Windshield wiper problems. Please help !

els3

Registered User
I have been having problems using my windshield wipers on and off, however, for the last 2 weeks now, they have not been working properly once, so it's time to describe my issue and figure out what it is! Here goes:

It used to be that sometimes during heavy rain, when I have wipers on High, they would sometimes just stop in the middle of the windshield for anywhere from 2-3 seconds to 10 seconds. Now this was okay, except risky, especially during heavy rain.
Anyways, now for the past 2 weeks, it seems that no matter what speed I select whether it is Low, or High it all wipes at the same speed. Intermittent wipes slower than normal as well. AND it still sticks sometimes, and more often than it used to, and it doesn't matter what speed it is on.

Does anyone have any ideas on what it might be, what I might need to replace, or where I would need to look? How hard and costly is this to fix?

Is there anything I missed? This is on a 1990 SC.

Thanks in advance everyone!
 
Common problem!

CALL YOUR DEALER! I think there may be a recall or TSB (Tech Service Bulletin) on this. This affcted more than just the S/C. If there is no TSB, I'm sure the dealership will have seen at least one like this.
 
It may be time for a new multifunction switch especially if you've had any blinking of your headlights too. The switch is a lot cheaper and easier to fix than the wiper motor. There are 2 to choose from, 1 w/auto dim and 1 w/o auto dim. Good luck.
 
wiper switch

Hello. I agree that this activity is most likely related to a switch. Theres a remote chance that a wire is shorting somewhere, but probably not. You could try disassembling the switch and cleaning it before purchasing a new one, as some of those switches can be expensive. Goodluck
 
Hello. I agree that this activity is most likely related to a switch. Theres a remote chance that a wire is shorting somewhere, but probably not. You could try disassembling the switch and cleaning it before purchasing a new one, as some of those switches can be expensive. Goodluck
 
I can pretty well gaurantee you it is not the multi-function switch having gone through this exact same problem twice already. It's time for a new wiper motor. Sad to say the way these wipers are designed tend to allow water to drain from the cowl down through the wiper tramsission and right into the actual motor. Over time they become intermittent at high speed , then become worse and go intermittent at low speed as well and eventually quit altogether.
My original motor did this and i had it replaced, the new one lasted almost a year and started to crap out again, it was replaced under warranty. When they pulled this motor you could see a nice brown line of rust along the seam of the DC motor where it had leaked water in via the tramsission

There was a tech fix for this posted here over a year ago and I have never been able to find it again on how to modify the cowl by adding a drain hole to prevent this from occuring in the future.
 
re wipers

hello just my own experance with these wipers I had the same problem as you and came here to find a cure. I got many answers to the problem almost to many as I changed more than I should have. I first change the switch under the dash with no results then the motor that was the problem. it's not a big deal to pull it out and change cost abiut $60:00 cad. good luck.
 
Windsheild wipers? What are those?
Just kidding, I use a product similar to Rain-X on my windows so I don't use them as much. It's nice to cruise down the turnpike in the rain without the drone of the wipers.
Just don't stare too much at the little rain droplets streaming by on your windshield or you'll be hypnotised.
 
Not sure if these TSB's apply or not:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Component Description:
98.VISUAL SYSTEMS:WINDSHIELD WIPER:MOTOR NHTSA Number: 041025
Bulletin Number: 9582
Bulletin Date: APR 1995

Vehicle: 1991 Ford Thunderbird
Summary:
A REVISED SERVICE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR IS NOW AVAILABLE. *TW

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Component Description:
298.VISUAL SYSTEMS:WINDSHIELD WIPER:MOTOR NHTSA Number: 026921
Bulletin Number: RECALL/91S34
Bulletin Date: MAY 1991

Vehicle: 1991 Ford Thunderbird
Summary:
SAFETY RECALL 91S34, 1990-91 THUNDERBIRD LOOSE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR ATTACHING NUTS, RESULTING IN SHIFTED WIPER PATTERN OR JAMMING OF WIPER SYSTEM, TO CORRECT DEALERS ARE TO INSPECT WIPER MOTOR STUDS AND IF REQUIRED, REMOVE THREE NUTS, APP LY LOCTITE #262 TO STUDS-FORD SERVICE MANAGERS BC
 
sorry for the delay

sorry for not replying earlier. I don't think the TSBs apply for my 1990 Thunderbird. This weekend, after having not been checked still, the wipers won't even move at all anymore. So it sound basically like your guys experiences. I think I'll take off the cowl and take a peek sometime this week then. Is there anything I could actually do to fix the motor myself? Like if it is just a corroded wire or something, that wouldn't be too hard to fix. I appreciate the advice. I thought there may be a relay for the wipers, but I can't find one at all in this car. I also thought may be the wiper switch, but originally, it was only occuring during heavy hard rain, and now with your guy's exlanation, it sounds like that could happen if it was drowning the motor during the heavy rain. It's too bad that we don't have something like this posted into some technical data center for people having commonly occurring issues like that. They could throw that up on this site somewhere. Does anyone have any spare wiper motors, btw?

Thanks very much..

Elliott
 
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