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HOW TO: Intermittent Wiper Problem Fix. AKA TSB Fix.

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219K views 115 replies 70 participants last post by  robbfisher  
M
#1 · (Edited)
This is a how to on how to fix the Technical service bulliten 04-15-2 the loss of intermitted wipers or loss of park function.

The fix is really quite simple and will only take 20 -30 minutes of your time. Here's what you will need

3/8 Ratchet
6 or 8" 3/8 extension
Reducer 3/8 to 1/4
5/16 socket (if its a 3/8 socket you dont need the reducer)
Needle Nose Pliers
7mm Nut Driver
5/16 Nut Driver (Optional)
Shop Light (Optional)


and of course the relay itself..

Ford Part Number F5TZ-14N089-B

[:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)]* Note the old part number mentioned on this board 1S42-14N089-AA has been replaced with the above part number [:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)]*

Step One

Remove Your Fuse Panel door and un bolt the 4 5/16 bolts holding the lower dash in place.. I kicked them loose and the used the nut driver to take them out reduces the risk of a ratchet smacking my dash..

Image

Image


The Red circles show were the bolts are that have to be undone in order to take the panel out



Once the Bolts are done wiggle it out of place and let it rest on the pedals. here is no need to remove the OBD II Port and the Hood Release cable so dont worry about them

Image


Step Two

Your going to want to get a light if its dark or you cant see very well. Next locate the two bolts holding the fuse panel to the steel mounting bracket. Now get your 7mm Nut driver and unscrew those bolts.

Image


Location of both the bolts and the relay. Note the panel is pictured the way you will see it under the dash. So left is the driver door and right is the passenger side.

Once Both Bolts are unscrewed your going to want to squeeze the two plastic tabs and push. With a little bit of wiggling and giggling the fuse panel will pop out. ** CAUTION Dont be to rough you may pinch or pull a wire and thats never fun **

Image


Squeeze the tabs shown above while pushing gently on the top of the panel.

Image


Of the two grey Relays the One on the left is the Rear Wiper Relay R18 and the one on the right is the Front Wiper Relay R19

Step Three

Now that you have full access to the relay you can go ahead and pull it out. R18 is the Relay for the Rear Wipers (Relay Closest to the Door) and R19 is the relay for the front wipers (Closest to your Head Unit) if you are unsure of wich relay is R18 or R19 you can consult your manual there is a diagram outlining the location and function of each relay.

Image


*The Grey one is the old relay and the black is the replacement*\


My Relay way in there pretty tight so i wiggled it out a bit and then got a pair of needle nose pliers to pull her out.


Step Four

To put the relay back in line up the pins and push it back in.. On the Relay there are 3 vertical pins those pins go on the bottom.. Line up the pins support the fuse panel with one hand and push the relay in with the other.

Image


Step Five

To get the fuse panel in you need to first hook the bottom clips the push it into the bracket. Replace the two 7mm bolts snug them down and replace the lower part of the dash...



And your done no more annoying problem...
 
#7 ·
I think I might. If the Euro Focus is wired similar to the US Focus, then all the accessory wiring is connected via a bulkhead connector behind the driver's inner fenderwell plastic. Remove the wheel, and see if there is a large black hunk of plastic with wires going into it and a bolt in the center. It would be on the firewall. You'll need some dielectric grease, also called spark plug boot grease. Unbolt the connector, wiggle and pull until it separates. If the inside half falls out- don't worry, the connector is sandwiched around the hole in the firewall and holds itself in place- just be sure when you bolt it back in that it is correctly seated or you could have a water leak. Once the connector is apart, clean both sides, and apply the grease. Then bolt the connector back together making sure it's seated properly in the hole through the firewall. You can use silicone around the inside half if it makes you feel better- there should be no problems as a result of doing this on that side of the connector.

The only other problem would be at the connector on the wiper motor which is in the cowl- the section of body (plastic on a US Focus) between the hood and the windshield. Remove this plastic, and you should see the wiper motor, check the connector at the wiper motor, and follow the wiring as far as you can see- inspecting for physical damage. I'd think that the problem would be most likely at the connector itself if this is where it is.

One more thing to check- try using the wipers when it's dry outside. If the fuse blows, then your problem is not the wiring, but the wiper motor.

I hope that helps you- I hate tracing down weird electrical problems in cars.





Nice write-up- sorry to thread jack!!!
 
K
#3 ·
so this will fix me having an intermitten switch but only 2 speed wipers on the front? thats my biggest problem (been trying to go intermittent since i got the car and i know it aint the switch. so is it the relay?
 
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M
#4 ·
This fixes the TSB.. loss of wiper park function.. so basically your wipers wont park or they will act strangely when wiping (ie stop in the middle of the windshield)

^^ killer ZETEC you can try the relay but no promises on my part

^^^ Strlng sound like you have a short some were in the elecrtical system especially pertaining to the wirper circuit.. Could be a faulty relay but again i dunno
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the write-up! I got as far as pulling out the first two 7mm bolts but then couldn't understand how to get at the relays behind the metal cross piece. I can't believe I missed the locking tabs that hold the fuse panel! Figures it would be something so simple...lol

You sir deserve some rep points!
 
K
#6 ·
sure i'll try the new relay. if it dont work i'll say eff inter mittent and jsut pick up a nother 2 speed switch. hell my relay may only have a 2 speed setting and thats whats keeping it from going, hell i been on this issue since i got te car...)
 
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#8 ·
killer ZETEC, the intermittent wiper control IS in the switch. Mine didn't have them and I went to the ford store and bought a switch for intermittent operation for less than $30.00. I replaced the 2 speed version and now I have intermittent wipers.
 
L
#10 ·
Thanks for the How-To :) Swapped out the relay and everything is as it should be now. My wipers went back up almost half way after parking, and pushing the wiper stalk down the wipers just stopped when you let it go...

2 things. On my 2002 ZX5 the front wiper relay was the one on the right, not the left. Also I didnt see the need for removing the lower dash panel. When you pull the fuse door off you can easily get to the 2 fuse panel screws with an extension. Took me less than 10 minutes to do the job.

Thanks again


Jeremy
 
M
#11 ·
Livens said:
2 things. On my 2002 ZX5 the front wiper relay was the one on the right, not the left. Also I didnt see the need for removing the lower dash panel. When you pull the fuse door off you can easily get to the 2 fuse panel screws with an extension. Took me less than 10 minutes to do the job.

Thanks again


Jeremy
Click to expand...
No problem and thanks for point that out to me i fixed it in the how to [?|] lol.... I removed the bottom part of the dash just to make it easier to work... a lil more room but im sure it can be done with in in place what ever is easier for you...
 
S
#12 · (Edited)
whynothinkwhynot: I bought a new wiper motor and had it installed for a total of apx. 800 US dollars today. the mechanic couldn't guarantee that it was the motor that caused the problem (fuse popping) cause he couldn't find anything wrong with the old one. neither could he locate a faulty wire or bad connectors. fingers crossed that this will fix the problem!
 
M
#17 ·
Just fixed it. THANKS!!

Thanks to this forum for giving a great detail on this easy fix.[wrenchin]

It took me 10 minutes from start to finish.

BTW, the part number I got from my Ford Dealership is the following:

F57B-14B192-AA

I assume it's a replacement for the F5TZ-14N089-B mentioned above.

My cost was $13.
 
#52 ·
mmcclusk2 said:
BTW, the part number I got from my Ford Dealership is the following:

F57B-14B192-AA

I assume it's a replacement for the F5TZ-14N089-B mentioned above.

My cost was $13.
Click to expand...
GB904150 said:
Hi,
MMCCLUSK2 gives p/n

F57B-14B192-AA

I assume it's a replacement for the F5TZ-14N089-B


David
Click to expand...
F5TZ-14N089-B and F57B-14B192-AA are the exact same relay. The F57B number is just the engineering number Ford uses on the actual part. The F5TZ number is the actual part number we Ford parts guys use.

So to clarify; F57B-14B192-AA will be on the actual part. The bag it comes in, or the invoice you're billed on through the Ford dealer will be F5TZ-14N089-B. They're the same exact thing, both numbers cross right over to the other. If that makes sense.

Hope that helps. And my ZX3 is having the same problem.
 
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#20 ·
Not all have this relay setup...

Take a look at your relays before you buy a replacement. I've got a 2001 ZX3 and much to my surprise, I've a combined relay instead of two individual relays in R18 & R19. I pull the fuse panel down and didn't see what I thought I would.
[scratch]​

I looked in my owners manual and sure enough, it says R18 & R19 "May be combined." You can replace this combine with two of the individuals. I tried a single in both ports and it works.
 
B
#82 ·
wiper relays

WingsVK97 said:
Take a look at your relays before you buy a replacement. I've got a 2001 ZX3 and much to my surprise, I've a combined relay instead of two individual relays in R18 & R19. I pull the fuse panel down and didn't see what I thought I would.
[scratch]​

I looked in my owners manual and sure enough, it says R18 & R19 "May be combined." You can replace this combine with two of the individuals. I tried a single in both ports and it works.
Click to expand...
Are R18 & R19 relays interchangeable?
 
W
#22 · (Edited)
Replacement relay

These relays list for $3.60 each at Newark Electronics.
Part number CM1-12V

http://www.newark.com/jsp/content/printCatalog.jsp?cat=cat125&page=1544&display=single

http://www.newark.com/52F9218/elect...anical-industrial-control/product.us0?sku=PANASONIC-EW-CM1-12V&_requestid=57667

http://pewa.panasonic.com/pcsd/product/auto/pdf/mech_eng_cm.pdf

Direct replacement parts, look like much higher quality than the POS originally installed.
Best part is they work perfectly!

Any automotive store or electronics supply store should be able to supply automotive relays. These are standard off the shelf items, no need to go to the Ford dealership.


I didn't have to remove the lower dash to replace the relays. Open the door for accessing the fuse panel. Use a 7mm nut driver to remove the two screws and the fuse panel will come out.
 
#24 ·
Bringing this back, only because this is the proper thread.

I ordered two of those relays from Newark Electronics, as stated above. Installed them both and the rear wiper still doesn't work. It does, however, make a click sound coming from the relay. So I decided to order the Ford one as stated in the first post. Just got it today and it's still only one half of the relay. My car originally had the one single relay (the huge one). So now I'm really confused. Was I supposed to get two of them?
 
B
#28 ·
Excellent!

4 minutes and $16.00 later they work right. I looked at mister bin's tool list, got ready and found that with said needlenose pliers, I could carefully bend the sheetmetal up and remove the relay. It doesn't compromise the integrity of the car, and if it is a usual enough problem to spark a discussion here, I'm gonna guess I'll be back in there again someday... This house is great!

Can't wait for the euro model to come state side
 
#29 ·
fyi its the same relay as the one you take out to do the fog light mod.
 
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