Relay Box

[lee816]

Hello All,

I have a 99 Mountaineer that I just recenty started having a problem with. In the underhood relay box(relay 8 and 10) keep clicking when the engine is off. I do not have the owners manual to see what these two relays control. Can any one help?

 

[gijoecam]

IIRC, the auxiliary relay box that has those relays in it is in the dash, to the lower left side of the stereo opening, to the left of the HVAC controls.

I could be mistaken, so don't quote me on that...

-Joe

 

[lee816]

Thanks gijoe,

I am wondering if I can pull these two relays? If I leave them in, the battery will drain overnight. If anybody has a scan/printout of the fuse box that resides under the hood that they can post, it would be great. I am tired of getting a jump start in the morning

 

[NHale623]

If you're talking about the power distribution box in the engine compartment, I think both of those relays are for the rear wiper, 8 is for down and 10 is for up.

 

[lee816]

Thanks NHale623, That is exactly what I meant to type, the power distrobution box. I just came from Auto Zone looking at the Haynes manual which stated nothing but look at teh owners manual. (duh) If they are for the rear wiper, I will pull them. When I turn the truck off and lock the doors, I can stand next to the left fromt tire and hear the relays click away to the tune of a dead battery.

 

[NHale623]

I went here Dead Link Removed and tried to find a manual for a '99 Mountaineer. The one that is provided doesn't show the information, so I looked at the manual for a '99 Explorer. That's where I got the info regarding those relays and the rear wiper.

Good luck.

 

[gijoecam]

Aack!!! Ignore my reply... I somehow got my replies crossed... had too many windows open... Sorry for the confusion...

First, does the rear wiper work from the switch?

Yes, if those are the wiper up and down relays (which I'm not 100% sure of at the moment... don't have the owner's manual in front of me, and the schematic doesn't specify the relay location), you can pull 'em without worry. However, they're a sign of a deeper issue... those relays are controlled by the GEM module which should send the wiper to the park position when you turn the key off. If those relays controlled the rear wiper, the rear wiper motor should be moving too.... Again, it could be a sign of a failed wiper motor as well.

To confirm it's the rear wiper relays, yank fuse # 8 (15A mini) from the battery junction box under the hood. That kills the power to the relays as well as the ground circuit to the GEM. If they stop clicking, then you've probably got a bad GEM and a bad wiper motor.

-Joe