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98 ranger half broken wipers

ok, so i tested the switch per the procedure above 149-03 and it tests good, 3 ohms off everytime, but thats allowed... so is it now not my switch? should i check the other procedures as well?
 



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If you tested all of the resistances for the wiper section and they are all within 5% of the value, then it probably isn't the switch.

It looks to me that the other two things are the GEM or the motor. I looked for a test for the motor but didn't find anything.
 






can it be the motor if it works on high?

ugh....
 






There are two inputs to the motor: Lo and Hi. You should test to see if you are getting power to the Lo side of the motor. The other alternative would be to pull the motor and apply 12v to the Lo side.
 






Hello

If you are not getting your washers working this is what I did on a 1996.

Initially AFTER not finding 12v at the pump on the B/W wire, I thought 96 MFS switch wiper washer button was bad too! It was dirty but not bad, I say this since the push button switch does pick up dirt which makes the contacts not want to engage to put out fluid on the windshield but after testing it and playing with the MFS I saw the proper ohms. I could have used electrical contact cleaner but didn't have any. Pushing the switch in and turing it through the remaining wiper speed control of the MFS back and forth easially aided in improving the readings. It appears dirt can build up in spots over time in the MFS, possibly where the wiper switch doesn't rub enough to self clean! So that said if you have already tested the washer switch an are getting proper ohms I would go to the fuses and relay under the hood and check it.

When you push the MFS for washer it puts 12v to a relay under the hood in the 1996 model, via a fuse link, this relay inturn closes its other contacts connecting 12v to the wiper wash pump via the B/W wire.

Check all your fuse diagrams and test the ones listed for the wipers if you have not before going to the relay.

My relay was bad and correded, so not passing current on to the B/W wire which goes to the front washer pump motor. Check the diagram for the pins (pin 1 passes power to 2 when button is pushed if memory serves or visa versa) When the relay is working it closes pin 3 which always has 12v from engine compartment to pin 5 thereby passing it to the washer pump.

In my case the relay was badly correded and had a broken pin so I used WD 40 to clean out the pin stuck in the relay socket using a small screw driver. After several squirts and some gentle prodding and patience I got the old pin out of the socket. (make sure battary disconnected or this activity may will wreck your day) Note the relay box can come out a enough to discounnect the bottom half of its casing if you need to get below. Its basically a series of clips pushed into a plastic piece with one side for the wires and the other side relays. Both sides have covers the top being available for matinence. the bottom required using a screw driver to push back locking clips in the plastic to allow access.

Note on the 1996 this type of relay is used all over the car, notably for the fog lamps, in the same relay box under the hood, so I borrowed the other relay from the fog lamps to fix the wiper washers until I could get to Advanced Auto to buy I knew relay for $8. You may be able to do the same but check the numbers obviously.

God Bless
 






There are two inputs to the motor: Lo and Hi. You should test to see if you are getting power to the Lo side of the motor. The other alternative would be to pull the motor and apply 12v to the Lo side.

would that also make the intermittent not work?

also the wiper stops wherever it stops when i turn them off, it doesnt return back to the bottom like everu otehr car i have ever had.....



when i push the stalk in, no water comes out of the nozzles either, you dont even hear the pump engaging like it should
 






Did you test the washer part of the MFS?

I am pretty sure that the intermittent works off the Lo input to the motor. It sweeps too slow to be on the Hi side.
 






yes, pushing in the stalk was @ values specified
 






Ok, for the washer, I would then check for voltage from the GEM to the washer pump relay, either at the GEM or at the relay. I would think its probably easier to look for voltage at the relay.
 






where is said relay and how do i check it?
 






Its up near the front of the engine compartment, RH side.


You need to see if the GEM is grounding the Tan/Red wire when you push the washer on the MFS.


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ok, so i can disconnect the relay? or? where do i put the leads of the multi-tester, and what setting?
 






Yes, you can remove the relay from the box. Then find the terminal that has the Tan wire with Red stripe (T/R). Set the tester to read ohms (resistance). Put one probe on the terminal, put the other on a ground in the engine compartment. When you (or a helper) push the washer button on the MFS, the reading on the tester should go to zero (or near zero) ohms. The GEM is supposed to ground the T/R wire.

If the washer circuit is working, when you push the button, it tells the GEM to ground the relay which then closes the contacts on the relay to send power to the washer pump motor.
 






do you happen to have a picture of the layout of the fuse box, and which on it is in? i cant seem to find my owner's manual that lists that stuff, i have downloaded a fsm, but can't open it yet as i dont have the software
 






My manual is 97, but it should be the same.
 

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how would i check the relay in general?

i want to check a few of the relays, only hi works, wipers dont return themselves to the bottom when turned off, no intermittant, no washer fluid - no sound of the pump



i just got an fsm for the 98 ranger from brooklynbay -- hope i can figure it out, looks way more complicated than what im used to, i am used to basically scanned copies of the 3" repair manuals, my toyota is like that, and so is my wife's durango
 






how would i check the relay in general?


A relay is basically a remotely controlled switch. There is a control side and a switch side. When you apply voltage to the control side, it will close the contacts on the switch side and complete the circuit to the device. The relay I just described would be a N.O. (normally open) relay because the contacts are normally open. There are also N.C. (normally closed) relays where the contacts are closed but open when you apply voltage to the control side, but these are not common.

So, to test the relay, figure out which terminals are the control terminals and apply 12v and then measure with an ohmmeter on the switch terminals to see if the switch closes. You should be able to figure out the terminals by looking at the schematic for the circuit and matching the wire colors shown on the schematic.
 






According to the shop manual the horn relay is the same as the wiper one. If your horn works OK I'd swap its relay for the wiper one and see what happens.
In the bad old days a car/truck with your symptoms would probably have a bad ground at the motor. Not 100% sure here though. A quick way to check the ground is run a jumper wire from the battery ground to the wiper motor. If the wipers start to work with the jumper attached you have a bad ground.
 






it isnt that i have no wipers ever, it is jsut that it doesnt work except for hi. as soon as i figure our which relays are which, i will try and swap them and test them out, my horn works
 



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relays work, did not pin them out epr specs, but they all clicked like te others when i swapped them around
 






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