2000 Windstar Loss of Wiper Intermittent and Park

[MrCreosote]

Everything else works.

Is obviously related to the RECALL I have at the end of this post.

What is disconcerting is that after spending hours searching the internet to see if anyone actually discovered why the loss of intermittent and park occurred, I found no explanations.

What is worse, there were a number of people that replaced the motor, everything worked fine for a while and then the loss of Int and Park returned - or the motor failed completely.

Ford recall action is to put a little water shield over the motor only. So if the water caused the failure, that failure is not repaired under the recall. I guess they were only interested in fires.

Anyhow, this is a fairly old recall but I bought mine used and it appears the previous owner(s) did not do the recall since it is still active on my VIN.

Thanks in advance,
Tom

AUG 15, 2001 | Recall ID# 61077 Hide Details

Recall Reason VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR Recall Date AUG 15, 2001 Model Affected WINDSTAR Potential Units Affected 598256

Recall Summary
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS. CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS WATER, SALT, AND WINDSHIELD WASHER SOLUTION CAN ENTER THE WIPER MOTOR COVER ASSEMBLY THROUGH PINHOLES ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE COVER THAT ARE USED IN THE MOLDING PROCESS. IN ADDITION, ON CERTAIN OF THE VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND AUGUST 2000, A SWITCH LOCATED IN THE PLASTIC COVER OF THE WIPER MOTOR GEAR CASE COULD MALFUNCTION AND OVERHEAT. EITHER OF THESE CONDITIONS COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN LOSS OF INTERMITTENT WIPER FUNCTION, LOSS OF WIPER PARK FUNCTION, COMPLETE LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION, SMOKE, OR IGNITION OF THE PLASTIC COVER MATERIAL. CONTAMINANT ENTRY COULD ALSO RESULT IN UNINTENDED WIPER MOTOR OPERATION.

Consequence
SWITCH MALFUNCTION IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN THE INTERMITTENT SETTING OF THE WIPERS IS BEING USED, OR WHEN SNOW OR ICE OBSTRUCTS THE BLADES FROM RETURNING TO THE "PARKED" POSITION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. LOSS OF VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW WIPER COVER WITH IMPROVED SEALING AND WATER RESISTANCE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAIN AUGUST 27, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

Notes
FORD MOTOR COMPANY 01S25

[gypsy07]

Had the same problem with my 99 about 3-4 years ago. I thought it had to be a wiper control problem. Used my voltmeter & tested the motor control signals at the wiper motor connector, & control signals looked OK. I replaced the motor, everything's been OK since (with the front wipers that is).

From what I remember, for intermittent wipers, the motor gets a pulse to start a cycle, then the motor parks at the end of the cycle. For continuous wipers, the motor gets a continuous voltage. The wipers then park when the voltage (signal) is goes low.

Good luck.

[MrCreosote]

Ah, that explains how the intermittent works.

First, there is a park switch which is open at park and closed when not parked. When the wipers are turned off, there is a voltage applied through this circuit which will power the wipers until they park.

Intermittent is just a variation on this method: They give the wipers a pulse of voltage, just enough to get them off park and when the pulse is over, we go back into the parking mode.

My guess is that the "switch" that is ruined due to water leakage into motor is the parking switch. If that switch fails to work, you will lose the parking mode which is the basis of the intermittent mode.

So a motor replacement should work.

What is not so easily understood is how heavy snow, stopping the wipers in intermittent or park would cause the parking switch to go bad. But ONLY because of weathering/crud resulting from leakage into the motor.

Perhaps the contacts get corroded and when you have the added locked current, the contacts flare and melt the switch.

A motor autopsy is in order.

Myself, I'm so lazy and cheap, I'll probably not do anything (!) unless I can talk a Ford dealer into the replacement motor.

Thanks so much,
Tom

[12Ounce]

I occasionally have the random parking ... or single speed only operation ... on my '99. I know there is probably some root cause which I have not put enough effort to find ... but, for years, I have been taking the easy way out and replacing one, or both, of the two dedicated wiper underhood relays when the symptoms occur.

[gypsy07]

Originally Posted by MrCreosote

........Myself, I'm so lazy and cheap, I'll probably not do anything (!) unless I can talk a Ford dealer into the replacement motor.

I did the same thing until the motor completely quit.

Also, I saw your thread about wanting ele. diagrams for the wipers & it jogged my old, foggy brain a bit more. I'm pretty sure I did the wiper circuit voltage tests at the wiper relay in the box under the hood, not at the motor connector. A little easier to get to & probe.

Anyway, I'm back to my IMRC, VSS, VRS, CEL, ........

Brad

[gypsy07]

Originally Posted by 12Ounce

I occasionally have the random parking ... or single speed only operation ... on my '99. I know there is probably some root cause which I have not put enough effort to find ... but, for years, I have been taking the easy way out and replacing one, or both, of the two dedicated wiper underhood relays when the symptoms occur.

Good point. I remember swapping the wiper relay with an identical one which proved not to be the problem. I'd try this first Tom.

Good luck

[MrCreosote]

I don't think its the Hi/Lo relay because I still have both speeds for the continuous settings.

I'm "all in" with the theory it is the failed park switch in the motor.

[12Ounce]

Originally Posted by MrCreosote

....I don't think its the Hi/Lo relay because I still have both speeds for the continuous settings.....

Be sure to check BOTH relays dedicated to the wipers .....

[charlie188]

Ford has a recall on the Ford Windstar for this issue the wipers typically fail after an ice storm. In my case at 1st the wipers worked intermitently then wouldn't turn off. The wiper motors failed. Due to moisture getting into the motors. My vehicle was 2001 built 3 months after the recall so Ford has refused to fix the problem even though so far 2 wiper motors burned out due to moisture entering the motors is the same problem. All I know at this pint is keep replacing the motors. Ford has a fix to prevent the moisture form entering wiper motor does anyone know what it is?