So I'm driving along yesterday, thinking what a great car my old Mondeo has been since I got it.....

[prepman]

My new Body Control Module arrived today, well wrapped and packed. I clipped it into the holding rack thing and went out in the bitter cold 3c to do battle. It didn't fit.

Back into the house, look at photos I took before, wrack my brains, picked up the phone to call the guy....
...then had a brainwave.... dickwad here had clipped it in back to front.

Anyway, once over my little brain fart it all went together swimmingly and everything appears to work as it is meant to, lights, engine, controls et al.


The radio has lost it code after being disconnected from the battery. Strange, it didn't do that when I was pulling it all apart with the battery unhooked, though it did the last time I replaced the battery 2 years ago. I bought a code off some guy on ebay, can't remember what it was now though.

Interested in the details if poss...I might need one for the Kuga.

 

[Morrisman]

Interested in the details if poss...I might need one for the Kuga.

www.ecuexpress.co.uk.
They're based in Stoke, but it's a little vague as they appear to be in a storage unit and I dropped my old module off at the reception, so the guy could program the new board to match my car. I paid over the phone for the new one, and it arrived next day.

 

[Morrisman]

Well, the fat lady didn't sing, the drama hasn't ended...

I went out yesterday, used the washer/wipers.... and a pitiful spray of fluid out of the front ones. Pump is whirring, loudly, yet hardly any pressure. Reservoir has plenty in.

Something I don't get, a single pump is plumbed to both front and rear washers, two separate pipes leave the pump, yet when I use the windscreen washers nothing comes out on the rear screen, and vice versa. I'm thinking there must be some sort of switching system to decide which nozzles squirt at the right time. I've googled it, nothing comes up, but there are non return valves in the lines, somewhere.

 

[roofman]

Well, the fat lady didn't sing, the drama hasn't ended...

I went out yesterday, used the washer/wipers.... and a pitiful spray of fluid out of the front ones. Pump is whirring, loudly, yet hardly any pressure. Reservoir has plenty in.

Something I don't get, a single pump is plumbed to both front and rear washers, two separate pipes leave the pump, yet when I use the windscreen washers nothing comes out on the rear screen, and vice versa. I'm thinking there must be some sort of switching system to decide which nozzles squirt at the right time. I've googled it, nothing comes up, but there are non return valves in the lines, somewhere.

Make sure the frost has not popped a pipe off.

 

[voipio]

Screenwash pump runs in one direction for the front, and the other direction for the rear.

 

[Bobupndown]

Well, the fat lady didn't sing, the drama hasn't ended...

I went out yesterday, used the washer/wipers.... and a pitiful spray of fluid out of the front ones. Pump is whirring, loudly, yet hardly any pressure. Reservoir has plenty in.

Something I don't get, a single pump is plumbed to both front and rear washers, two separate pipes leave the pump, yet when I use the windscreen washers nothing comes out on the rear screen, and vice versa. I'm thinking there must be some sort of switching system to decide which nozzles squirt at the right time. I've googled it, nothing comes up, but there are non return valves in the lines, somewhere.

Had this just last weekend. Sunday afternoon, serviced a car belonging to my wife's friend. Mot prep, oil change service. Checked brakes, suspension, lights, fitted new wiper blades, filled up the screen washers, gave it a wash and my wife dropped it back to her. I get a call about 5pm on Sunday from my wife.... did you not fill the screen washers for her? Er.. yes I did. Well they're not working..... and it's going for mot on Tuesday.... and it's going to fail..... So at 530pm on Sunday I drive down to her mates house. Pick up the car, drive it back to ours, into the garage. Wheel off, wheel arch liner out, washer bottle out, pump out, pump screen out, clogged up with algae type growth. Rinsed out, replaced, refilled. Not working. Remove again, empty, blow out lines with compressor, refitted, refilled, tested, working, car put back together, car delivered back, drive home, 8pm. Car passes mot on Tuesday. I get a bottle of wine as reward for a day's worth of work and unnecessary hassle.

Your washer pump will be gunged up and if you remove the pipes coming from the pump and blow them through with an air line all will be good

 

[Morrisman]

Screenwash pump runs in one direction for the front, and the other direction for the rear.

That makes sense. Tonight I tried the rear washer to see if that actually worked.... nothing came out... however it did squirt feebly out of the front jets while the rear washer button was being pressed...... I do hope this is not yet more electrical gremlins....

I assume the BCM simply reversed polarity to the pump, as there are only two wires to it.

Your washer pump will be gunged up and if you remove the pipes coming from the pump and blow them through with an air line all will be good

I'll check that tomorrow, if it gets above freezing outside. It's a new pump, but the reservoirs and pipes are original. This is something I've seen mentioned a few times on the interweb.

 

[Bobupndown]

Your washer pump will be gunged up and if you remove the pipes coming from the pump and blow them through with an air line all will be good

I'll check that tomorrow, if it gets above freezing outside. It's a new pump, but the reservoirs and pipes are original. This is something I've seen mentioned a few times on the interweb.

Check where the pump goes into the washer bottle reservoir. On the Clio I was working on it has a rubber grommet with a series of holes that work like a filter like this:

This was totally bunged up with an algae type gunk not allowing any fluid to pass. Owner admitted they only ever put tap water into the washer reservoir. The car isn't used much so water could be in there for months. Have seen a few pumps over the years not working because of this.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I've read that a Steradent tablet dropped into the reservoir will get rid of that type of gunk. Never tried it though.

 

[bricol]

That makes sense. Tonight I tried the rear washer to see if that actually worked.... nothing came out... however it did squirt feebly out of the front jets while the rear washer button was being pressed...... I do hope this is not yet more electrical gremlins....

I assume the BCM simply reversed polarity to the pump, as there are only two wires to it.



I'll check that tomorrow, if it gets above freezing outside. It's a new pump, but the reservoirs and pipes are original. This is something I've seen mentioned a few times on the interweb.

Sounds like you've either reversed the wires when you splice them, or swapped the pipes.

I did that deliberately many years ago an a colleagues VW Polo - she said it wouldn't wash the screen, so flipped the pipes - press the rear wash, the screen got deluged.

Always reminded this time of year of the pleasing separate operation of the washer and wiper on my Lancia - pull for wash, then switch on wipers . . .meaning if you discover no water due to frozen jets (water bottle is in the bot, with the pipe running inside, so its usually liquid until it gets to the nozzle), you don't automatically have dirt, salt and scrap smeared into an opaque mess across the screen. The Alfa allows a momentary pull to see if they work - slightly longer pull gets the wipers going.

 

[lazybones51]

Always reminded this time of year of the pleasing separate operation of the washer and wiper on my Lancia - pull for wash, then switch on wipers . . .meaning if you discover no water due to frozen jets (water bottle is in the bot, with the pipe running inside, so its usually liquid until it gets to the nozzle), you don't automatically have dirt, salt and scrap smeared into an opaque mess across the screen.

Had a 90's Fiat that did the same, thought it was a great idea.

 

[Morrisman]

Sounds like you've either reversed the wires when you splice them, or swapped the pipes.

I did that deliberately many years ago an a colleagues VW Polo - she said it wouldn't wash the screen, so flipped the pipes - press the rear wash, the screen got deluged.

Always reminded this time of year of the pleasing separate operation of the washer and wiper on my Lancia - pull for wash, then switch on wipers . . .meaning if you discover no water due to frozen jets (water bottle is in the bot, with the pipe running inside, so its usually liquid until it gets to the nozzle), you don't automatically have dirt, salt and scrap smeared into an opaque mess across the screen. The Alfa allows a momentary pull to see if they work - slightly longer pull gets the wipers going.

Single pump, changes direction to pump to either front, or back, apparently.

I've just been out to have a look, now the frost has gone. Checked the rubber pipes under the bonnet, disconnected one, it flows fluid okay, but not fast. However, no matter which button I press, front or back, fluid sprays on both front and back screens.

The only place they are connected is at the pump, and I know it worked great when I installed it last week, so I'm thinking some sort of internal failure, some breakage, has occurred.

Maybe it froze, as I only had weak summer washer mix in it. New pump is coming tomorrow, so I'll put that on and cross me fingers. MOT is on Monday.

 

[Morrisman]

I've read that a Steradent tablet dropped into the reservoir will get rid of that type of gunk. Never tried it though.

When I pulled the pump out last week it was quickly followed by the contents of the washer bottle, so I'd say it's not blocked. The new pump came with a new grommet, but it has no screen in it. I left the old grommet in, but I shall definitely check it when I put the new pump in on the morrow.

 

[voipio]

Sounds like there's a blockage somewhere. Might be worth back-flushing the pump, via each of the outlets, and see what comes out.

 

[Morrisman]

Sounds like there's a blockage somewhere. Might be worth back-flushing the pump, via each of the outlets, and see what comes out.

I'll have look when I take it off, there has to be something wierd going on for it to pump through both hoses simultaneously, with the same amount of flow.

 

[dobbslc]

If all else fails then put it back together, I think it would still pass the MOT as long as it squirts fluid when they pull the lever.

 

[Morrisman]

If all else fails then put it back together, I think it would still pass the MOT as long as it squirts fluid when they pull the lever.

Now it's defrosted it does actually squirt a bit on both front jets, however, coming him e tonight a car cut me up so I hit the horn.... it made a single beep... and then died.

For the love of god, MOT is booked for tomorrow morning, and this has happened Sunday afternoon just as it gets dark. I'm seriously losing the will to live with this car.

I've checked what the interweb says is the fuse, it's good, so I'm stuck now. I sure hope it's not controlled by some ridiculous electronics like most of the car seems to be.

I'll have a word with the MOT guy tomorrow, as I'm supposed to be also getting the thermostat changed by him too.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Starting to sound like a duff earth somewhere.

 

[Farside]

All the MoT requires is a horn. If it's connected via the ECU of Doom, just jury-rig a push-button on the dash and feed a horn from it.
Mined ewe, a horn that squeaks and dies isn't exactly uncommon. Perhaps it needs a simple adjustment or replacement.

 

[DanZac]

I've checked what the interweb says is the fuse, it's good, so I'm stuck now. I sure hope it's not controlled by some ridiculous electronics like most of the car seems to be.

Does the horn go through the BCM, which was the last bit you changed?

If it does ( which is quite likely?) theres nothing to say that the refurbished BCM was a good one, maybe dodgy horn was why it was getting refurbished in the first place?