[ststephen]

My windsheild wipers occasionally come on for no reason. Usually just one up and down cycle, I assume there is an electrical switch problem, any help on taking care of this problem?

99 Taurus SE
Thanks in advance!

 

[jason8225]

My guess would be that it's a problem with your multifunction switch - the one with turn signal, wipers, etc. I've heard of them going bad before. Not sure what's involved with replacing them, but if you could find a donor car with low mileage in a junkyard that may be a cheap way to get a good replacement.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I haven't tried this yet but it may help. I clip and pasted this quite along time ago and I may have recieved it from this forum but I am not sure.

Hope it helps.

Spiff

"Pop off short end cap from wiper stalk. It is only the tip of the part you rotate for wipers. I pried from the dash side in case I marred it. A screw is now visible. Take it out and (with a rag to in place to catch pieces) remove the knob.

The detent mechanism is simply a spring across and through the stalk with end caps. The intermittant wiper variable resitor type contact pad is in the base end of the stalk. A piece under the knob has contacts that hit different point of the contact pad as you rotate the knob. Washer contacts are in the end of the knob.

Clean out the existing grease. Mine was rather thick which I think was the problem. The rec.autos guy thought it was dirty contacts. I cleaned all with solvent. With the contacts propped up with a Q-tip I also cleaned them with a pencil eraser. The Q-tip was also used to slightly bend the contacts to increase contact force. Before assy I put a light coating of dielectric grease on parts.

The wiper stalk (multi-function switch in Ford parlance) is expensive. The faults are irritating. The cure is simple and free. Enjoy"

 

[jason8225]

That sounds like the right procedure. I would recommend you find a pick and pull junkyard and perform those steps on your donor car first to make sure you don't hurt your car when you do it.

 

[ststephen]

Thank you all so much for the guidance! After I replace the fuel pump in my wife's car, I will get this done!
Thanks again!

 

[SpeedyGreeny]

My mom's 98 Dodge Caravan has phantom wipers, too. For no reason at all, they click on for a few cycles. On occasion, when you push the unlock button on the remote, the wipers will go once. Guess they have to been in a good mood to do that though- only happens about once a month. :blink:

 

[Mexjames]

Speedy, that is more or less common on DCX minivans. You probably replaced the battery and that may be part of the problem. Look at www.allpar.com in their minivan forum as I think there was a solution to the problem.

 

[thejcode]

Ive had a problem sorta like that with the sable. Only that they have to be on to start going weird. Like there on low intermittant and all of sudden there on full for like 3-4 swipes and back to normal again. First time it happen i was like :blink: then few times later i was like now its just <_< . lol. got tired of it doing that. ah well. just thought id add my 2 cents of story telling. B)