Variable intermittent Wipers?

[salguod]

OK, I've only had my 2005 3s for 2.5 days and I'm looking to improve it. It hasn't even rained yet and lamenting the lack of variable intermittent wipers. I understand that the 2006 has said feature. Anyone know how hard it would be to add / replace the necessary 2006 bits to my '05 to get that?

Oh, and if it's possible, what bits need to be added / changed?

 

[TheMAN]

yes you can, just replace the wiper stalk... same way how it's done on a protege

part # is BR9E-66-128 (sedan)
BR9N-66-128 (hatchback)

 

[salguod]

Really? It's that easy? Of course, what's the wiper stalk cost is the next question. And the question after that it how does it effect my warranty if I swap it. I'll have to look into it.

On my Odyssey, it's got no intermittent at all on the rear wiper. The 2001 and up does, with the same wiper stalk (it wipes a few times and then turns intermittent). You'd thing there was some PC board to add or something. No, it's a different harness, some controller thing and I forget what else (there was more). It would have been a major pain, so I live with it.

 

[TheMAN]

should be around 100 bucks... it comes with the control module

 

[Protege 1.6]

I think it is not simple as plug-and-play...

 

[TheMAN]

pwned by the PJB again

I still think it's possible, but you'll have to get the dealer to reprogram your PJB.... the wiper motor is controlled by the PJB itself, although the user commands are from the switch itself going to the PJB

no, you can't simply buy another PJB... they don't come programmed, and they're expensive as hell because they're also the fuse box!

 

[salguod]

Bummer.

Could they simply reprogram the wiper section of the PJB? (That seems impossible, but what do I know?) If they have to reporgram the PJB to 2006 specs then what else would that screw up? Sounds like a bad idea, and would likely void the warranty.

What about something like smart-screen/? It's an add on module designed for older cars with no intermittant at all. You wire it in to the existing wiper controls. Then you use the single wipe feature or turn them on and off quick to set the interval like this.

Wipe
-wait desired interval-
Wipe

Smart Screen then 'learns' the interval and repeats it until you use the wipers again. You cange the interval by repeating the process. To stop you jsut wipe once. After 30 seconds, the Smart Screen stops looking for an interval.

I tried to inegrate this on my Odyssey's rear wiper about 4 years ago with no luck, but I think it was my installation rather than the Smart Screen. I contacted Smart Screen at the time and they were confident that would work, for what that's worth. It's a cool idea, I'd like to see it work.

Their web page hasn't been updated in 4 years, they may not even be around anymore.

Seems like a long shot, what do you think?

 

[goldwing2000]

Wiring extra things into PJB-controlled functions causes evil things to happen.

Don't ask me how I know... (poke)

 

[salguod]

I remember reading your story on that here somewhere (fog light mod thread?), I don't want to go there!

BTW - Your sig pic makes me nervous every time I see it. I want to get in your car and back it up!

 

[goldwing2000]

Air horn mod, actually.
I tapped into key-on power for a simple 12v relay and the entire PJB s*** the bed. (deadhorse
After I replaced the PJB, I used the cig lighter circuit instead. That's one of the few circuits that isn't computer-controlled.


When I took that picture, I put a 2mm little scratch in my clear coat. Now that's close!

 

[TheMAN]

Bummer.

Could they simply reprogram the wiper section of the PJB? (That seems impossible, but what do I know?) If they have to reporgram the PJB to 2006 specs then what else would that screw up? Sounds like a bad idea, and would likely void the warranty.

What about something like smart-screen/? It's an add on module designed for older cars with no intermittant at all. You wire it in to the existing wiper controls. Then you use the single wipe feature or turn them on and off quick to set the interval like this.

Wipe
-wait desired interval-
Wipe

Smart Screen then 'learns' the interval and repeats it until you use the wipers again. You cange the interval by repeating the process. To stop you jsut wipe once. After 30 seconds, the Smart Screen stops looking for an interval.

I tried to inegrate this on my Odyssey's rear wiper about 4 years ago with no luck, but I think it was my installation rather than the Smart Screen. I contacted Smart Screen at the time and they were confident that would work, for what that's worth. It's a cool idea, I'd like to see it work.

Their web page hasn't been updated in 4 years, they may not even be around anymore.

Seems like a long shot, what do you think?

why would it void the warranty if you have the dealer do all of the installation? I'm sure "programming" the s*** is just messing with a few settings on it like you would with messing with s*** in your PC's windows control panel

 

[TheMAN]

Wiring extra things into PJB-controlled functions causes evil things to happen.

Don't ask me how I know... (poke)

NO extra wiring is done anyway... cars with fixed intermittent and variable intermittent have the same wiring harnesses!

 

[goldwing2000]

NO extra wiring is done anyway... cars with fixed intermittent and variable intermittent have the same wiring harnesses!

I was referring to the installation of that "Smart Screen" thing.

 

[salguod]

I suspect that the 'programing' is an upload of new firmware to the car's computer. I would doubt it can be done by subsystem, it's likely all or nothing. More like upgrading from Windows 98 to Windows XP that changing some settings. So in order to get the 2006 functionality you'd have to upload the entire 2006 firmware. It's certainly possible that it could be made to do a piece at a time, but I kinda doubt it.

I also doubt that you'd get a dealer to upload the 2006 firmware onto a 2005 because if it didn't work or if it screwed something else up, they'd be liable. Sort of the argument you were making, if the dealer does it it's covered under warranty.

I figured the SmartScreen thing was a bad idea as I was typing it, especially considering how tightly integrated into everything the PJB is. I just think that it's a cool idea and I love the thouht of being able to set my own delay interval based on how hard it's raining.

Yeah, I'm a geek.

 

[TheMAN]

I still think it's doable...

PASSENGER JUNCTION BOX (PJB) CONFIGURATION


1. Connect the WDS or equivalent to the DLC-2 (16-pin).

2. Set up the WDS or equivalent (including the vehicle recognition).

3. Select "Module Programming".

4. Select "Programmable Module Installation".

5. Select "GEM" and perform procedures according to directions on the WDS or equivalent screen.

6. Select "Module Programming".

7. Select "Programmable Parameters".

8. Select "Module Reset".

9. Select "GEM" and perform procedures according to directions on the WDS or equivalent screen.

10. Retrieve DTCs using the WDS or equivalent and verify that there is no DTC present.

* If any DTC is present, perform applicable DTC inspection. (See DTC TABLE [PJB] .)

 

[salguod]

I'm afraid that doesn't make much sense to me. Is that from the service manual?

There is a dealer in Charlotte NC, and sponsor at mazda3forums.com that agrees with you. They're going to try it out on another meber's 2005 hatch next Wednesday. By this time next week we should know if it's doable or not. See here.

 

[icspots]

I'll just chime in here on this one. The thread to the mz3 forum was actually mine, so I hope I know a little about this.

1) You can't just replace the wiper stalk and have variable intermittant wipers. It's been tried, and it doesn't work.

2) You can't go into the WMDS computer and turn on that capability as the "smart junction box" present in the '06 3 in which you can program things is not in the '04/'05s. What's in the previous years can only adjust the seatbelt minder chime, and a couple other things I can't remember right now.

I actually went to my dealer, and via jason from www.onlinemazdaparts.com we tried doing the reprogramming. That's when they discovered that it wouldn't work. Questions?

EDIT: Salguod, yeah, that was me that discovered this wouldn't work.

 

[goldwing2000]

Cool. Thanks for posting that.

I guess I poor '04-'05 slobs are just SOL. (poke)

 

[icspots]

variable intermittant wipers

a little update. No, the OEM method still won't work, however (I love getting to say that) a forum member at the mazda3forum figured out a way to do it by adding a second control.

It requires tapping three wires in the wiper stalk harness and drilling a hole for the potentiometer (read: knob) in the side of the steeing column cover. It's not a really big deal as you can actually just push the new wires into the harness plug and not have to splice anything, and if there's a problem the entire thing can be removed in a few minutes and the hole plugged easily prior to taking it to a dealer.

He made a unit for himself and one for me to test out, so assuming there aren't any problems with that he'll be posting a walkthrough and selling the little "kit" to make it happen. Once he does that I'll post something back up here.