The minty '98 XLT I just adopted threw me another mysterious problem or 2. Driving it in mist/drizzle the interval wipers gave out when most useful. None of the interval positions on the stalk switch worked, but the 2 constant high/low positions provided high and a single interval speed! I left it in an interval position hoping it might kick back in on its own after the drizzle stopped & was surprised when I shifted into P the interval wipers worked! Discovered they also worked in N, but not in R or D. Have also discovered the problem is intermittent, last time I checked wipers worked OK. Studied the owner manual for "Speed Dependant" interval wipers, but the procedure did not work-no beeps. Had not noticed any speed dependant action. This sound like any specific fault to anyone? I don't even know where the wiper control is or what it looks like at this point, but worry that the wipers might stop working.

Another mystery appeared from under the rear seat when I was unloading. Found a machined blued steel pin more than 1" long & more than 1/8" diameter w/2 wide grooves cut into it, then found a 2nd matching pin?! No idea what these pins might be from, don't recognize them from anything I loaded. Presume they fell out of the FORD? Ring a bell w/anyone?

 

Sounds like a Generic Electronic Module (GEM) problem. Water from a leaking windshield into the GEM will cause some strange things to happen. Otherwise, the wiper switch is part of the Multifunction Switch (MFS) which is troublesome too. Good luck!

Don't know anything about the mystery pins.

 

it sounds like the multi-purpose function switch the same stuff started happenin to my moms car and then her head lights wouldn't work only the high beams then it went to wear they wouldn't work at all only in high beam if you wedged a pen behind it or somethin if i remember right it cost me like 150 to have it fixed but i heard they are pretty easy to replace and know that we have this website I'm sure you could do it on your own

 

Well the interval wipers fixed themselves until last month, when the same symptoms reappeared. Found my own post using Search.

 

I had to replace my multi-function switch back about 6 years ago because the low beams would just go out at any time. Scary while driving down the road at night.

Anyway, I replaced the switch and the wipers, while using the intermittent control, has varied in the timing of the "swipes" ever since I installed it.

 

That's interesting. One of the few things done to this '98 (now approaching 18,000 miles) was installation of FORD fog lights, which included replacing the headlight switch. Perhaps a ground got disturbed?

Found new odd symptom. All interval wiper speeds work normally in ACC, as well as the RUN, key positions, but only if motor is not running.