a good auto-electrician? MOT looming, cheers….

short the pump from the battery to check for a wiring problem, if it works look at the 2 wires for damage. the brown wire is earth so check that for continuity to the battery -ve, the other wire runs to the fusebox.

see my sig jetta89.pdf for a pre-90 mk2 golf diagram its not 100% same as cabrio but washer system is so it will sort you out. if  the scroll bar is missing press the page down key

Hi rubjonny, thanks for your reply - I'm totally new to checking these things so… can I check that when you say 'short the pump from the battery' you mean that I should run my own test wire from the battery +ve to the pump having removed the red/green colour coded wire from the non-earth pump terminal?   And when you say check the brown earth wire for continuity to the battery negative my guess is that I should take it off the pump and using a 12v bulb and my trust piece of wire link it to the +ve terminal on the battery. If the bulb lights that will prove the earth cable is intact and that wherever it goes, it finds its way back to the battery -ve pole?
From one of your earlier posts on here I think you say that fuse 11 should be the one for my car, I'll check the owner's manual to confirm.
If all of these 'test' prove positive, how do I check the wiring to the 'stalk' - I've had the plastic trim off and can see the two sets of terminals that make when I pull the stalk forwards, I can also see a cluster of wires, one each red, black, white and there may be a fourth that appear to be associated with this function?
Your help so far is much appreciated, I'd love to know more and also get my Rivage through her MOT! Cheers AJ

you can run 2 wires from the battery direct to the pump, if it goes then you know pump is ok.

if you run just a live to the red/green terminal and it goes you know the earth wire on the pump is ok so thats 2 tests in 1. if it doesnt then you'll have to run 2 wires from battery to confirm if its pump or earth wiring.

you can stuff the test wire(s) into the back of the plug if the spades are clean dont even need to disconnect it

you can use the test lamp as you describe, or if you have a multimeter you put 1 probe on earth and another to battery -ve and set it to resistance/beep and it will show you if the brown wire is earthed or not.

the fuse is ok as it also does the wiper motor, so if that works keep looking.

the wire on the stalk is gree/red, to pin T. this goes to fusebox pin A/19. the motor green/red is to fusebox pin C/9

I've followed your advice re pump testing - used two pieces of wire and the pump runs a treat! Getting the top piece of the plastic cowl off is a bit of a pig, by the ignition switch, any tips on removal - I don't want to break it…..

To test the stalk switch what should I do? I don't have a multimeter to hand….

Again many thanks

leave the top half on unless you have to remove it, as you say its a bit of a git!

once you find the red/green wire to pin T on the stalk you could bridge it with a 12v feed from somewhere, for example the red wire on ignition switch. if pump runs then you know wiring from the stalk is fine

if you are worried about shorting anything put a 10a fuse on your jumper wire so the very worst you'll do is pop that fuse

Update: I've disconnected the two connectors which sit underneath the steering column. For the sake of simplicity I've called them connector one and connector two.

Connector one which sits on the left hand side of the steering column when viewed from the driver's seat has the red/green wire, marked 'T'.

I've rigged up a live feed from the battery +ve, as accessing the ignition for a live feed looked too involved. I connected the live feed to the red/green wire (having first disconnected its connector from the pins) this causes the bulb that I placed in the line to light up but the pump didn't run. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but prefer to ask rather than damage my lovely car! What should I try now? Thanks for your patience…

PS photos of connectors are here http://s1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh481/sprintexec/screen_washer_wiring_fun/

hmm so you put a 12v feed to the T pin but the pump doesnt run? seems like we have a voltage drop or maybe the pump is just too old! sometimes they work fine when given 12v direct from the battery but wont work when fed from the stalk.

plug it all back in though and give it a fresh earth just poke it in the back of the plug and run the other end to the battery see if that works. if it does then you know its the earth thats causing the issue not the live.

if it still doesnt work id get another pump from the scrappy, mk3 golf pumps work but they have a different plug, so cut a length of wire from the donor. you can then either splice this to your car or crimp 2 male spades on and pop them into the old plug pins.

the pump is relatively generic though so your local motor factors might have something suitable

I've managed to isolate the problem. It is the stalk contacts. I know this because when I switch the ignition on and try to get the screen washer / wipers running nothing happens. When I do this and apply some gentle pressure to the front most copper strip/contact the wipers start and so does the water pump. I've tried gently bending the contact but this doesn't solve the problem. So I am stuck, again! At least now I know what is causing the problem The question is 'what do I do next?'  :roll:

give the points where the 2 contacts meet a light buff up with some fine grit sandpaper or similar to ensure they're nice and shiny, then gently bend the contacts a bit so they make stronger contact.  if that doesnt help get a new set of wiper stalks

gave the contacts a very light buff with 60 grit paper and the washers worked first time. Big thanks to rubjonny for his patient, detailed advice. AJ  
Thanks also to crazyquiffs who responded to my email to say they have used MFA stalk should that have been needed

Going to try this asap! Did it fix the speed settings and washers or just washers? Cheers guys! 😃😃😃

this trick is just for the washers, the speed setting contacts may also be dirty but this would require removing the stalks and opening them up to get to the contacts. this may involve springs flying everywhere so be sure to do it in a clean and enclosed workspace, and be prepared for them to be totally broken afterwards if you loose bits or cant reassemble

Ohh.. Well I'll try this for the washers then when my wipers start to bother me I'll order a new one! Do you know whether you can get just a wiper/wash stalk? I seen them with ignition barrel attached and they were nearly £100? Thanks a lot man! Much appreciated

Lots on eBay, try vw heritage.
these are not vw ones but for £15.99 you can't complane.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-GOLF-MK1-CADDY-PICKUP-POLO-WASHWIPE-WIPER-SWITCH-C59-/220557627575?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item335a4250b7

£14.00 for this one,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Golf-MK1-Convertible-Febi-Steering-Column-Wiper-Stalk-Switch-Control-OE-Spec-/301335905518?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model%3AGolf&hash=item46290504ee

The 2 links above are no good if you have a MFA computer as you need a arm with the switch and button to control it.

 

i woudl try to get 2nd hand genuine/swf if you can, the febi ones i find are a bit floppy. tho the mk1 stalks might bhe better my mk2 febi stalk was terrible!

Hello, thanks for that I took mine apart and cleaned up all the connectors but still nothing so I'll replace the stalk and hope that fixes it!

I thought I was the only one with one speed wipers!!! So... New stalk it is... But mfa are obsolete!!