Wiper motor quit working

From your description of events, chances are, your wiper motor burned out, or the gears stripped, either way you're most likely looking at a new wiper motor. Blades frozen to the windshield, or trying to clear deep or heavy snow with wipers put a lot of strain on the motor and will very often cause it to burn out. The upside is if you are confident enough to try it yourself, most wiper motors are relatively easy to replace, and depending on your vehicle, it shouldn't be a horribly expensive part to purchase. Hope this helps, Good Luck :)

Check the fuse and relays.

First, scrape the ice and snow off the windshield and make sure that the wipers are not frozen onto the glass. Never use the wipers until you have cleaned off the windshield.

Sounds like ice buildup in front of the wiper blades.

It could be a fuse or your wiper motor has locked up. Do you hear the motor kick on when you turn them on?

Hi there,

• Turn the ignition on, and turn the front windshield wipers on. When the wipers are facing straight up on the window, turn the ignition off so they remain in that position.
• Disconnect the negative battery cable with an adjustable wrench. Remove the passenger side wiper blade assembly, by removing the pivot nut at the bottom with an adjustable wrench. Remove the wiper linkage access cover, and use a screwdriver to remove the wiper motor clip. Remove the wiper linkage from the wiper motor.
• Disconnect the electrical connector on the wiper motor. Remove the bolts and nuts, securing the wiper motor with a socket wrench. Remove the wiper motor from the vehicle. Install the new wiper motor, and tighten mounting bolts and nuts with a socket wrench. Connect the electrical harness to the new wiper motor. Connect the wiper linkage, and insert the linkage clip. Install the wiper blade assembly, and tighten the nut with an adjustable wrench.
• Connect the negative battery cable securely, using an adjustable wrench.

Hope this helps...

why do you think the motor still works if the wipers don't move? Can you hear the motor run or can you see a little movement when you turn the switch on?

What happens when you activate the washers?

go to a salvage yard that allows you to remove the parts yourself. Then you can see how the motor and linkage assembly comes out.


don't have 1983 info, but here is 1994:

Section 01-16A: Wiper and Washer System, Ranger/Explorer 1994 Ranger and Explorer Vehicles Workshop Manual
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION Windshield Wiper System, Ranger/Explorer The windshield wipers are actuated by a permanent magnet, rotary-type electric windshield wiper motor (17504) . The two windshield wiper pivot arms (17526) and windshield wiper blades (17528) are mounted on a pivot shaft, one at each side of the windshield. The windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft (17566) are connected to the motor by windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip (17531) . Ranger and Explorer vehicles are equipped with an interval wiper and washer (IWW) system featuring a lever-type turn signal and windshield wiper switch (13K359) mounted on the steering column. The IWW windshield wiper governor (17C476) uses a relay contact to control current to the windshield wiper motor . The governor electronic circuitry controls the contact to supply current to windshield wiper motor . A rear wiper/washer system is available on Explorer vehicles. The rear window wiper system consists of a windshield wiper motor mounted inside the liftgate (40010) , an articulating windshield wiper pivot arm and windshield wiper blade , a windshield wiper/washer switch (17A553) and an inline circuit breaker. The front electric windshield washer system consists of a control switch, integral with the turn signal, a windshield washer reservoir (17618) and windshield wiper motor and the necessary windshield washer hoses (17A605) , windshield washer nozzle jet and brackets (17603) and attaching parts.
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Pivot Shafts and Linkage Removal and Installation
NOTE: The left and right pivot and windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip assemblies are serviced separately.

1. Perform Steps 1 through 9 of Windshield Wiper Motor Removal as described in this section.

1. If servicing left windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip , remove left windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft and windshield wiper blade assembly.

1. Remove left windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip access cover.

1. Remove left pivot nut, lower windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip and slide it out through left access opening. For installation, follow removal procedures in reverse order. Tighten nut to 10-13 Nm (7-10 ft-lb). Make sure the clip is fully seated in the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip . Do not try to install clip with windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip on motor crank pin.
   

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Windshield Wiper Motor Windshield wiper motor are not serviceable. If worn or damaged, the windshield wiper motor must be replaced as an assembly. Removal

1. Cycle windshield wiper blades until in straight-up position and turn ignition switch OFF.

1. Disconnect battery and wiper motor electrical connector.

1. Remove the right windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft and windshield wiper blade .

1. Disconnect the battery ground cable (14301).

1. Remove the right pivot nut and allow the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip to drop into the cowl top outer panel .

1. Remove the linkage access cover, located on the right side of the dash panel near the windshield wiper motor.

1. Reach through the access cover opening and unsnap the wiper motor clip.

1. Push the clip away from the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip until it clears the nib on the crack pin. Then, push the clip off the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip.

1. Remove the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip from windshield wiper motor crank pin.

1. Remove nut and ground strap.

1. Remove three attaching nuts from windshield wiper motor. Remove the windshield wiper motor .

Installation

1. Position the windshield wiper motor and install the three attaching screws. Tighten to 13.6-19.0 Nm (10-14 ft-lb).

1. Install nut and ground strap.

1. Connect wiper motor electrical connector.

1. Install clip completely onto right windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip. Make sure the clip is fully seated. Do not put the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip on the motor crank pin and then try to install the clip.

1. Install the left windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip onto the wiper motor crank pin.

1. Install the right windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip onto the wiper motor crank pin. Pull the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip onto the crank pin until it snaps into place. The clip is properly installed if the nib is protruding through the center of the clip.

1. Install the right windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft and nut. Tighten the nut to 9.5-12.5 Nm (84-110 in-lb). NOTE: When the battery has been disconnected and reconnected, some abnormal drive symptoms may occur while the powertrain control module (PCM) (12A650) relearns its adaptive strategy. The vehicle may need to be driven 10 miles or more to relearn the strategy.
   

1. Connect the battery ground cable and turn the ignition switch on. Turn turn signal and windshield wiper switch off so windshield wiper motor will park, then turn ignition switch off. Replace right windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip access cover.

1. Install the windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft and windshield wiper blade assemblies on the pivot shafts to dimension X. Dimension X is the distance between the centerline of the blade saddle and the top edge of the cowl top outer panel grille. The value of Dimension X for each vehicle is given in the Dimension X chart in the Specifications portion of this section.

1. Test the system.

there are little tabs at the end of the arm where it attaches to the wiper trans. if you bend the arms up at the hinge and swing those tabs out the arms will stay up (a small screw driver can be used to move the tabs if they are stuck. A 1/8 screwdriver is a good choice, $4 at sears). once those tabs are out and the arms are holding themselves up just pull. you may need to rock them back and forth a bit but they should just pull off.

To remove the wiper motor itself:
1993 Aerostar/Ranger/Explorer

1. Turn the wiper switch on. Turn the ignition switch on until the blades are straight up. Then, turn ignition off to keep them there.

1. Disconnect battery and wiper motor electrical connector.

1. Remove the right wiper arm and blade.

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.

1. Remove the right pivot nut and allow the linkage to drop into the cowl.

1. Remove the linkage access cover, located on the right side of the dash panel near the wiper motor.

1. Reach through the access cover opening and unsnap the wiper motor clip.

1. Push the clip away from the linkage until it clears the nib on the crack pin. Then, push the clip off the linkage.

1. Remove the wiper linkage from motor crank pin.

1. Remove nut and ground strap.

1. Remove three attaching nuts from wiper motor. Remove the motor.

(instructions copied direct from ford shop manual)

at the base of the wiper arms pop the caps off turn on the wipers see if the safts are moving if they are tighten the nuts a little if that doesn't work you will have to replace the wiper arms i had the same ting happen on all three of my fords truck van and taurus

If the wipers were buried under snow/ice or frozen to the windshield, you may have blown the red 10 amp fuse located in cavity 9 in the fuse block located on the bottom left side of the instrument panel near the parking brake pedal.
In order of easiest to check:
1) ensure wipers not frozen to windshield.
2) ensure wiper arms are not loose on the pivot stud,
3) check the red 10 amp fuse.
You stated that "you can hear the motor". Which motor do you hear? The engine or the wiper motor?
If you hear the wiper motor, then the fuse is alright. Try 1) and 2) above.
PT Stanley