Wiper Position After Recall - Heated Wiper Park

[Fizzy]

I had the recall done on our 2020 Expedition last summer. This winter I noticed that after the recall work, the wipers sit higher up on the windshield than before.

The result is that the wipers are now 1 - 2 inches above the heated wiper park tracks in the windshield. With the arctic temps we've had up here (-45c / -49f) that's been problematic with the wipers freezing up.

Anyone else noticed this? When I spoke with the dealership they said there's not much they can do, but on the next service they can take the cowl off and recalibrate the entire wiper mechanism. Seems like overkill to me...

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

I had the recall done on our 2020 Expedition last summer. This winter I noticed that after the recall work, the wipers sit higher up on the windshield than before.

The result is that the wipers are now 1 - 2 inches above the heated wiper park tracks in the windshield. With the arctic temps we've had up here (-45c / -49f) that's been problematic with the wipers freezing up.

Anyone else noticed this? When I spoke with the dealership they said there's not much they can do, but on the next service they can take the cowl off and recalibrate the entire wiper mechanism. Seems like overkill to me...

The wiper arms (with the blades) can be removed and repositioned lower on the windshield when parked, like the dealer should have done when they did the recall repair.

 

[Fizzy]

The wiper arms (with the blades) can be removed and repositioned lower on the windshield when parked, like the dealer should have done when they did the recall repair.

Not the updated part number. The old ones, yes. The old ones were recalled because under certain conditions the teeth would strip off.

The new wiper arms have a single fixed positioning spline/lug. They can only slot into the receiver in a single position. They can not be adjusted by repositioning the arm.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Not the updated part number. The old ones, yes. The old ones were recalled because under certain conditions the teeth would strip off.

The new wiper arms have a single fixed positioning spline/lug. They can only slot into the receiver in a single position. They can not be adjusted by repositioning the arm.

Thank you - I didn’t realize that.

 

[Fizzy]

Resurrecting this one from the dead. Winter is coming and this is going to be a problem again.

I've been wondering if maybe bending the wiper arms in a vice/brake so they angle a few degrees further down would work. Would this result in the powder coat finish on the arm cracking off at the bend?

 

[BigOleFordFan]

Resurrecting this one from the dead. Winter is coming and this is going to be a problem again.

I've been wondering if maybe bending the wiper arms in a vice/brake so they angle a few degrees further down would work. Would this result in the powder coat finish on the arm cracking off at the bend?

Not the updated part number. The old ones, yes. The old ones were recalled because under certain conditions the teeth would strip off.

The new wiper arms have a single fixed positioning spline/lug. They can only slot into the receiver in a single position. They can not be adjusted by repositioning the arm.

Well, I know that on my 011 EL, I didn't like where the wipes sat when idle, so I repositioned them 1 notch lower and all was good. I did not know that newer models prevented that with a one-notch shaft...bummer

Anyhow, bending the arms might crack the finish, but you could try to apply a little indirect heat to them 1st.. by placing them in an oven at ~250f for about 10 mins, or use a 1500w hair dryer, but NOT a heat gun.... I've used this trick for some other situations and it kept the finish (similar type) from cracking...but YMMV of course...

 

[Fizzy]

Well, I know that on my 011 EL, I didn't like where the wipes sat when idle, so I repositioned them 1 notch lower and all was good. I did not know that newer models prevented that with a one-notch shaft...bummer

Anyhow, bending the arms might crack the finish, but you could try to apply a little indirect heat to them 1st.. by placing them in an oven at ~250f for about 10 mins, or use a 1500w hair dryer, but NOT a heat gun.... I've used this trick for some other situations and it kept the finish (similar type) from cracking...but YMMV of course...

The original gen 4 wiper arms (and F150, F250, and F350) had a splined socket, so you could do as you did - pop off, rotate a little, put it back on.

The recall however was because in heavy snow, the arms pushing on the accumulated snow would get stuck then the motor would strip the splines off. This actually happened to me about 3 months before the recall was announced. The new part has one key/lug that forces it into a single position. The dealership said there was a possibility of adjusting from the wiper mechanism, but that would mean pulling the cowling off, and messing with the linkages. Not something I want to get into.

Not a bad idea with the heat. I might order a new arm (they're like $15). Then if I screw up the old one I can slap on the new one.

Why not a heat gun? Too much juice?

 

[BigOleFordFan]

Why not a heat gun? Too much juice?

Because I have found most consumer-oriented, non-professional models to be very inaccurate on their heat ranges advertised vs. actual output, and in this scenario, excessive heat would probably have bad effects on the finish very quickly. I know it's supposedly very hard & durable (unless they've managed to make it way better nowadays), but once high heat gets involved (well above what exposure to direct sunlight would produce), that all goes away rather quickly.

I've had several guns over the years that said "350F" on the box, but in actual use, went way up to ~425-475F or higher, AND with no way to quickly control/reduce it down, could be disastrous in this scenario...

 

[Fizzy]

Because I have found most consumer-oriented, non-professional models to be very inaccurate on their heat ranges advertised vs. actual output, and in this scenario, excessive heat would probably have bad effects on the finish very quickly. I know it's supposedly very hard & durable (unless they've managed to make it way better nowadays), but once high heat gets involved (well above what exposure to direct sunlight would produce), that all goes away rather quickly.

I've had several guns over the years that said "350F" on the box, but in actual use, went way up to ~425-475F or higher, AND with no way to quickly control/reduce it down, could be disastrous in this scenario...

Ok - so I'm an idiot... the part I was seeing is an alignment key. It locks the arms to a preset factory position. If the arm needs to be adjusted outside of that default position, the key is to be removed. Just did that and now the arms are sitting right on the wiper heating elements!

Maybe this will help someone else someday.

 

[BigOleFordFan]

Ok - so I'm an idiot... the part I was seeing is an alignment key. It locks the arms to a preset factory position. If the arm needs to be adjusted outside of that default position, the key is to be removed. Just did that and now the arms are sitting right on the wiper heating elements!

Maybe this will help someone else someday.

View attachment 82630

Cool, good info to have, but a tad simpler on mine cause no key

 

[LegalBrief]

I’m lost, if there is no key what makes the arm move?

 

[Fizzy]

I’m lost, if there is no key what makes the arm move?

There are still splined teeth all the way around. It’s just that the original wiper arms (before the recall) the factory had removed the key lugs. When I looked at the new arms (after the recall) all I noticed was the keys and thought “oh - that’s a totally different design” and put them back on.

 

[BigOleFordFan]

There are still splined teeth all the way around.

^^THIS^^

Just to be clear, there were NO keys/lugs on my 011 OEM arms, nor on the replacements I ordered from da Rock, so it was merely a matter of pulling off the old ones (with a small "wheel-puller" tool) & installing the new ones, lining them up to the spot where I wanted them, gently tapping them down onto the splines with a small rubber mallet, screwing down the bolt & closing the top cover to finish the job...