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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Self Parking Wipers

Refurbed the dashboard about a year ago. MOT due middle of next month. Today I tried the wipers, when you switch off, they stop and do not self park. They did work when the dashboard was all put back together. I don't go out in the rain so they rarely get used. I took the switch out & checked all the connections & they appeared to be OK. What else is likely to be the cause.Thanks, Regards
Nigel
Nigel Axtell

Check the connector block onto the motor.

There is a self parking switch on the motor (not sure what model you have) sometimes they get a bit sticky and need cleaning / corroded contacts etc.

The clip on ones are still available as spares from the usual sources.

R.
richard boobier

Also take a look behind the dash at the back of the switch (mirror on a stick helps here) to see if there is a wire loose that has disconnected itself. There should be a permanent live feed from the switch which is what provides the "magic" of wipers that continue to work to the park position, after you have switched the power supply off!
Guy Weller

Hiya,

Almost certainly the wires are wrongly attached to the dash switch.


Check you have a live supply at the wiper motor green wire with the ignition on, this is the feed to the parking switch.


When the wipers are switched to the off position, this switch continues to provide power (on the light green/brown wire) back to the switch. The switch has a contact in the off position that connects this current to the first speed wire (Light green/red) until the park switch opens the contact, shorts this wire to ground and the motor stops.

As you've only disturbed the dash it's very unlikely to be anything at the wiper motor end.



You don't give us a year of the car, The early square wiper motors work on a totally different principle.


Hope this helps.
SR Smith 1

Thanks for the info. By the way, it's a 1500/1977.
Is there an issue with the MOT regarding self parking - hopefully I'll get it sorted before that anyway
Nigel Axtell

Hiya,

Glad that helped.

The other issue you raise is interesting...........


Just lifted this from an MOT testers forum..........


"Windscreen wipers that do not automatically park when turned off... Is this a failure or an advise.

The 'guide' states that wipers NOT working automatically when switched ON should fail but does this also cover when they are switched OFF. To my way of thinking, there is still power to the parking circuit, so they are technically still ON. Possibility for failure #1.

Another aspect is that when switched OFF, the wiper(s) stop in an 'unparked' position, this would bring the '10mm/40mm obstruction to the view' clause. Possibility for failure #2.

If anyone has any views and/or comments on this, I would be grateful."


So they're not sure either!


Just say "they've never parked since I've had it and it's always passed before"


Regards Steve









SR Smith 1

For many years the wipers on my 1971 Sprite didn't park automatically. I got very adept at flicking the switch off at precisely the right moment. It went through many MOT tests that way and it was never failed. I do remember being asked to operate the wipers and as long as they could be started and stopped that was considered a sufficient test.
Guy Weller

from the way I read it the wipers have to remain on (wiping) when switched on, i.e, you don't have to keep hold of the switch for them to continue to wipe - switch on and they continue to wipe

'Reason for Rejection
b. a wiper does not continue to operate automatically when switched on'
section 8.2
http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/doitonline/bl/mottestingmanualsandguides/mottestingmanualsandguides.htm

nothing about self parking and as Guy has put you just switch them off to stop in a position not in the windscreen inspection zone

however -
'Wiper blades that park automatically in a position that obscures the view through the windscreen are subject to Reason for Rejection 1'

so if the self parking stops the wipers in a wrong position it is a 'reason for rejection'

section 8.3
http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/doitonline/bl/mottestingmanualsandguides/mottestingmanualsandguides.htm

Nigel Atkins

sorry the links don't take you to the relevant bits

to find the relevant sections and pages from the link(s) given - when the page comes up click on the 'Browse' link next to 'Inspection Manual for Classes 3, 4, 5 and 7 Vehicles'
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 03/03/2013 and 05/03/2013

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