Rear wiper not working

dcsmrgun · May 5, 2005

Still going through all the little things wrong with my new explorer. None of them are extremely critical, but I'm trying to give each one a little attention.

The rear wiper doesn't work. The fluid pump activates if I hold down the rear wiper knob, but turning it does nothing.

I'm still locating a Haynes for my '00 XLT but in the meantime, since it didn't come with an owner's manual, can someone point me at the fuse number which I need to check, or any other applicable problemsolving hints?

briwayjones · May 5, 2005

Common problem. Try wiggling the arm up and down. You could do this with or without the wiper switch being on. Try opening the glass and then slamming it a couple times. There is a sensor switch in there that won't let the wiper come on when the glass is open and sometimes that needs massaging.

dcsmrgun · May 5, 2005

I swear I did this 20 or 30 times today, based on someone telling me the same thing, and it didn't do anything. I went outside and tried it once more, and it worked fine

I think the neighbors think I'm crazy, wrestling with a wiper blade and cursing.

Is it the motor, or a position switch, or what, that's usually behind this? Chances are it'll work fine until I actually need it, and getting out on an interstate to wiggle the wiper isn't a great solution. I'd love to get whatever is busted fixed.

Also, only the left half of the wiper travels over the glass -- the right floats above it. I guess this blade just doesn't fit right. I hope my arm isn't bent out of shape.

briwayjones · May 5, 2005

It seems like it can be several different things. On mine I think it's the mechanical linkage binding a little bit. When you turn it on it makes a popping noise like it gets stuck and then pops past the hard part. And mine would work depending on the temperature. If it was about 40 or below it would work just fine. I'm thinking the linkage metal condensed since it was cold and relieved the linkage problem. Above that it wouldn't want to work without wiggling the arm first. Since it was warm and the metal expanded I think it was binding it more. After I wiggled the arm it would work for a while. If I let it sit to long I would have to wiggle it again. I'm in the process of training it and I think it's just about where it will work all of the time. When I would have to wiggle it to get it to work and it would work temporalily I would turn it on and off a bunch of times to make it pop past the hard part and hopefully wear it some so it doesn't bind. After doing that for months it's better and works most of the time now.

gijoecam · May 6, 2005

I was in the same boat.... sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.... I just swapped out the motor: $40 from Advanced Auto Parts. Hasn't missed a wipe since.

Three screws and 5 bolts is all it took. Heck, it took longer to find the wrench to get the wiper arm off than it did to change the motor.

-Joe

dcsmrgun · May 6, 2005

I'll have to remember that. I've got it running for now, but next time it stops I'll just replace it.

Thanks!

TPLYNCH · May 6, 2005

Bend the arm slightly toward the window to get the full coverage. There is also an upgraded arm assembly @ Ford that's supposed to fix the problem as well. Searching for Rear Wiper will provide you with hours and hours of reading about the problem/fixes.

gijoecam · May 9, 2005

Oh, yeah... the wiper arm issue hasn't come up around here in a while....

Pics are in the gallery in my signature line.

-Joe

norcalxplorer21 · May 9, 2005

Yes, i have the same problem and i found that shaking the arm while in the on position gets the wiper to work. My friends have a Trail Blazer and laugh at my ford for not working properly, but at least my headliner isnt sagging

JEDTFD · April 14, 2006

When I bought my 2000 Exp. the same thing was happening. Sometimes when the sun was out it would work, but when it rained most of the time it didn't. I took out the motor and had it rebuilt to the tune of 125.00 and it did the same thing. What I should of done first was check the switch. It turned out to be the culprit. New switch was 40. and it's worked fine since.

briwayjones · April 16, 2006

Hmm, maybe I should check mine. I've having trouble with my third motor now.

mjdinsa · May 1, 2006

dcsmrgun said:
Still going through all the little things wrong with my new explorer. None of them are extremely critical, but I'm trying to give each one a little attention.

The rear wiper doesn't work. The fluid pump activates if I hold down the rear wiper knob, but turning it does nothing.

I'm still locating a Haynes for my '00 XLT but in the meantime, since it didn't come with an owner's manual, can someone point me at the fuse number which I need to check, or any other applicable problemsolving hints?

I needed the manual for the 2001 Explorer Sport. I found www.helminc.com and they shipped it to me.

dannyav · June 9, 2013

where's the switch?

What I should of done first was check the switch. It turned out to be the culprit. New switch was 40. and it's worked fine since.[/QUOTE]

Where's the switch? I replaced the motor and it's still not working

iajet · July 7, 2014

My wiper no longer swipes. When the button is pushed water is ejected and a little noise, unrelated to the water/pump, is heard. When the knob is moved to low, high or anywhere in between that same noise is heard once when turned on and then again when selected off.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

koda2000 · July 7, 2014

iajet said:
My wiper no longer swipes. When the button is pushed water is ejected and a little noise, unrelated to the water/pump, is heard. When the knob is moved to low, high or anywhere in between that same noise is heard once when turned on and then again when selected off.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

take the plastic cover off the base of the wiper arm and check to make sure the 13mm nut holding the wiper on its shaft hasn't loosened up. if that's not the problem it could be the shaft is stuck or the motor is bad. heck, even when they work they don't work worth a crap.

95exploresport · January 23, 2015

How do you get the back cover off the door to get to the back wiper linkage?

AppleWood · January 23, 2015

Couple screws on the inside handle and the rest of the inner cover is held in place with push-in clips...

I too found out the hard (expensive) way that the "door ajar" switches are interlocked with the 12V to the motor...

bobflood · January 23, 2015

AppleWood said:
Couple screws on the inside handle and the rest of the inner cover is held in place with push-in clips...

There is also a screw under a small plastic cover next to the window latch bracket.

koda2000 · January 23, 2015

bobflood said:
There is also a screw under a small plastic cover next to the window latch bracket.

well, there's supposed to be one there. often it's missing.

koda2000 · January 23, 2015

95exploresport said:
How do you get the back cover off the door to get to the back wiper linkage?

The lift-gate interior panel is held to the lift-gate with plastic hooks on the bottom (below the window) and metal push-in clips along the sides and top of the window. There may also be a single screw under the smaller plastic cover by the window latch.

1. Remove the 2 screws that hold the pull-down strap to the lift-gate and remove the strap.
2. Remove the small cover near the rear window latch and the single screw you may find under it.
3. Using a trim panel removal tool, stick it between the plastic panel and the metal part of the door, starting at the bottom of the window, and slide it up intil you encounter the first retaining clip. Then pop the clip out.
4. Proceed around the rear window sides and top. If I remember correctly there are 2 clips on each slide and 3-4 along the top.
5. Once the ciips are out, simply lift the lower part of the panel upward to unhook it from the door. there are maybe 8-10 plastic hooks to disengage.

Rear wiper not working

Member

Manual Master

Member

Manual Master

Village Idiot

Member

Explorer Addict

Village Idiot

Member

New Member

Manual Master

New Member

New Member

Well-Known Member

Explorer Addict

Active Member

Active Member

Explorer Addict

Explorer Addict

Explorer Features

Explorer Features

Similar threads