Front wiper lock relay LJ7- (1 Viewer)

[Eiji73]

Has anyone else experienced an issue with front wipers/washer not working due to a problem with the front wiper lock relay situated up the side of the dashboard, driver side, way above the fuse box (hard to reach)? I think this relay is fitted on LCs whose windshield folds down and is there to disable the wipers when the windshield is folded down onto the hood.
Searches for “wiper relay” often come up empty or missing the mark. It seems only some year-builds had relays, others had the relay integrated into another electrical part (wiper control unit?). Part search often comes back with rear wiper relay, not sure it’s compatible part.
I am not even sure my issue is with the relay itself, seems like a bad connection is causing this fault (comes on and off with road bumps) — but I am having a hard time locating the precise location of the bad connection.
Any help/experience troubleshooting this problem is appreciated!

 

[Felde]

You should nevertheless try to identify the contact line in the connector that goes through the actual switch and provides ground to the relay coil circuit, in order to make sure the switch is ok. Would be a bummer if you put it all together again with a new relay and that one would be faulty.
Cheers Ralf

 

[Eiji73]

You should nevertheless try to identify the contact line in the connector that goes through the actual switch and provides ground to the relay coil circuit, in order to make sure the switch is ok. Would be a bummer if you put it all together again with a new relay and that one would be faulty.
Cheers Ralf

You should nevertheless try to identify the contact line in the connector that goes through the actual switch and provides ground to the relay coil circuit, in order to make sure the switch is ok. Would be a bummer if you put it all together again with a new relay and that one would be faulty.
Cheers Ralf

The switch has a knob on top that pokes through the top of the firewall (or what it is called) where the windshield frame 'cushion' seal rests on and where the window lower frame rail presses on.

Thinking again about what you wrote yesterday… If the bottom of the windscreen frame is what presses on the switch knob to close the circuit, enabling the wipers to work, AND that frame is rusted away or brittle due to corrosion, my problem may well be that nothing presses on the switch knob anymore. It’s very possible the root cause is neither the switch nor the relay, but the rusted frame. Might be that when I was wiggling the cable I was pushing the switch up against something hard (like the glass of the windscreen or a part of the frame that’s still solid). I’m going to have to flip down the windscreen frame and see what’s what.

 

[Felde]

Well, possibly yes, but I don't think that's likely.
Measuring the connector and verify there is negative ground is a 5min job. Folding the windshield is more of a task.
You could also simply wait for the new relay to arrive and test. If it's still not working, the switch is the next suspect.
It depends a bit on what your plan is on how and when to proceed with the windshield frame, as this requires time and resources.
Cheers Ralf

 

[Felde]

Double post

 

[Eiji73]

Well, possibly yes, but I don't think that's likely.
Measuring the connector and verify there is negative ground is a 5min job. Folding the windshield is more of a task.
You could also simply wait for the new relay to arrive and test. If it's still not working, the switch is the next suspect.
It depends a bit on what your plan is on how and when to proceed with the windshield frame, as this requires time and resources.
Cheers Ralf

True! Will post results of connector test shortly.

 

[joekatana]

You can also tell from my pictures that the base of the windshield is, well, pretty rotten. I knew this when I bought it (it was covered in duct tape and was declared by the seller, so no surprise). I guess I’ll go ahead and take off the windshield whilst I’m doing this chicken sh*t wiper relay switch job… It’ll give me a chance to assess the damage there, and either fix it with body putty, or order a new windscreen frame (yike$$).
Point of note: if the correct part relay/switch has a sort of “clicker” switch somewhere on it, I really don’t see how it would get pushed down (or released) by the windshield being mounted upright in the position where I found this “fuel pump relay.” But I can’t see another spot where this relay/switch wiper lock would be. [Perhaps I should look on the right-hand side, even if it’s supposed to be on the driver’s side.]

View attachment 3211953

View attachment 3211954

View attachment 3211955

View attachment 3211956

Contact garage Eyckens in Houthalen Helchteren and get you a new fiberglass windshield frame to fix the rust issue once and for all !

 

[Eiji73]

I checked again: I was wrong: Switch and relay are NOT one part:
View attachment 3212002

Switch & relay & computer for Toyota Land Cruiser BJ73LV - Auto parts - Amayama

Switch & relay & computer for Toyota Land Cruiser with BJ73LV

www.amayama.com

Part no 84650-90K00 I'm sorry. (I'll edit my post above to not confuse people that might take this thread as a reference).

The switch must still be somewhere up there, probably more up and back than you expect. The relay may be genuine multi purpose / superseded, that's why it reads 'fuel pump relay'.
This relay is 'always on', which makes it prone to wear. Probably it's really simply shot.
The switch switches the coil circuit to negative. So, there should be 4 contacts on the harness connector:
1x plus incoming for workload (blue, (L)
1x plus incoming for coil (also blue, (L)
1x outgoing for workload to wiper-washer assembly (blue red (R-L)). So: No voltage with relay out.
1x outgoing from coil to the infamous switch (!) and by that to ground (blue-green (L-G)). So No voltage, but conductivity to ground, provided the switch is actuated, which it should as the windshield is up. Test with a test-lamp.

I'm sure you know how to test the relay.


You are welcome Where in Belgium are you? Probably we could meet some time in summer.

Tested and it looks kosher (the two blue wires have voltage; the R-L and L-G don’t. So it’s likely to be a relay issue.

 

[Eiji73]

Contact garage Eyckens in Houthalen Helchteren and get you a new fiberglass windshield frame to fix the rust issue once and for all !

Hi Joe — how do you know about this Belgian garage?! It’s only one hour away for me so I will go and introduce my truck to Marc. Thank you!

 

[joekatana]

Hi Joe — how do you know about this Belgian garage?! It’s only one hour away for me so I will go and introduce my truck to Marc. Thank you!

They are friends for the past 20 years already , I try to swing by there every time I am in Belgium .

 

[Eiji73]

Well well well… The new relay came from Japan — well packed and labeled as you’d expect. Plugged it in, still no wiper action. That was two weeks ago. Life being what it is, I finally had time to grab the bull by the horns and drop the FRP top, take out the upper door jambs, and drop the windshield (a good thing to learn to do anyway, and my windshield frame was once repainted with non-matching paint: will give me an occasion to fix that).
Lo and behold: I found the root cause of the non-op windshield wipers. As speculated above, the frame is rusted in the corner where the switch is supposed to press against the frame. It presses against nothing now, hence the cut circuit.
Now, the decision to try and fix the frame (mastic or welding metal) or get a composite one for mucho dollares.
Anyhow, Ralph: I now know EXACTLY where that switch is! (And the old relay works fine ) Thanks again for walking me through the electrical circuit on this.

 

[Felde]

Ouch
That's a bad surprise. The truck looks that neat from outside, but obviously a very poor work. Hopefully there are not more suprises like this. Sad.
Honestly: That frame is toast. Didn't it even leak? In no time the fastner eyelet will let go. I don't think this can be cured. Not much left to weld on.
You may want to check with Gert Jan for options. PM you shortly.
Good Luck Ralf

 

[Eiji73]

I have a bit of rust on the rear, behind the right door, corner by the bumper (around 20 cm2), not structural, and I have to look at the rear doors more closely, under the window rubber. Other than that the truck is in good shape (underside was coated/waxed/repainted at some point in recent past, I would say). Frame is good. I knew about the windshield already, just had not poked… I have an address in Belgium (see above in thread) for a fiberglass frame.