Help!! Rear wiper stop working on 00 explorer

[filmfilm01]

My rear wiper works sometime,and rests for days,seems just depend on what the weather is!

I search the internet including this forum. The broblem maybe:

1) relay. This is the easiest case to figure out if you didn't hear the motor clicking noise.
2) Bad ground wire connection (doesn't make sence since most of the case, you can hear the clicking noise)
3)motor design problem. I prefer this explaination.

Actually, I even removed disassembled my rear woper motor and checked the structure inside: grease falling down on the electric brush causes the current disconnected, when I cleaned the grease over there and install the motor,it works, but several days it stops again( still the same problem).

Then I tried to buy an OEM part from autozone . it works but stop working someday and then who knows sometime it works again.

Shaking the wiper arm may help, probably this may help remove the grease and make a good electric contact.so the problem may arise from bad design.

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Somebody's post on the web said that the motor from Advance Auto parts can solve the problem. is there any feedback on this aftermarket motor ????

This is not critical problem, but make me uncomfortable.I need a solution to solve this.

Thank you for your discusstion and tips.

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[budwich]

Of course, you missed checking your switch which could have a bad contact in it.

 

[filmfilm01]

In that case, how do you explain that wiggling the wipe arm may works when the switch is still on?

Just wonder why Ford doesn't use the same motor as one for the front wiper.at least, I have no problem for two front wipers.

 

[briwayjones]

It's the wiper motor not the switch. It's a very common problem. I have changed mine twice and it still doesn't work. The design of the motors themselves is defective somehow and it's a fluke to get one that works instead of finding one that doesn't. If you go to an auto parts store the motor you get will be a rebuilt one, so there's still a good chance you'll have problems with it. They do usually have a lifetime warranty so you can keep exchanging them until you get one that works right. I've gotten two so far that doesn't work.

People say that if you get a new motor they tend to work more. I believe you can get them from www.fastpartsnetwork.com which is cheaper than through the dealer.

 

[filmfilm01]

I refer this page for continous discussion.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//archive/index.php/t-134562.html

This is the post of member gijoecam
05-06-2005, 06:56 AM
"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."

So that motor from Advanced Auto Parts may works. Just wonder if it can work more.

 

[briwayjones]

Yeah eventually you'll find one that works. Guess he got lucky the first time.

 

[gijoecam]

Yeah eventually you'll find one that works. Guess he got lucky the first time.

Not sure if you found the other post, but my first replacement from Advanced Auto Parts lasted about 6 months. The second replacement was junk right out of the box, and didn't make it past the parking lot (I tried it out and the movement was erratic). The third one has been in for well over a year now and works great. $30 with a lifetime warranty is a great deal, and I can swap them out in about 10 minutes if necessary.

-Joe

 

[briwayjones]

Yeah I'm on my second which doesn't work. Mine didn't last more that a few weeks before they stopped working. Another problem I have is the little groves inside of the wiper arm that mounts on the spindle of the motor are worn and doesn't mount very well anymore. I think I'm going to eventually swap out with a 2003 Sport glass with the wiper motor mounted on it like I was talking about before.

 

[scucci]

Hey Guys
I wrote up this page on diagnosis/repair of the rear wiper. I submitted it for the elite thing but never got any word. Check it out

http://www.siriusnet.net/fordexplorer/Wiper Repair.html

 

[briwayjones]

That's looks like a great write up. I'll have to try that. Thanks!

 

[filmfilm01]

Thanks scucci.
I've tried cleaning grease build-up. But problem is that the grease will build up on contact later sometime.

 

[scucci]

The nylon gear does'nt need much grease. Nylon is self lubricting. I cleaned off all the old grease and put on a light coating of Moly grease, only on the worm gear. I applied it with a Q-tip. The contacts need to be re-tensioned in order to get full contact and hold it. I also cleaned the brass plate with a moto tool polishing wheel. If the motor armature brush test indicates a good motor you most likley have poor contact on the brass plate. Your Ford dealer can hook up the star tester and monitor the GEM/CTM, Switch and Ajar signals and tell you if they are correct. I don't know how much this would cost. It is also very important to get the wiper arm in the correct position so that the GEM knows when the limits are reached. If you are like me, you don't like broken parts on your explorer and the rear wiper is very handy to have. It is a simple system and should not be such a problem. I think that the GEM/CTM adds an air of mystery to this since most people don't have a lot of electronics training. I hope you can fix this thing and let us know what you find.

Scucci