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wiper switch

1K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  J_C 
#1 ·
Have an 05 sport trac xlt adrenalin. The wipers wont operate onany speed except the fastest speed.
I guessed the switch was bad but its not. so Is there another gizmo , relay for the switch I can find? Have looked but don't see one. If there is one where is it and could it be the problem or do I need to change the oil ? Any info appreciated.
 
#2 ·
Your owners manual should have the relays diagram(s). There's probably a wiper run relay and more likely the wiper hi-low relay. You can swap with another relay of the same size already in the relay box to test it.

Otherwise if not the switch, possibly the wiring to it in the steering column which you can check end to end with a multimeter (going to body computer or GEM or however your '05 Sport Trac is set up, will be the same color wire), then there is of course the connector on the wiring harness to the switch and to the GEM, or (less likely) the GEM itself is bad.
 
#4 ·
^ That's just... not true at all. If the "pivot points" are suffering, it will just perform slower and/or make worse contact with the windshield, not at all make it work only at full speed.

Drag does not throw off timing. Once the wiper reaches one end of its travel, the motor makes it go the other way. This is independent of anything else and not timing oriented, just the motor reaching the end of travel so it reverses.

Various speeds are determined by the GEM, from input from the multi-function switch aka turn signal stalk.
 
#5 ·
Wipers

Yes it is true I know from experience. Have had 2 occasions when wipers operated at full speed, no matter where the multi switch was set, only recently. Both throw code P 1834 one replaced Multi switch no change, then replaced wiper motor and had to clean up pivot which was frozen to pivot pin on wiper motor problem solved. Second was my truck just a month ago. Data indicated wiper stroke timing was off only ran at full speed. Removed cowling found corrosion between link and wiper motor pin. Removed motor cleaned up pivot on motor and lubed all the connections. Re installed my wiper motor, cleared code, ran test all functions on wipers restored.
Out of interest we reinstalled the first multi switch and wiper motor (which bench tested OK 100%) back in its original truck. It has preformed flawlessly ever since.
We now have Multi Switch and wiper motor for future use.
 
#6 ·
That's not possible on these Explorers, maybe you're talking about some other type of control mechanism but in this case the GEM takes a resistive signal from the multi-function switch to set the pause interval to slow them down through the relays.

Nothing wrong with the linkage is going to make the relay stay closed circuit when it shouldn't, make the motor run when the computer has shut off power to it. It would be the opposite, the wiper might run slower or not at all but not on full speed when set to a slower speed unless there is something else wrong like the switch, or a stuck relay.

You can measure it with a multimeter to see what's happening. You can even completely unplug the wiper motor to see if the computer is sending the wiper delay power correctly and see whether the high speed relay is still sending power which it shouldn't if not set to high speed at the MFS. The wiper motor and linkage can't change that.
 
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