BMW 1 Series Wiper Control Issues, Help Needed

Hi there! I've got some experience working on cars and had a very similar issue with my 2012 BMW 3 Series diesel last year. I initially thought it was the switch too, but it turned out to be a faulty connection in the wiring harness near the steering column. My local workshop found that some cables had worn out and weren't making proper contact. The repair took about an hour, and I paid 95 Euro to have the connection fixed and properly insulated. For anyone interested in my BMW 5 Series too, it's never given me such issues. Before I can share more specific advice, could you share: Does this happen more when it's raining or all the time? Are there any other electrical issues? Does the error code stay on permanently? Let me know these details, and I might be able to help further.

Thanks for the detailed response! My car has done 20948 KM and had its last service about 3 months ago. The issue happens out of nowhere, regardless of weather. No other electrical problems that I've noticed, but the error code comes and goes. It usually pops up when the wipers start acting up. I was hoping it would just be the switch since that's a cheaper fix, but what you're saying about the wiring harness makes a lot of sense. I'll definitely have the mechanic check that area first. Did your repair end up being a long-term solution, or did you have any issues afterward?

Hey again! Thanks for those extra details about your BMW. It's helpful to know about the mileage and service history. Yeah, my wiring harness repair has held up perfectly since, no issues at all in the past year. The symptoms you're describing are exactly like what I experienced with my 3 Series, that unusual acting up and the intermittent error code are classic signs of a wiring problem rather than a switch issue. I initially wasted about 150 Euro on replacing the switch before figuring out it was actually the wiring. So I'm glad I can help you avoid that mistake! The wiring repair was actually cheaper and fixed the problem for good. Quick tip though, when your mechanic checks the wiring, ask them to inspect the entire length of the harness in that area, not just the visibly worn spots. In my case, there was some hidden wear behind the steering column trim that wasn't obvious at first glance. Let me know how it goes after you get it checked out. I'm curious if it turns out to be the same issue as mine.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience and that really valuable tip about checking the whole harness! Really glad I asked here before spending money on replacing the switch. You've probably saved me both time and cash there. I've booked the car in for next week, and I'll definitely tell them to check the complete wiring harness, especially behind the steering column trim like you mentioned. It's quite reassuring to know that once it's fixed properly, it should stay fixed, that's exactly what I was hoping to hear. I'll make sure to update this thread after the repair to let everyone know what the actual problem was. Thanks again for taking the time to help out with all this detailed info. It's made me feel a lot more confident about dealing with the issue!