wipers still working without key in ignition

[Linda kerr]

Hi

I have posted on the general forum but it was suggested that I ask for advice on this forum. My car was recently mot'd and the central locking stopped working. I took it back to the garage and the mechanic said it was nothing to do with what they had done to the car. I then discovered that the electric windows and windcscreen wipers work without the key being in the ignition. Still he says they dont do anything to it. The battery also runs low and in this cold weather runs dead so I have to get it jump started. The battery is only a year old. Anyway I have also discovered that when I lock the car at night the inside lights for the electric windows and the lights beside the radio are still illuminated so there must be power going through the car. All the mechanic said was that they replaced two fuses, thats all. Has anyone any idea what it could be? Any advice would be great appreciated. Thanks in advance, Linda

[kebab10]

Wipers still working etc

Could be the dreaded wiring loom under the radiator. Search the forum for "wiring loom" and it will throw up problems caused by this and solutions of how to fix it. Not difficult or expensive, just annoying.

[bongo]

strange one why did they change fuses? its as though they did something then tried a quick fix , try and see lifting points under car if its marked maybe trapped a wire where they jacked/lifted and its earthing out , ive seen some so called mechanics/ grease monkeys jack in strange places ie if ramp busy? and try as monkeys do at safari parks pull anything off that isnt bolted dont know your garage but still worth checking if loom dislodged/disturbed somewhere or as already posted check under rad something i must do now its been highlighted (prevention)

[ogie17]

I had exactly the same problem with my '97 S40, it was a result of a local garage screwing up the ignition coil sensor that reads the key, and then botching the repair by taking out the retaining screws and turning the coil/barrel by about 30 degrees. This means your barrel position O (to get key out) is actually pos.1 and so on, this means your buggered non turning and non starting pos.3 has a new home in pos.2. I discovered this by taking off both upper and lower steering wheel cowls and at the rear of the barrrel was a black and white 2 inch diameter induction coil with all connection wires that was just taped in position to the steering column shaft. I was able to temporarily rectify this by slightly altering the amount of turn so I could waggle the key so the wipers windows and radio etc were off and still get the key to position 3 to turn the starter. Come to mention it - thats what it went in the garage for in the 1st place, cos 1 day it just went as though the starter was on the way out. The good old grease monkies denied everything, ofc - I just dont use em anymore. I eventually got a new induction coil from the Main Stealer.for about £65 I fitted it, and discovered ppl on ebay sold em for about £15. Ahh well u liv n lurn. Hope this elps u owt a bit more

[thebigv]

The reason they may be saying fuses is because sometimes when you hot wire a car it blows certain fuses and the wipers run constantly.

Definitely something within the steering column or fuse box area.