Help with wipers

[Tim OLeary]

I am having problems with the wipers. For a while the different speeds were not available, only on or off. Now they won't stop.

When I look up fuses on the Internet, nothing seems to match my vehicle.

I have a 2002 ST 04-02.



For now I unplugged the wiper moter

 

[Mark K 2]

Bad switch?

 

[Tim OLeary]

There is a video on line for the replacement of the multiswitch which does the wipers, hi-lo beams, directionals and 4-way flashers.

A1A auto parts I think. Their vehicle was not identical to mine, but pretty similar.



Removing the bottom panel was different, and may not have been necessary. There are two 7mm hex head fasteners. The difference was there are the hood release, brake release and port for diagnostic meter. The top edge of the panel has two metal pointed fasteners that squeeze into two holes on the vehicle structure and two plastic guide pins that fit into hole on the adjacent panels directly above the one you're removing. You must use force to pull the panel off and then pull on it to line up the guide pins and fasteners to reinstall. Just observe where these things fit into the frame and adjacent panels while you are prying it loose and remember for when you are reinstalling. The panel did not come off at the bottom for me, so I wedged an aerosol can in between the panel and the ruck chassis to keep it out of the way while tops and bottom cowls were removed. you need to unscrew the tilt lever and maneuver the top cowl over the shift lever, but theses cowls remove and reinstall fine. As shown in the video there are three phillips screws which need to be removed and reinstalled. The multiswitch assembly is attached with two T20 torx head fasteners.

The electrical is two multi-conductor plugs. gently pry the locking clips before pulling the connectors off.

I do not do a lot of automative, and my concern was cracking some piece of plastic that would then need to be purchased and replaced, so I took it slow and easy.

Hope this helps someone

 

[Richard L]

I agree with Tim and Mark K....It could be the Multifunction switch in the steering column. However, early Gen-1 Sport Trac's had a problem with the tilt steering wheel pulling on the wiring harness and either pulling wires out of the connector, or breaking wires. Moving the tilt wheel up and down would cause various wires to connect or disconnect. The Multi-function switch controls everything going through the steering column including ignition, starter, headlights, turn signals and taillights, horn, wipers, cruise control, and probably a few more things that I can't remember now. :grin:



The cure is to check the connector under the steering column to verify that there is sufficient slack in the wiring harness to allow for the full range of tilt without pulling on the wires. You can simply pull up more slack in the wiring harness, but be sure that none of the wires are broken or pulled out of the connectors.



If that does not resolve your problem, then you may have a bad Multifunction switch......which is a bigger project than simply checking for bad connections due to the tilt wheel.



...Rich