Washers only work when the bonnet is up

[OldPOP]

I had a problem with low battery power some time ago then noticed that neither my wipers, front screen or headlight washers would work, I checked the fuses and all looked ok. Disconnected the battery for a while but nothing changed.
Then I found the wipers would work but only above about 10MPH and I thought they worked when stationary before the battery issue.
In trying to trace the front screen washer fault I discovered they work fine if the bonnet is up and the headlight washers work if the lights are on and the bonnet is up.
Any thoughts on how to solve this problem as I assume it is an ECU glitch

[bigkris06]

Could there possibly be an issue with the bonnet catch?

[Cuprabob]

i think you were mistaken about the wipers previously working when you are stationary. On my Scirocco the wipers stop when I'm stationary and start again when I start moving and always have done.

With regards to the headlight washers they only work when the headlights are on and don't operate everytime the windcreen washers are activated but approx every 5 windscreen washes, although the operating frequency can be varied with VCDS.

[OldPOP]

Thanks Cuprabob accepted the wipers only work if it sees forward motion but my wipers also work if I am stationary with the bonnet up so maybe someone could check to see if theirs does this as well.
Its the washers that are the problem as the screen & headlight wash only work if my bonnet is up and also for a few seconds after the bonnet is closed. Maybe someone could check to see if their washers work with the bonnet up as I have an idea VCDS has flipped the bonnet signal.

[Cuprabob]

Maybe someone could check to see if their washers work with the bonnet up as I have an idea VCDS has flipped the bonnet signal.

Sounds like it as I'm pretty sure the wipers and washers don't normally work with the bonnet up as there is the risk of the wipers fouling the bonnet.

[bigkris06]

I’ve just tested mine. When the bonnet is up neither the washer jets or wipers operate.
When engine running but stationary wipers work on all settings as does the washer which wipes three times.
I don’t know if any of mine settings are different in VCDS as I don’t have it.
I don’t have headlight washers so I can’t test that.
Could it be that your car thinks the bonnet is up? (Faulty bonnet switch or something)

[Cuprabob]

Could it be that your car thinks the bonnet is up? (Faulty bonnet switch or something)

If that were the case, they wouldn't work at all. Also, the instrument cluster would show an open bonnet continuously. As he says, it's as if the signal from the bonnet switch has been reversed. It's certainly a strange one and intrigued to find out actually what it is.

[bigkris06]

Yes Bob would be interesting to find out.
Didn’t even give the dash light a second thought
Have you checked to see if there are any codes stored?

[Cuprabob]

Didn’t even give the dash light a second thought

Assuming the car has the Hi-Line display which shows the graphic of the car in the cluster.

[OldPOP]

Thanks for all the replies, I think the answer was staring me in the face and I did not see it - the dash was showing an open bonnet when it was closed and a closed bonnet when it was open hence the wiper/wash inhibition which was overridden by some speed sensor when moving. The bonnet switch connector is next to the headlight and an easy unplug. With this disconnected the wash / wipers now work when stationary and bonnet closed.
My assumption was the switch would fail either open circuit or closed circuit but this one looks to of failed by reversing the contacts, the other thing I can see is the back of the catch / switch had dead leaves & straw in it so it may have affected the mechanism.