1999 Windstar - no intermittent wipers

[walcom]

I'm looking for some advice concering the intermittment wipers (or lack thereof) on my 99 Windstar. The wipers work when you turn them on high, but they don't work on low/intermittent at all. Also, they don't park when turned off.

The rear wiper works fine, so I swapped that relay with both the wiper on/off relay with no change. Next, I swapped the good relay with the wiper control relay with no change. After that, I removed the multi-function switch and measured and found that the pins that control the wiper measured a dead short when the wipers were set to high and about 400 ohms when set to low or intermittent and the pins that are used for the speed control seem to change accordingly as I selected a different speed. This leads me to believe that the multi-function switch is okay. At this point, I'm assuming that either something is funky with the wiper motor or that the front electronic module isn't doing it's thing. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

[12Ounce]

I would just go ahead and replace with new relays the ones in positions #202 and #209. Sometimes swapping used relays about "just don't get it!".

[pcguy13x]

hey, i had something similar happen with my 95 windstar, i noticed one day that no matter where i set the intermittment, to, it was like i has it set for the longest delay. but the low/high worked fine. i also niticed that the washer part worked only from time to time too. then one day, about a few weeks later, wipers quite working at all.

i had a buddy of mine help me check it out, and we check for voltage on the switch, and it was there. so i got a new motor, installed it, and now i had the original problem! only long delay intermittment, and washer working only at times. so i replaced the whole turn signal switch, and every thing has been working since!

you saw it will not park, that is must likely the motor, but you could have a switch problem, also!

hope this helps

Spoogy

[Narm]

Last Friday, we discovered the same problem -- we have a 2000 Windstar SEL purchased in December 1999. I looked back through our records and in 2001, there was a recall on the wiper motor for those Windstars built between February 2000 and August 2000. Of course that excluded mine! I would turn on the wipers for intermittent, and you would have toggle them back and forth (or move the thing all the way to the slow speed) and to get them back down, you would have to time it just right when on the slow speed. Took it to our local mechanic who we trust and we just put $440.00 into a new motor for the whole thing. I'm done with Ford -- if this van can make it to 100,000 miles I'll be happy (and so will my husband). I've had a lot of work done on it; and going back through our repair file, a lot of it was covered under the warranty (and the extended one we purchased). However, if one thing was covered under the warranty, then the dealer would find another problem that wasn't covered. I haven't added up the total over the years, but combine that with tires, rubber floor mats, the bug deflector and everything else we've put into it, it's been a lot. My Explorer made it to 106,700 miles (bought in 1993, sold when we got the van in 1999). We spent $3500 for a new engine. Never again. Honda here I come. I hope this helps with the wipers -- you can search for the problem online and it will come up. Good Luck!

[pcguy13x]

$440.00, WOW what did you have done?!?

mine is a 1995, but i replaced both the wiper motor and the turn signal switch for less than $200, new parts! i can not image the 5 year difference in age would be that much different!

i hope it was more than the motor and switch you had replaced.

thanks for you post!

Chris

[Kashey]

Had similar problem. Replaced switch unit (turn signals/Lights/wipers) and everything is fine again. Costs around $150.

[Narm]

Ours was $256.00 for a complete new motor and then the labor was $178. Hopefully this is all I will have to put into the van!

[dandesmarais]

I have a similar problem that still needs a solution.

My 2000 Windstar will move the wipers about 60% of their path with each cycle. The wipers then continue in the correct direction but only travel another 60% of a complete cycle. Regular and high-speed work.

My wiper motor cover was replaced in a recall when it was about 6 months old. The recall noted in the post above is the same thing, so to clarify it was just the cover that was replaced.

Ford dealer tested the control arm a couple of weeks ago and tell me it's the motor.

I took it to my mechanic to attempt a wrecker motor. He tested and inspected the existing motor and it's in great shape. He connected it to diagnostics and learned it's the front electronic module. Ford says $700 plus labor!! He checked the relays and they're fine.

Any ideas? Can I get this module, sometimes called a GEM, from a wrecker and trust it?

[12Ounce]

The relays cost only $20 ... worth a try!

[Andrew1941]

Originally Posted by dandesmarais

I have a similar problem that still needs a solution.

My 2000 Windstar will move the wipers about 60% of their path with each cycle. The wipers then continue in the correct direction but only travel another 60% of a complete cycle. Regular and high-speed work.

My wiper motor cover was replaced in a recall when it was about 6 months old. The recall noted in the post above is the same thing, so to clarify it was just the cover that was replaced.

Ford dealer tested the control arm a couple of weeks ago and tell me it's the motor.

I took it to my mechanic to attempt a wrecker motor. He tested and inspected the existing motor and it's in great shape. He connected it to diagnostics and learned it's the front electronic module. Ford says $700 plus labor!! He checked the relays and they're fine.

Any ideas? Can I get this module, sometimes called a GEM, from a wrecker and trust it?

I have the same problem with a 2001 Windstar Sport SE Travels part way and then finishes the stroke. Ford parts guy said it was the switch on the steering column and the Ford Service guys says it the motor! Great service

[tripletdaddy]

Did you read the posts that had your same problem? Nobody at your dealer knows what to do for you!?! You probably need a new GEM (generic electronic module), which is the brains for the wipers.

[dandesmarais]

The mechanic at Midas told me I need a GEM Module, but I've avoided it due to the expense. I've learned to live with the wacky wipers.