Rear wiper works when it wants to

[DonDDR1]

And that is not very often. Push the button for wipe wash and I can hear the washer motor come on, whats the fix for this?

Thanks

 

[Terkins]

And that is not very often... whats the fix for this?

Mine too until it quit working altogether. I have a Ford manual on CD. The diagnostic tree is multi-factorial. (It's got 'game'.)

I've got suspension & brake repairs to do before I tackle the rear wiper.

If I can share screen shots of the diagnostics maybe someone else can guide us down Ford's 'yellow brick road'? I'm not an electrician...

 

[toypaseo]

My rear wiper on my 96 stopped working. I read on here to repeatedly slam the hatch shut. Did that, and everything was back to normal...

 

[koda2000]

Sometimes the issue might be the "rear window glass closed switch" not thinking the rear window is closed. Usually it's the wiper motor itself. I've had 3 reman motors, w/lifetime warranty, in our '00 Mountaineer and it's recently quit working again. I've given up on replacing them. The rear wiper doesn't work very well even when it's working (just a bad design) so the heck with it.

 

[DonDDR1]

Mine too until it quit working altogether. I have a Ford manual on CD. The diagnostic tree is multi-factorial. (It's got 'game'.)

I've got suspension & brake repairs to do before I tackle the rear wiper.

If I can share screen shots of the diagnostics maybe someone else can guide us down Ford's 'yellow brick road'? I'm not an electrician...

I have beer money for you if you can burn me a copy of that cd

 

[410Fortune]

if the switch checks out and the motor checks out (they usually do) then look at the glass and hatch close switch, very very common issue with the rear wiper....it wont run if it thinks the glass is open.
There is a switch where the latch for the glass is it gets dirty...

 

[DonDDR1]

if the switch checks out and the motor checks out (they usually do) then look at the glass and hatch close switch, very very common issue with the rear wiper....it wont run if it thinks the glass is open.
There is a switch where the latch for the glass is it gets dirty...

Shot some good silicone lube in there and it works perfect. Thanks

 

[DonDDR1]

if the switch checks out and the motor checks out (they usually do) then look at the glass and hatch close switch, very very common issue with the rear wiper....it wont run if it thinks the glass is open.
There is a switch where the latch for the glass is it gets dirty...

Lube and it works everytime. Thanks.

 

[Terkins]

I have beer money for you if you can burn me a copy of that cd

[...I created a .pdf file of 'just' the 'wipers' section (122 pp.): 297 MB! This derivative file is larger than the source file that is copyrighted!]

 

[Terkins]

 

[Terkins]

Lube and it works everytime. Thanks.

"Lucky you!"

 

[DonDDR1]

"Lucky you!"

Thanks, how often do you get a 30 second fix?

 

[J_C]

I have beer money for you if you can burn me a copy of that cd

There is a link to that workshop manual below. The thing about it is that it is several PDF files merged into one and the links in it don't work so you have to manually search (keyword search in your PDF reader app) for each section.

There's also other downloads in the following topic if you follow the links:
1996-2001 ford explorer / mountaineer workshop manual (5567 pages!)

 

[Terkins]

Lube and it works everytime. Thanks.

Eureka! Sprayed the glass latch area with silicone lube and mine works now too! The 'test' will be next time it rains...? (Must be a very sensitive switch down there somewhere?)

 

[Colin The Boss]

Sometimes the issue might be the "rear window glass closed switch" not thinking the rear window is closed. Usually it's the wiper motor itself. I've had 3 reman motors, w/lifetime warranty, in our '00 Mountaineer and it's recently quit working again. I've given up on replacing them. The rear wiper doesn't work very well even when it's working (just a bad design) so the heck with it.

I just put RainX on the rear window every 2 months and I'm fine.

 

[J_C]

I just do nothing and I'm fine with mine not working.
Though... I vaguely recall that it started working again for a while, no idea if it still does because I never try to use it while driving. I do keep putting new wiper blades on when the old start to fall apart, just so if someone were to try to use it, then it won't scratch the glass. Heh, maybe I should just unplug it.