Windshield Wipers and Washers

Windshield Wiper Blade and Arm

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

Front

F-150, F-250, EXPEDITION AND NAVIGATOR
Remove the cover over the wiper arm retaining nuts
Remove the retaining nuts on the wiper arm pivots
Matchmark the wiper arms to the pivot for reinstallation
Lift each wiper arm and free it from the pivot shafts
  1. Raise the covers over the wiper arm retaining nuts.
  2. Remove the retaining nuts on the wiper arm pivots.
  3. Matchmark the wiper arms to the pivot for reinstallation.
  4. Lift each wiper arm and free it from the pivot shafts. The wiper arms will most likely be stuck, a useful tool for removal of the wiper arms is a battery terminal puller. The battery terminal puller exerts force on the pivot and raises the arm, otherwise prying and other techniques could do damage to the wiper arms, trim, windshield, or painted surfaces of the vehicle. To install:
  5. Place the wiper arm onto the pivot aligning the matchmarks.
  6. Tighten the wiper arm retaining nuts.
  7. Fasten the retaining nut covers.
EXCEPT F-150, F-250, EXPEDITION AND NAVIGATOR
  1. Raise the blade end of the arm off of the windshield.
  2. Move the slide latch away from the pivot shaft.
  3. Pull the wiper arm off of the pivot shaft. To install:
  4. Position the wiper arm into place and make sure it is aligned properly with the windshield.
  5. Place the wiper arm onto the pivot until the latch engages.
  6. Lower the blade to the windshield.

Rear (Expedition And Navigator Only)

The rear wiper arm assembly

Click to enlarge

  1. Raise the covers over the wiper arm retaining nuts.
  2. Remove the retaining nuts on the wiper arm pivots.
  3. Matchmark the wiper arms to the pivot for reinstallation.
  4. Lift each wiper arm and free it from the pivot shafts. The wiper arms will most likely be stuck, a useful tool for removal of the wiper arms is a battery terminal puller. The battery terminal puller exerts force on the pivot and raises the arm, otherwise prying and other techniques could do damage to the wiper arms, trim, windshield, or painted surfaces of the vehicle. To install:
  5. Place the wiper arm onto the pivot aligning the matchmarks.
  6. Tighten the wiper arm retaining nuts.
  7. Fasten the retaining nut covers.

Windshield Wiper Motor

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

Front

1997-98 F-250HD, F-350 AND F-SUPER DUTY
Cowl vent panel removal—1997-98 F-250HD, F-350 and F-Super Duty

Click to enlarge

Remove the wiper motor mounting bolts and remove the wiper motor

Click to enlarge

  1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
  2. Remove the windshield wiper arms.
  3. Remove the moulding from the bottom of the windshield.
  4. Remove the five screws across the cowl top vent panel. The screws can be accessed through the holes in the vent panel.
  5. Remove the ten screws across the vertical surface holding the cowl top vent panel to the cowl top.
  6. With the hood partially closed, lift the cowl top vent panel.
  7. Disconnect the radio antenna or lead wire, if necessary.
  8. Disconnect the washer hose and remove the cowl top vent panel.
  9. Remove the metal shield above the windshield wiper motor.
  10. Remove the wiper adapter and connecting arm clip where the wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft connect to the wiper motor drive arm.
  11. Detach the electrical connectors from the wiper motor.
  12. Remove the wiper motor mounting bolts and remove the wiper motor. To install:
  13. Install the wiper motor and torque the mounting bolts 60-85 inch lbs. (6.8-9.6 Nm).
  14. Connect the electrical connectors to the wiper motor.
  15. Install the wiper adapter and connecting arm clip where the wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft connect to the wiper motor drive arm.
  16. Install the metal shield above the windshield wiper motor.
  17. Connect the washer hose at the cowl top vent panel.
  18. Connect the radio antenna or lead wire, if necessary.
  19. Install the cowl top vent panel. Tighten the ten screws across the vertical surface of the cowl top vent panel and the cowl top.
  20. Tighten the five screws across the cowl top vent panel.
  21. Install the moulding at the bottom of the windshield.
  22. Install the wiper pivot arms.
  23. Connect the negative battery cable.
  24. The vehicle may need to be driven as much as 10 miles for the PCM to relearn its adaptive strategy.
F-150, F-250, EXPEDITION, NAVIGATOR AND 1999-00 F-SUPER DUTY MODELS
Pry the covers over the cowl panel retaining screws off and remove the retaining screws
Lift up to release the clips and remove the hood-to-cowl weather strip
Remove the trim clips from the cowl panels
Remove the cowl panel-to-firewall retaining clips
Remove the driver's side then the ...
... passenger side cowl panel from the vehicle
Detach the electrical connector for the wiper motor
Remove the three wiper module assembly retaining bolts and ...
... remove the module from the vehicle
Remove the wiper linkage retaining bolt and remove the linkage from the wiper motor
Remove the wiper motor retaining bolts and remove the wiper motor from the vehicle
  1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position. Turn the ignition switch ON until the wiper blades are straight up, then turn the ignition switch OFF.
  2. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
  3. Remove the right-hand and left-hand windshield wiper arm and blade assemblies.
  4. Remove the cowl top vent panels.
  5. Detach the electrical harness connector at the windshield wiper motor assembly.
  6. Remove 3 wiper motor (module assembly) retaining bolts and remove the module assembly from the vehicle.
  7. Remove the wiper linkage retaining bolt and remove the linkage from the wiper motor.
  8. Remove 3 retaining nuts and remove the windshield wiper motor. To install:
  9. Place the windshield wiper motor in position and install 3 retaining nuts. Tighten the nuts to 10-12 ft. lbs. (12-17 Nm).
  10. Connect the wiper linkage to the windshield wiper motor and install the retaining bolt. Tighten the bolt to 14 ft. lbs. (20 Nm).
  11. Place the wiper motor (module assembly) in position and install 3 retaining bolts. Tighten the bolts to 6 ft. lbs (9 Nm).
  12. Install the electrical harness connector to the windshield wiper motor.
  13. Connect the negative battery cable.
  14. Allow the windshield wiper motor to cycle several times while checking for proper wiper motor operation.
  15. Turn the windshield wiper motor switch to the OFF position to park the wiper motor in the park position.
  16. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
  17. Install the cowl top vent panels.
  18. Install the wiper arm and blade assemblies. Install the retaining nuts and tighten to 22-29 ft. lbs. (30-40 Nm). Install the nut covers.
  19. Connect the negative battery cable.
  20. Check the windshield wiper motor for proper operation and the wiper arms for adjustment.

Rear (Expedition And Navigator Only)

Remove the upper liftgate trim panel

Click to enlarge

Remove the liftgate assist strap

Click to enlarge

Remove the lower liftgate trim panel

Click to enlarge

Remove the retaining bolts and remove the wiper motor

Click to enlarge

  1. Remove the rear wiper arm.
  2. Remove the upper liftgate trim panel.
  3. Remove the liftgate assist strap.
  4. Remove the lower liftgate trim panel.
  5. Peel back the liftgate watershield.
  6. Detach the connector for the wiper motor.
  7. Remove the retaining bolts and remove the wiper motor. To install:
  8. Install the wiper motor and tighten the retaining bolts to 80-107 inch lbs. (9-12 Nm).
  9. The balance of the installation is the reverse of the removal.

Windshield Washer Motor

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

Front

Washer motor replacement

Click to enlarge

Disassembling the washer motor

Click to enlarge

  1. Remove the reservoir.
  2. Using a small prytool, pry out the motor retaining ring.
  3. Using pliers, grip one edge of the electrical connector ring and pull the motor, seal and impeller from the reservoir.

If the seal and impeller come apart from the motor, it can all be re-assembled.

To install:

  1. Take the time to clean out the reservoir before installing the motor.
  2. Coat the seal with a dry lubricant, such as powdered graphite or spray Teflon®. This will aid assembly.
  3. Align the small projection on the motor end cap with the slot in the reservoir and install the motor so that the seal seats against the bottom of the motor cavity.
  4. Press the retaining ring into position. A 1 in., 12-point socket or length of 1 in. tubing, will do nicely as an installation tool.
  5. Install the reservoir and connect the wiring.

It's not a good idea to run a new motor without filling the reservoir first. Dry-running will damage a new motor.

Rear (Expedition And Navigator Only)

The rear washer system on the Expedition and Navigator does contain a separate reservoir, rather uses the washer motor and reservoir from the front.

Chilton® Automotive Information Systems. © 2004 Thomson Delmar Learning.