• Please be sure to read the rules and adhere to them. Some banned members have complained that they are not spammers. But they spammed us. Some even tried to redirect our members to other forums. Duh. Be smart. Read the rules and adhere to them and we will all get along just fine. Cheers. :beer: Link to the rules: https://www.forumsforums.com/threads/forum-rules-info.2974/

Ford wiper issue

NorthernRedneck

NorthernRedneck

Well-known member
Before I start, a disclaimer. I do love my truck. Bought it used in 2018 and don't see myself getting rid of it anytime soon.

That said, I HATE the windshield wipers. I've replaced the wiper transmission linkage twice now after it seized up. And I've also replaced 2 sets of wiper arms.

First, the wiper transmission. They seize up right at the pivot points causing the wipers to stop working.
13_copy__5c0b951ed2691272cd14e1a05380683919c6110a.jpg


Next, the original arms attach by sliding over a splined shaft. If you look closely, you can see very fine teeth. That's all that locks the arm in place. So any little bit of resistance such as snow ice or salt on the windshield and those thin splines strip.

s-l400.jpg


Ford says that there's no problem. But they have redesigned the wiper arms and added a locking pin in place to keep it from stripping.

Screenshot_20241210_055007_Google.jpg
 
My truck is a 2017. Ford did issue a recall for the 2021 model year but only for the motor. I don't know about anyone else but I think being able to see out of the windshield during a rainstorm is pretty important.
 
We had a winter storm over the weekend. I cleaned the snow off my windshield and free'd up the blades so they weren't stuck to the windshield. When I started the truck. One wiper went up. The other stayed down.

Here's the real kick in the nuts. The wiper arms are roughly $54 at napa or any other parts store up here and were on back order everywhere I called. They were originally $93 at the dealership plus tax. Amazingly, the dealership had a whole bunch of them and are now selling them for $17 yet they say there's no problem.
 
Some of this may be on you. The windshield needs to be cleaned by hand after a big snow or ice storm. Why depend on the wipers to clean the windshield off? They are not designed to do that. They are only designed to clear the accumulation since the previous swipe; maybe a few seconds worth.
 
I think like everything, the quality is going downhill. I haven’t had a Ford truck that new and have never had an issue with the wipers and quite often then have been frozen down or had lots of snow on the windshield when I’ve turned them on. Had a 2004 Ford crew cab and within a year and a half I had to replace all four of the window motors that put the windows up and down. I have a 2010 Ford crew cab now and one of the rear door lock mechanisms is shot and one of the ones on the other side is starting to act up so I’m thinking it’s on it’s way out. Plus it’s had the cam phasers replaced like almost every single other Ford but on my dime. I imagine all brands are having the same issues. Just bought a 2022 Ford Explorer that has 10x the electronics and gadgets as our last vehicle, it’s a nice vehicle but I’m expecting it to have its issues as well.
 
waybomb said:
Some of this may be on you. The windshield needs to be cleaned by hand after a big snow or ice storm. Why depend on the wipers to clean the windshield off? They are not designed to do that. They are only designed to clear the accumulation since the previous swipe; maybe a few seconds worth.
Click to expand...

I did clean it by hand brushing off the snow and freeing the wiper from the windshield. How do you explain it happening in the summer? And the wiper transmission seizing up in the middle of a rain storm had nothing to do with ice? I've also replaced that twice. Never once on any other vehicle that I have owned have I had these issues.
 
I was just sayin'.
Used to be wipers were really overbuilt. My newest car is a 2009.
Things aren't as robust as some of my older cars, but still robust.
From what you say, things have really gone downhill.
 
Here's the inside of mine. Notice the splines. That's all that holds it in place. Any kind of resistance and it strips. The new one has a keyway in that Grove. The original ones didn't.

20241211_104412.jpg
 
I also have a theory on why the wiper transmission linkage fails. The joints in the linkages are sealed units with a little bit of grease in them. I suspect they come from a factory down in Mexico where it doesn't matter as much what type of grease they use as they don't have to worry about cold weather. In the cold, I suspect that it breaks down and solidifies locking up the joints. Just a theory.

Years ago I ran into the same issue with a Kia car we bought brand new. In colder temperatures, the door locks would freeze up preventing the mechanism from moving. Seriously. My ex wife was locked inside the car at -25 as the door locks would not work. The dealership informed us of the grease issue.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top