A

Admiral

New Member
Just bought a 2003 Defender Td5 and it is great, but has a few minor issues and struggling to find out the problem with the rear wiper that blows the fuse as soon as I turn on the ignition with the switch in the off position.

I have checked the wires to the rear door and they are fine. I disconnected the wires at the harness before the door and and turned on the ignition the with a new fuse that blew immediately just like before. The short must be between the fuse and the last harness before the rear door.

I checked the wiper switch which is fine.

Any ideas where to check next?
 
Have you taken the rear light inner shroud off and checked in there? The wires go through the floor and into the chassis below and can chaff around that area. Another option is to disconnect the loom at the front where it enters the chassis and try again with the fuse.
If you've not got a multimeter get one, really useful for things like this and cheap .
Has your model got the strip of cables stuck to it going to the rear door? I found breaks on my much earlier model around the flex points as the door is opened and closed.
 
[Defender TD5 90 2002 Experience] Whilst cutting out the rear cross member for a replacement I accidentally nicked with my angle grinder one of the loom sets going through the hole in the chassis. I thought I'd repaired them well enough but once back on the road found the rear wiper was out of action. I ran a new wire from the switch. It's an odd set-up because the switch controls the NEGATIVE (-) side of things rather than POSITIVE (+) as might be usual, I assume because power is still needed to operate the wiper back to its starting position after the wiper is switched off. So in short. if you are blowing fuses, it's probably not the wire connecting the switch - that will not go through the fuse box. Hope this helps.
 
Flossie said:
Have you taken the rear light inner shroud off and checked in there? The wires go through the floor and into the chassis below and can chaff around that area. Another option is to disconnect the loom at the front where it enters the chassis and try again with the fuse.
If you've not got a multimeter get one, really useful for things like this and cheap .
Has your model got the strip of cables stuck to it going to the rear door? I found breaks on my much earlier model around the flex points as the door is opened and closed.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this.

I have disconnected the wires behind the rear light and they looked good there. Fuse still blew with cables unplugged and did check the wiring through the rear door, so problem must be in front of that.
Where is the loom at the front located?

Have a multimeter and have used it several times already!
 
Jimsky Korsokov said:
[Defender TD5 90 2002 Experience] Whilst cutting out the rear cross member for a replacement I accidentally nicked with my angle grinder one of the loom sets going through the hole in the chassis. I thought I'd repaired them well enough but once back on the road found the rear wiper was out of action. I ran a new wire from the switch. It's an odd set-up because the switch controls the NEGATIVE (-) side of things rather than POSITIVE (+) as might be usual, I assume because power is still needed to operate the wiper back to its starting position after the wiper is switched off. So in short. if you are blowing fuses, it's probably not the wire connecting the switch - that will not go through the fuse box. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Thanks for replying!
The rear crossmember is due for replacement so doubt that has been done before.
Thanks for the heads up on a negative switch. May save me some hours of frustration!
 
Admiral said:
Thanks for this.

I have disconnected the wires behind the rear light and they looked good there. Fuse still blew with cables unplugged and did check the wiring through the rear door, so problem must be in front of that.
Where is the loom at the front located?

Have a multimeter and have used it several times already!
Click to expand...
Loom enters drivers side chassis rail on the engine side. Multiplugs are up from there .
 
I’ve just remembered a good test to try. Where the wire from the switch enters the relay in the back door (was it a green/black wire?) pull that off and short the relay post to the vehicle frame (-). The wiper should start working if everything ok on the (+) side of the wiring (need ignition on). If it does not work or blows a fuse then it’s a problem with the (-) wire from switch to relay.
 
Jimsky Korsokov said:
I’ve just remembered a good test to try. Where the wire from the switch enters the relay in the back door (was it a green/black wire?) pull that off and short the relay post to the vehicle frame (-). The wiper should start working if everything ok on the (+) side of the wiring (need ignition on). If it does not work or blows a fuse then it’s a problem with the (-) wire from switch to relay.
Click to expand...

Thanks, but the fuse blows with all the cables to the rear door disconnected so afraid I will not get that far...

As you said above the switch is negative but the fuse is positive...

Clear as mud as we say over here...
 
Success!

Worked my way around to unhooking the washer pump and it seems like there was a problem with the pump or the connection to the pump. Took it off, cleaned reconnected and tested. Now both wiper and washer working!

Thanks all feedback and suggestions!
 
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