rear wiper runaway

[JetTurbo]

The rear wiper on my GTi has developed a mind of its own,
it now runs continuously at normal speed no matter what control stalk position is chosen.

Prior to this occurring, for about 15 minutes it worked when it should,
however it moved very, very slowly.
Then it would not move at all for about 30 minutes.
Then it just took off and has run continuously (with key on) for two days now.
Guess that is better than slow or dead, as it eliminates motor failure as a cause.

Ran a VAG-COM scan and I can find no indication of any errors.

While the control stalk switches may be a cause,
they go through the steering column controller
and there is no valid signal that would result in continuous operation,
so I suspect the issue is elsewhere.

I suspect wires in the back where they transition to the body have broken, shorted.

In the meantime, I have pulled fuse box C fuse 41 (15A)
and that has successfully killed the rear wiper.
But with the nasty winter weather we have been experiencing,
I have needed and used the rear wiper extensively,
so I want to get it back to normal working condition.

Thought I would check to see if anyone else has experienced this issue
before I tore into it. Any assistance is appreciated.

 

[el_ote]

any answers? hoping tk piggyback as my rear wiper will run once when I open the trunk. I also suspect a shorted wire.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[Duster117]

My first thought is something is wrong with the stalk
Or you have the dreaded hatch wires broken

 

[dmsquattro]

I too would love some input. Every week or so the wiper turns on. Sometime if I simply turn the wiper to the on position and then turn it off, it stops. Other time it continues to run and I have to shut the car off and hope that when I start it, the wiper does not turn on.

On a similar note, has anyone experienced a situation when you turn the ignition off the front wipers move a little? It come up about an inch, but never past that.

 

[donjuan1jr]

On a similar note, has anyone experienced a situation when you turn the ignition off the front wipers move a little? It come up about an inch, but never past that.

Thats normal operation, its returning to home position.

OP sounds like a stalk issue, a broken wire would throw a fault, faulty stalks sometimes dont throw anything.

 

[JetTurbo]

... OP sounds like a stalk issue, a broken wire would throw a fault, faulty stalks sometimes dont throw anything.

Could be. I have reason to supect the harness in the hatch.
The first time this happened, I did something
earlier in the day that may have been the cause.
It occurred to me after making my original post.
Earlier in the day that this first happened,
I ran some errands and took my wife to the grocery.
Temperatures were in the 0° - 5° F range that day.
When placing groceries in the rear compartment
after the car being in the elements for two + hours,
my wife opened the hatch, and of course, in those cold temps
the struts did not lift it all the way as they normally would.
I turned around with handfuls of groceries and
proceed to smack my head on the not fully opened hatch.
In frustration, I placed my hand on the hatch and lifted it the rest of the way,
but in doing so pushed hard enough to lift the rear of the car a tiny bit.
I fear that was the harness stretch that triggered this issue.

That said, I have peeled back the boots on both sides,
removed the tape on the left side harness,
and have found no signs of harness damage - yet.
Next I will pull the hatch trim, if that still produces no results,
will pull C-pillar and headliner.
Still finding no issues I would then check the stalk.
the weather remains unseasonably cold limiting my desire to tear apart a car,
but that will not last forever. :iono:

 

[JetTurbo]

Pulled the hatch trim today. No evidence of damaged wiring. But,
there is evidence the washer fluid has been leaking in the wiper transmission.
Always a possibility fluid has found its way into the electrical connections.
Won't pull that until later in the week, need the car for now and do not want
to drive it with a hole on the hatch.

This might explain why my hatch release is acting up now too.
Thought that might also be damaged wiring, but now I am not so sure.

I guess the radio antenna amplifier will be the next failure.

 

[bowerhour4334]

since you already have the trim panel off you might as well do a rear wiper delete