Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue (UPDATE P2) SOLVED!!

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Tander
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Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue (UPDATE P2) SOLVED!!

Post by Tander »

Howzit guys,

I'm sure some of you remember I posted about this issue a while back. However, we're still having issues.

So my buddy has a 2008 Seat Altea 2.0 FSI.

How the issue started (Chain of events )

He fitted some aftermarket HiD lights (Fogs and Mains ) - which I got for him from the same supplier of my lights.

The lights worked fine - except every now and then, the one light would flicker for a few seconds, then return to normal.

Fast forward a few months - he was on his way to Durban, when it started raining very heavily, so, he turned wipers onto full speed and also had front fogs on due to low viability. Once the rain stopped, he tried to turn the wipers off - however even taking the key out of the ignition, the wipers were still going full speed.

So, he disconnected the battery and obviously this stopped the wipers. He then reconnected the battery and wipers have ceased to work ever since then. Along with the auto lights feature which doesn't work.

After some extensive research - he concluded that it must have been the control unit under the dash that has blown. This unit controls ALL electronics in the car - without it plugged in, nothing works.
So it was safe to assume this is where we should look first.

So, after some months (Trying to find a this part was a mission), we decided to buy a second hand unit from ACE Auto in Springs (They had a smash red Leon there) the second hand part has the same part number - so we assume its the same thing.

On Saturday, we decided to fit it - although we thought it may need to be coded (We did speak to G60 golf, (Morne)) about this and he told us to just fit it and see how it goes.

After fitting it, we have same issues - unit has not helped. The car started and all other electronics worked, so I doubt it still a coding issue?

We then checked the following on the car:
  • 1. Control Unit (as mentioned above)
    2. ALL fuses / relays in the car - no problems there
    3. All wires to and from the wiper motors - the outer coating on some wires were damaged - but otherwise fine
    4. Measured power at the wiper motor plugs to see if power was even going there - it was.
We have read that HiDs can cause the wiper motor control unit, which is inside the motors to blow.

However, we have no way of testing the motors, without buying new ones and possibly wasting more money on them.
The car comes with two motors for wipers and it's my understanding that when one blows, the other one doesn't work either?

When turning the wipers on / all - there is no noise or even slight movement from both motors / control arms.

The car is due for a visit to Morne this week - I know he is very busy, so hence me asking here for other ideas to this issue and how we can test more to find this issue.

Also - has anyone ever heard of aftermarket HiDs causing these sorts of issues?

Appreciate the input guys.
Last edited by Tander on Mon Feb 04, 2013 2:10 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Sinbad »

We've had HIDs in my SO's Leon since we got it in 2008. No issues at all. I don't think they are related to the problem.

It may be an issue with the rain/light sensor. Or the wiper stalk switch. I have found that if I leave wipers on, then switch ignition off (wipers stop) and then on again, the wipers DO NOT start. You need to zero the stalk and then switch on again...

Given how the wipers didn't stop initially - I reckon the switch is fooked.
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Tander »

Thanks Sinbad

I forgot to mention - we unplugged one motor at a time and tested - but they did not respond at all when moving the stalk. Lastly, when measuring voltage at the plug, it made no difference when changing from on / off with the stalk.

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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by tsw123 »

this is the forum that has experienced this problem aswell. http://forums.subdriven.com/showthread. ... HIDs/page8
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Sinbad »

With the stalk in the on position, put the car in reverse.
Does the rear wiper turn on?

If not, I reckon stalk switch is borked.
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Tander »

Rear wiper works fine.

Just re-read your post Sinbad - Tsw123 will have to confirm if it works like that as well.

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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by tsw123 »

It is possible but it does not explain why the headlights don't want to switch off in the day? The wiper issue and light happened at the same time.
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by tsw123 »

When i put it in reverse the back wiper does work when the front wipers stalk is in the on position
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by kreevs_tsc »

Tander wrote:Howzit guys,

I'm sure some of you remember I posted about this issue a while back. However, we're still having issues.

So my buddy has a 2008 Seat Altea 2.0 FSI.

How the issue started (Chain of events )

He fitted some aftermarket HiD lights (Fogs and Mains ) - which I got for him from the same supplier of my lights.

The lights worked fine - except every now and then, the one light would flicker for a few seconds, then return to normal.

Fast forward a few months - he was on his way to Durban, when it started raining very heavily, so, he turned wipers onto full speed and also had front fogs on due to low viability. Once the rain stopped, he tried to turn the wipers off - however even taking the key out of the ignition, the wipers were still going full speed.

So, he disconnected the battery and obviously this stopped the wipers. He then reconnected the battery and wipers have ceased to work ever since then. Along with the auto lights feature which doesn't work.

After some extensive research - he concluded that it must have been the control unit under the dash that has blown. This unit controls ALL electronics in the car - without it plugged in, nothing works.
So it was safe to assume this is where we should look first.

So, after some months (Trying to find a this part was a mission), we decided to buy a second hand unit from ACE Auto in Springs (They had a smash red Leon there) the second hand part has the same part number - so we assume its the same thing.

On Saturday, we decided to fit it - although we thought it may need to be coded (We did speak to G60 golf, (Morne)) about this and he told us to just fit it and see how it goes.

After fitting it, we have same issues - unit has not helped. The car started and all other electronics worked, so I doubt it still a coding issue?

We then checked the following on the car:
  • 1. Control Unit (as mentioned above)
    2. ALL fuses / relays in the car - no problems there
    3. All wires to and from the wiper motors - the outer coating on some wires were damaged - but otherwise fine
    4. Measured power at the wiper motor plugs to see if power was even going there - it was.
We have read that HiDs can cause the wiper motor control unit, which is inside the motors to blow.

However, we have no way of testing the motors, without buying new ones and possibly wasting more money on them.
The car comes with two motors for wipers and it's my understanding that when one blows, the other one doesn't work either?

When turning the wipers on / all - there is no noise or even slight movement from both motors / control arms.

The car is due for a visit to Morne this week - I know he is very busy, so hence me asking here for other ideas to this issue and how we can test more to find this issue.

Also - has anyone ever heard of aftermarket HiDs causing these sorts of issues?

Appreciate the input guys.

Buddy of mine having the similiar issue with his Cupra.

Replaced a headlight recently, but the auto lights function will not work as well as the headlight washers.

Im assuming here that the the windscreen wipers are also connected to the AFS system (error we get on the dash)

VW says its a coding issue and they have contacted the factory, seems that the new headlight has a new software level on the control unit and is incompatible with the older headlight (AFS system) software level. So he has to go and get a whole new set of control units for the older headlight in order for that system to work.

Your best bet is to take it to VW
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by panic-mechanic »

Sigh. Typed a noce response which got wiped somehow. Anyway. Is this canbus. In this case you can't test for voltage at the switches. You must look in vagcom to see if it report the function on or off when younflick the switch.
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Sinbad »

tsw123 wrote:When i put it in reverse the back wiper does work when the front wipers stalk is in the on position
And with the stalk in "off" does it also come on?
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Tander »

Twisted: Although I think your buddies Curpa has similar issues, I think it's unrelated to this issue. Reason behind that is we did not replace any parts on the car - just fitting HiD's, which initially worked fine for a few weeks - I think if coding was an issue, the lights would not have worked from day one. Although, I stand to be corrected on this.

So, Tsw123 has confirmed the rear wipers work, when stalk is in ON position for front wipers and you put the car into reverse. So, I think we can take stalk switch out of the trouble shooting.

I wonder if the RLS switch can cause wipers not to work at all?
I can see it stopping the auto headlights though.

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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Tander »

panic-mechanic wrote:Sigh. Typed a noce response which got wiped somehow. Anyway. Is this canbus. In this case you can't test for voltage at the switches. You must look in vagcom to see if it report the function on or off when younflick the switch.
Yes, canbus system.

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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Sinbad »

Wipers are not connected to AFS - AFS is the headlight aiming system.
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by tsw123 »

in the off position it does not come on.
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Sinbad »

Damn. There goes that theory :(
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by tsw123 »

i dont have projection lenses i think my car will not have AFS.
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Tander »

So at this stage it seems either one of the motors have blown (If so, how does this effect auto lights?)
Or the RLS switch is faulty?

lastly - when you have the headlight switch in the "Auto" position - lights stay on. Don't know if this helps with diagnostics.

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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Sinbad »

Tander wrote:So at this stage it seems either one of the motors have blown (If so, how does this effect auto lights?)
Or the RLS switch is faulty?

lastly - when you have the headlight switch in the "Auto" position - lights stay on. Don't know if this helps with diagnostics.
RLS =?

Lights staying on = problem with the lightsensor, I guess...?
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Tander »

Sinbad wrote:
Tander wrote:So at this stage it seems either one of the motors have blown (If so, how does this effect auto lights?)
Or the RLS switch is faulty?

lastly - when you have the headlight switch in the "Auto" position - lights stay on. Don't know if this helps with diagnostics.
RLS =?

Lights staying on = problem with the lightsensor, I guess...?
That's what I was just thinking - I wonder if these are two separate issues or wipers / lights not working due to RLS switch?


RLS - Rain / Light Sensor.
Last edited by Tander on Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by tsw123 »

this is another forum thats had this problem.... http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.p ... kits/page2......

RLS = rain light sensor
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Sinbad »

Hmm ok then.

RLS is not a switch by the way. It doesn't have on/off... the thresholds for activation of lights/wipers are coded values - so they provide a variable signal.
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Tander »

Sinbad wrote:Hmm ok then.

RLS is not a switch by the way. It doesn't have on/off... the thresholds for activation of lights/wipers are coded values - so they provide a variable signal.
I see, makes sense.

Could this sensor cause wipers not to work at all?
Lights still work fine - besides the auto feature.

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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Sinbad »

Tander wrote:
Sinbad wrote:Hmm ok then.

RLS is not a switch by the way. It doesn't have on/off... the thresholds for activation of lights/wipers are coded values - so they provide a variable signal.
I see, makes sense.

Could this sensor cause wipers not to work at all?
Lights still work fine - besides the auto feature.
On these canbussy things, anything is possible. F'rinstance, did you know that pulling up the handbrake turns off the DRLs on my car? I mean, handbrake sensor tied into lighting circuit... wtf?
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Re: Seat Altea - Wiper / auto lights issue

Post by Tander »

Wow, would never have thought the handbrake sensor is connected to the lights system in anyway. :crazy:

I guess the best option still is to have Morne look it over this week sometime and let us know the diagnosis.
Would be nice to confirm if HiDs caused this issue or not.
If it turns out the sensor went, I don't see how HiDs caused it.

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