Windscreen Wipers - A story

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Tue May 22, 2018 3:39 pm

I have mentioned this a few times and it may be useful to tell the whole story for the elucidation of others.

My NB8B does not go out in the rain often. I don't enjoy driving in the rain so if it looks like rain, I do not go for a drive.
That said, I have been caught twice in 17 years. Once in May 2016 and once in May 2018. The story starts in 2016.
Caught in a downpour on the highway, I found that the wipers did not work. I drove directly to my 'backyard' mechanic who removed and briefly inspected the wiper motor, said he couldn't see a problem, refitted it and asked me to come back next week for a detailed look.

On the drive home I could smell a strong acrid burning smell and upon arriving home, I quickly checked the wiper motor which was too hot to touch.
I discussed this by phone with said 'backyard' mechanic who suggested I take it to an Auto Electrician. Without thinking, I took it to the first one I came across, who duly pronounced the wiper motor dead, and charged me $170. for the opinion. A new one was several hundred bucks so I decided to locate a good second hand one myself. Brain finally kicked in and I remembered that I had previously used a different (really excellent) Auto Electrician, and would ask him to do the work.

I obtained a second-hand motor and Mr.Excellent fitted it and everything worked the way it should. He gave me the old motor and I took it home and dismantled it to see if I could see any particular problem. When I opened the case, I found that one of the small bushes was broken and jammed against contacts. This is the only explanation I can see for the burned-out motor as it wasn't a problem until my 'backyard' mechanic opened the case.

Fast-forward to May 2018. Again caught in rain on a drive. Wipers again do not work. Penny drops - not the motor - probably either the relay or the switch. Back to Mr. Excellent who tests the system and determines that it is the switch (almost certainly the switch all along)
He phones the local Mazda Dealer to be told "Mazda doesn't have that part anymore ".
He is currently trying to source the part from an after-market supplier. I have recently spoken with a Miata.net Member in Arizona who had exactly the same problem as me with his identical NB8B - so there is obviously a demand for a part that regularly fails - but Mazda don't provide it and they don't know who does. One would think a part like a wiper switch would be pretty standard/universal, or at least there would be an interchangeable one still available that is used on another model. Probably is but local Mazda Dealer parts dept. don't know about it.

Watch this space for the exciting conclusion to the story (sometime in the near future - I hope)

SLO_NA · Postby **SLO_NA** » Tue May 22, 2018 6:39 pm

Some parts aren't available at the dealer because they don't stock the item. Just use http://mazda.epcdata.ru/ and select your mx5 model and use the part diagrams to find the switch part number which you can then plug into Amayama and buy the part from Japan instead. I used this many times as most of the parts for my rx7 fd aren't stocked by the dealer which lead to me using Amayama which has everything you need as well as cheaper prices when compared with the local dealer.

Good Luck!

Postby **Okibi** » Tue May 22, 2018 7:50 pm

Great site!

http://mazda.epcdata.ru/roadster/anna09/dashboard_switch/6611/

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Tue May 22, 2018 8:22 pm

It's a parts bin car, probably get one off a Mazda 3 down at the wreckers ... worth a look anyway.

:mrgreen:

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Tue May 22, 2018 9:16 pm

I reckon the problem is actually Mazda Au. If Amayama has the part and can supply it then its probably logical to assume Mazda are not interested in servicing it - that is not good for older cars. Its terrific if you can identify the part and get the right p/nbr and then just buy from a co that will sell to Au. Good tip about Amayama.

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Tue May 22, 2018 9:40 pm

Thanks for the info Guys.
SLO - When I access that link, translate the Russian, and input the VIN/Chassis No., I get the following response:

Okibi - Amayama is telling me "Nothing Found" for the part number. I notice they mention several makes but not Mazda?

GreenMachine - Yes, that is a 'fall-back' position I guess but not a path I want to go down.

I find it hard to believe this part is not available from an aftermarket supplier, otherwise half the older MX5s would be off the road.

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Tue May 22, 2018 9:57 pm

This Mazda parts site:https://www.oemautopartz.com/mazda/auto-parts/2001/mazda/miata/ls-trim/1-8l-l4-gas-engine/electrical-cat/switches-scat Lots of info but it is for LHD cars. :roll:

It is good for stuff that is not LHD specific. I found a part number for something I needed for the NC here and the number was consistent with Mazda Australia's.

SLO_NA · Postby **SLO_NA** » Tue May 22, 2018 10:38 pm

Rocky wrote:Thanks for the info Guys.
SLO - When I access that link, translate the Russian, and input the VIN/Chassis No., I get the following response:

Okibi - Amayama is telling me "Nothing Found" for the part number. I notice they mention several makes but not Mazda?

GreenMachine - Yes, that is a 'fall-back' position I guess but not a path I want to go down.

I find it hard to believe this part is not available from an aftermarket supplier, otherwise half the older MX5s would be off the road.

Hi Rocky, if you scroll down past the VIN/Chassis No input there will be a model selection where you will find 'roadster', when clicked it will come up will all the different models and their corresponding parts diagrams so all you need to do is select whichever model you have.

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Wed May 23, 2018 10:02 am

Hi SLO - It is obviously me who is a bit "SLO' because on the screen I am working off you can't scroll down and there is no further options or mention of body type.

Okibi's link produces the screen/diagram I think you are referring to but I just wanted to be able to get there myself to show my Auto Electrician.

The major issue however, as I said in my previous post, is that Anayama says it doesn't have these parts.

ianoz · Postby **ianoz** » Wed May 23, 2018 10:35 am

Rocky - are you searching for "66-128B" for the 'combination switch wiper lever'? that's just a microfiche reference. You need to click on the text link next to it and it will pop a part number and description.

N05366128

Amayama shows that as $85 from JA or $108 from AU warehouses (plus shipping).

- AutoPlus show a used NB combo switch - not sure if it's the same for 8B? https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mazda-MX5-NB-97-01-Combination-Switch-Wiper-Headlight-Used-Good-Condition/273215635622?hash=item3f9cebc0a6:g:r3wAAMXQ0pNQ-Lgz

To save the translation, a great US site for parts diagrams is https://www.jimellismazdaparts.com/cars/mazda/0/miata/car-parts.html - but you need to be wary of LHD/RHD differences...

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Wed May 23, 2018 11:24 am

Also an EPC at following:
http://mazdaepc.com/parts/MX-5/
http://mazdaepc.com/parts/MIATA/

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Wed May 23, 2018 1:09 pm

ianoz wrote:Rocky - are you searching for "66-128B" for the 'combination switch wiper lever'? that's just a microfiche reference. You need to click on the text link next to it and it will pop a part number and description.N05366128

Ah, now I follow. I couldn't get it to work using "http://mazda.epcdata.ru/" which only gives me a screen that asks for the VIN and then tells me it is the wrong number.

I also tried "http://mazdaepc.com/parts/MX-5/ and it takes me through the correct parts diagram but gives a different part number (NC3366135) from Okibi's link which produces what I believe to be the correct part number - N05366135 - (66-123C).

Postby **Okibi** » Wed May 23, 2018 11:54 pm

I get N05366135 as the part number and $67.23 AUD from Amayama plus shipping from Japan*.

*No warranty if i'm wrong.

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Thu May 24, 2018 12:20 pm

Yep, that's the way I see it too, Okibi.
I have passed the info provided by the above posts on to Mr.Excellent and I'm sure he will be able to determine the appropriate course of action.

I am constantly amazed at the amount of knowledge/information to be had on this Forum. Thanks Guys!

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Thu May 24, 2018 9:08 pm

It is a punt - you cannot rely on non Mazda parts listings and you cannot even really be sure that there is not a difference between an Australian car and one for another market. Mazda Au have all the right part nbrs what they don't do is service all the items If you talk to the Mazda spare guy face to face they will probably tell you what the correct part nbr was even if they do not service any longer. Its quite common for makers to stop servicing an item for such reasons as low demand or the car company made a final buy ( all time buy) and then scrapped the tooling. The auto elect is the guy that knows the sources and fixes- it does not make sense that even a used part cannot be sourced and checked.