Wiper arm woes
The front driver’s wiper arm in my 2017 Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost stops halfway down the windscreen intermittently. I have been back to the dealer under warranty and had a new motor fitted and reprogrammed, but the problem persists. I recently had the ECU rechipped from 125bhp to 140bhp, as a result of which the dealer says the vehicle is no longer under warranty, even though this has nothing to do with the wiper problem. Owen Lennon
Your vehicle has two wiper motors, one for each wiper arm. They need to be programmed to ensure that they are synchronised in operation. If the dealer has reprogrammed the wipers correctly, this should have rectified the problem.
The Ford literature does state that, if the battery level is low when the procedure is carried out, the body control module (BCM) may not enter the learning mode. It also says that the windscreen should be clean and dry before the procedure is carried out.
Many independent garages now have equipment that is capable of dealer-level diagnostics and it may be worth checking around your area for such an independent.
The process of resetting is as follows: 1) First, ensure the battery is up to full power and that no ‘low battery’ or ‘battery saver mode’ warnings are showing. It is preferable to have a smart charger attached to the battery to maintain the voltage during the process. 2) Switch on the ignition and then turn the wipers on and off, ensuring the wipers return to the ‘park’ position. 3) Using the diagnostic scanner, place the
windscreen wipers into ‘learn’ mode. 4) Press the wiper/washer lever down three times within three seconds. The wiper arms should move to a pre-set position close to the A-pillars. Now gently pull the wiper arms towards the A-pillars until they are 50cm from the edge of the screen. If the wipers are pulled too close to the edge of the screen DO NOT push them back again because this can damage the motor. 5) Press the wiper/washer lever down once. This will set the position of the wipers in the memory and move the wipers into the ‘park’ position. 6) Using the diagnostic scanner, place the wiper system back to ‘normal’ mode and test the operation of the wipers to ensure the sweep is correct. It would also be worth checking the connecting plugs and the condition of the wiring to both wiper motors, paying particular attention to any area where the wiring may have rubbed through and caused a problem.
As the wiper control is complex and does have to be set in the BCM,
Ford may regard any alteration to the electronic controls – even the ECU – as reason for not honouring the warranty. However, I would try contacting Ford customer services on 020 3564 4444, selecting Option 3 to be connected to the Customer Relationship Centre. This problem has already been identified on your Focus, so they may be able to assist you further.