I've got a 1998 bmw 528i with wipers that intermitently dont work. Relay & motor are fine. I'm thinking it's the 'general module' for the wipers, however I dont even know where it's located??? Any ideas?? Thanks a ton!

Bentley indicates a "general module III" and shows it in the wiring diagram but I could not find where it is located.

Many elements connect to it, even your car key and the wiper/washer stalk and the instrument cluster so I'm going to say its in the steering column or behind the instrument cluster from the looks of the diagram.

The wiper relay is on the RHS of the engine compartment under the ventilation filter housing.

check the wiper double relay first, if it is good, then check wiring to the gm. if you purchase a new GM, you will need it coded to the vehilce. the GM is located behing the glove box. becareful which plug u disconnect first. the alarm will trigger on some vehicles i believe you unplug the while connector first.

yup. behind the glove box. they use a double relay, which the GM activates based on the signal from the switch.

When did they go from the two relays to one double relay for the wipers on the E39s? Also - is the relay under the passenger side ventilation filter (opposite of where the brake fluid resevoir is)? I assume there is an access cover with hex screws holding it in place? My wipers won't shut off after they came on out of the blue on a sunny day. I am going to replace the relay(s) first before I go to replace the GM. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

This must be the season for this gremlin. My 98 528i has started the same thing. wipers came on by themselves, won't shut off. Let me know if you get any good leads.

Thanks

This must be the season for this gremlin. My 98 528i has started the same thing. wipers came on by themselves, won't shut off. Let me know if you get any good leads.

Thanks

The only thing I found that was exactly the same symptoms was the switch on the column. I found it on roadfly.org. Probably should replace the wiper relay under the passenger side microfilter as a precaution. They tend to go bad but have different symptoms. I replaced mine and it didn't change a thing but it is an $18 part vs $100 for the column switch so it is worth a try. I will let you know if the column switch replace fixes my issue.

Thanks, it may rain soon and having to put the fuse in and out is a drag!!!

Thanks, it may rain soon and having to put the fuse in and out is a drag!!!

It will be a couple of weeks before I do it. I am traveling out of town the rest of this week so I can't get to it until I return. Check out realoem.com for the part number if you want to be the lab rat instead of me :D . Pelicanparts has it for a little over $100. Here's the link to realoem for your car (I assumed it was an auto - the part number is the same as mine).

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=DM63&mospid=47585&btnr=61_0114&hg=61&fg=35

There is a position sensor which is located inside the wiper motor which is epoxyed in place. Some times this sensor comes unglued and causes the intermittent operation. When mine did the same thing, I replaced the motor and all is good now.

Had to try relay-didn't work- next week to shop to solve. Will post result.

OK, I broke down and took it to the dealer. They say GM. It makes sense as I have had an intermittent electrical gremlin that affects different stuff from time to time. I will cross my fingers this gets a bunch of them.

Well, it wasnt' the GM. The dealer was wrong (how could that be). Claims the codes all said GM.

Solution. Switch. Replaced switch on the steering column. Wiper work fine. I still think the GM is involved due to previous gremlins. Time will tell.

Well, it wasnt' the GM. The dealer was wrong (how could that be). Claims the codes all said GM.

Solution. Switch. Replaced switch on the steering column. Wiper work fine. I still think the GM is involved due to previous gremlins. Time will tell.

Good to hear - hopefully it will fix mine as well...

The switch on the steering column was my problem as well. The symptom is as follows:

Wipers come on for no reason.
Cannot turn the wipers off.

I have now seen three E39s (including mine) with this problem and this was the fix. However, if you have rain-sensing wipers you will want to investigate that sensor as well.