Windshield Wipers and Washers

WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHERS

WINDSHIELD LOW-SPEED (AND HIGH-SPEED) WIPER OPERATION
If the windshield low-speed wiper switch is turned to the ON position with the ignition switch at the "ACC" or "ON" position, the column switch sends a low-speed wiper ON and high-speed wiper OFF signals to the front-ECU. This turns the wiper signal on and the wiper speed control relay off (low-speed), causing the wipers to operate at low-speed.

If the windshield high-speed wiper switch is turned to the ON position, the column switch sends a low-speed wiper OFF and high-speed wiper ON signals to the front-ECU. This turns both the wiper signal and the wiper speed switching relay on (high-speed), causing the wipers to operate at high-speed.

NOTE: The windshield wiper speed is changed by wiper speed control relay incorporated in front-ECU. When the wiper speed control relay is at "ON" position, the windshield wiper operates at high-speed, and the wiper speed control relay is at "OFF" position, the windshield wiper operates at low-speed.

WINDSHIELD INTERMITTENT WIPER OPERATION
The ETACS-ECU calculates the wiper operation interval according to the voltage signal sent from the column switch. Then the ETACS-ECU sends a signal to the front-ECU. The front-ECU determines the wiper operation interval and turns on the wiper relay signal relay. This causes the wiper auto stop relay to turn on. Then the wiper auto stop relay will turn off after the wipers reach the park position. This causes the wiper signal relay and then the wipers to turn off. If the wiper signal relay remains off for the wiper operation interval, the relay turns on again, causing the wipers to operate in intermittent mode.

WINDSHIELD MIST WIPER OPERATION
If the windshield mist wiper switch is turned to the ON position with the ignition switch at the "ACC" or "ON" position, the mist wiper high-speed operation signal is sent to the front-ECU. This signal turns on the wiper speed switching relay, causing the wipers to work at high-speed while the mist switch is on.

While the windshield mist wiper switch remains turned on when the intermittent mode is still working, the wipers work as the mist wiper. However, the wipers return to the intermittent mode again when the switch is changed back to "INT" position.

To prevent the windshield mist wiper from operating when the windshield wiper switch is turned OFF, the windshield mist wiper does not work for 0.5 second after the windshield intermittent wiper switch, the windshield low-speed wiper switch and the windshield high-speed wiper switch are turned OFF.

WINDSHIELD WASHER OPERATION
If the windshield washer switch is turned to ON position with the ignition switch at "ACC" or "ON" position, the windshield washer ON signal is sent to the front-ECU, causing the windshield wiper signal to turn on after 0.3 second. After the windshield washer switch signal turns off, the windshield wiper signal turns off in three seconds.

If the windshield washer switch is turned on while the windshield wiper is at intermittent mode, when the windshield washer switch is turned OFF within 0.2 second, the wiper works only once to perform mist operation by the windshield washer switch. When the ON condition of the windshield washer switch continues more than 0.2 second, the wiper performs the same movement as normal condition from the time when 0.2 second has elapsed and then returns to the intermittent motion.



WINDSHIELD WIPER AND WASHER







The ECUs affect the functions and control of the windshield wiper and washer.








INTERMITTENT CONTROL (VEHICLE SPEED-DEPENDENT VARIABLE TYPE)
The ETACS-ECU calculates the intermittent time according to the vehicle speed calculated from the windshield wiper intermittent time adjusting knob and vehicle speed signal (ECM) and sends it to the front ECU as SWS data.

NOTE: The vehicle speed-dependent function can be disabled by the adjustment procedures of SWS function.







The front-ECU determines the intermittent time T1 from the input SWS data signal, and turns ON the windshield wiper drive signal. When the wiper is at the STOP position, the windshield wiper auto-stop signal goes OFF to turn OFF the windshield wiper drive signal. After the intermittent time T1 seconds from the windshield wiper drive signal turned ON, the windshield wiper drive signal is turned ON again and the above operation is repeated.







When the ignition switch is at the ACC or ON position, if the windshield mist wiper switch of the column switch is turned ON, the front-ECU turns ON the windshield wiper drive signal. At the same time, the wiper speed switching relay is turned ON (HIGH). While the windshield mist wiper switch is ON, the windshield wiper will operate at high speed. Then, if the windshield mist wiper switch is turned off, the wiper operates at low speed until it stops at the predetermined park position.

When the windshield mist switch is turned on briefly, the wiper operates at low speed once. At the point the windshield mist switch is turned ON, if the windshield wiper has been operating intermittently, the same operations as the above will be performed while the windshield mist wiper switch is ON. After the windshield mist wiper switch goes OFF, the intermittent operations will be set again T1 seconds after the windshield wiper auto-stop signal is turned ON last.

Low Speed Wiper, High Speed Wiper Control:

When the ignition switch is at the ACC or ON position, if the windshield low speed wiper switch of the column switch is turned ON, the front-ECU turns ON the windshield wiper drive signal, turns OFF (LOW) the windshield wiper speed switching relay, and operates the windshield wiper at low speed. Next, when the windshield high speed wiper switch is turned ON, the windshield wiper drive signal is turned ON, the windshield wiper speed switching relay is turned ON (HIGH), and the windshield wiper is operated at high speed.







When the ignition switch is at the ACC or ON position, if the windshield washer switch of the column switch is turned ON, the front-ECU turns ON the windshield washer relay. The windshield wiper drive signal is turned ON in 0.3 seconds until 3 seconds after the windshield washer switch goes OFF to operate the windshield wiper continuously. When the windshield washer switch is turned ON, if the windshield wiper is operating intermittently, intermittent operations will be continued after continuous operations.







NOTE: The wiper drive signal output time varies according to the conditions. Refer to the table for details.