2001 intermittent front wipers

[hemiguy]

Hi.
I just bought a 2001 Windstar because my 1996 Windstar was broadsided and bent badly. We bought it new and was still running fine when it got the hook.

The front wipers did not work on the 01, but after changing relay #202 they work ok on low and high but the intermittent motion is all over the map and stops randomly. From reading several of the posts on this subject I see that many people have this problem, but no-one has determined the root cause, including Ford.
So before I go and change parts willy nilly can someone direct me to a wiring diagram or schematic of the wiper circuit, so I can see what actually controls the intermittent motion of the wipers?

Thanks,
John

[tripletdaddy]

It is somewhat common for the delay part to have contact problems inside the end of the stick where you rotate it, if that is the design they used on your year. I and others have opened it up and tried to fix it with mixed results, mostly temporary success. Yours may work with good cleaning with an electronic cleaner spray, maybe brake cleaner on the contacts. I think you pull the end off, can't remember. Careful, I think there are a couple of loose contact parts inside. At the moment, I continue to put up with mine, but will try cleaning better sometime and replace it when i've had it. They are available at Auto Zone, online parts a lot less than the dealer.

[Andrew1941]

Does anyone know how to get the end of the stick open? I had the stick off and opened up the steering column end of the stick, but I could not get the twist part of the stick open to see if the contacts were dirty. I have the problem with intermittent, but only with the rear wiper.

2001 Windstar

[tripletdaddy]

Sorry I took so long to get back to you on that. I needed to look at mine to jog my memory. Mine is a 95, so hopefully Ford still made it accessible the same way. At the end of the stick there is a smooth knob about 1 inch in diameter and sticks out about 3/8 inch from the grooved grip of the stick. With the wiper switch rotated to the fully off position, push down with a flat screwdriver at the top, 12 o'clock position on the smooth end piece right against the grooved part. The end piece has two tabs that hold it in place that at least one needs to be disengaged from the rest of the stick. Once off, there is a screw that you remove giving you access to the switch guts. Careful, they may drop out when opening it.