I have struggled for a couple of months on how to correct some whacked out wipers on a 92 Aerostar. I finally broke down and took it in to the Ford shop. Yes, the problem is now fixed but at a substantial cost. Hopefully, my experience can be useful to others and you can fix it on your own, or at least faster than the route I took.

Symptoms: Wipers began running continuously while in delay mode, and would continue to run even when the wipers were placed in the "off" position. Problem was intermitant at first, but eventually became progressively worse and required me to install a cutoff switch between the Wiper Control Module and the wiper motor to control the wipers.

What I did: I first tried installing a different Wiper Control Module that I got out of a scrap yard for $5. I then tore apart the multifunction Turn Signal/Wiper Switch and cleaned it. I checked all of the ground wires and even tried grounding directly to the battery. I then purchased a new Wiper Control Module from Ford for $71. The problem still existed, so I bought a new Multifunction Switch from Ford for $72. I had some other ideas, but decided to shift the liability to Ford Service before I sunk any more money or aggrevation into the problem.

What the actual problem was: The wiper motor has a small internal switch which detects when the wipers are in the "off" or "parked" position. While the wipers are "running" a 12V signal is sent to the Wiper Control Module via a Black and Pink wire. In the "parked" position, this signal is shut off and the B/Pk wire is grounded, draining current from the Wiper Control Module. In my case, the switch became defective in that it was no longer grounding properly, so the Wiper Control Module circuit was never drained. Therefore, the circuit interpretted this as the wipers were not in the "park" position yet, so the wipers would continue to run, even if the wiper switch was in the "off" position. Replacement of the wiper motor fixed this problem.

What it cost me: Wiper motor-$230, labor- 3 hours @ $60/hr (VERY big rip-off, considering I could have done it myself in an hour), Wiper Control Module (WCM) from scrap yard-$5, New WCM-$71, New Multifunction switch-$72.

 

 

Where is wiper module located on 1997 F-150?

 

The wiper module on a 1997 f 150 has been interated into the Gem module which is mounted on back of your interior fuse block.
Gem module controls your interior lights,wipers,auto windows, and your battery saver relay for some examples.

 

$230 Wiper Motor
$180 3 hrs to install

Having the problem fixed

Priceless.


While you might have been able to change the wiper motor in an hour yourself, what does this really mean?

YOU didn't understand how the wiper system worked, and therefore wasted alot of time and money trying to find a problem. While it will be helpful for others to share your experience, it doesn't help to call a good repair a ripoff considering the tech needs time to diagnose the problem and FIX IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!

What if someone had paid you for your time in fixing the problem incorrectly with the module and multifunction switch?

Chris

 

Thanks jonmech for the info on wiper module.