# Ford Focus 2004 Intermittent wiper problem

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-focus-2004-intermittent-wiper-problem/44536>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** intermittent, focus, ford\
**Created:** [February 15, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-focus-2004-intermittent-wiper-problem/44536 "2010-02-15T19:52:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Schroyerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Schroyerd](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Schroyerd)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-focus-2004-intermittent-wiper-problem/44536/1 "2010-02-15T19:52:00Z")

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My intermittent wipers have stopped working, but the normal wipers work fine. Now I was going to replace the intermittent wiper relay, but Ford has placed a metal plate in front of the relay. And I was told if the relay were bad then NO wipers would work. My question is should I cut the plate off so I can replace the relay or should I just go and replace the wiper motor?

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**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-focus-2004-intermittent-wiper-problem/44536/2 "2010-02-15T21:39:37Z")

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I wouldn’t cut anything off there but Ford must have a good reason for covering the relay up.

Are you sure the delay function fault isn’t in the multi-function switch on the steering column?  
If I were you, I’d have the multi-function switch tested electrically before replacing the motor.

During the test, power continuity would be checked between the switch and the motor.

Those wiper motors aren’t cheap.

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**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-focus-2004-intermittent-wiper-problem/44536/3 "2010-02-15T22:29:16Z")

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The delay function should be a part of the wiper motor assembly. There are no replaceable relays inside, unless you are handy with a soldering iron. What makes you think that it is the relay as opposed to any of the other electronic components?

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**Author:** ![Schroyerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Schroyerd](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Schroyerd)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-focus-2004-intermittent-wiper-problem/44536/4 "2010-02-15T23:11:23Z")

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Ok the relay is on my fuse panel. It’s replaceable according to the owners manual. But physically there is a Metal plate, it looks like at first they screwwed it in then decided to weld it on. It’s like part of the firewall framing that covers half the relay. I have no idea why they made it that way. When when I looked online there was a lot of reports of the motors going bad and there seemed like there was a recall but I don’t think the recall covers my year. It’s really odd I can find references to the recall, but everything that points to the Nitse reports go to a dead end. The only reason I thought it might be a relay is the relay seemed replaceable by me as opposed to me having someone replace the motor, and when I looked in the owners manual under fuses (thinking just a fuse went bad) I found a relay saying “intermittent wiper relay”.