[Jontron]

So I jumped in my 94 escort to head to work this morning, and I flipped the wipers on to clear the windshield and nothing. This is after 2 days ago the blower quit blowing, I replaced the resistor cause I just figured that was it and nothing. No blown fuses or anything I can tell, and now no wipers a buddy of mine thinks its a loose ground connection but Im thinging ignition switch any help much appreciated.

PS I'm new to the form. Seems pretty active and glad to be here

 

[grampy666]

welcome!

first of all, spend $20 on a digital voltmeter and $20 on a Chilton's manual if you don't already have these. The manual will have generic wiring diagrams that you can use as a guide.

are there any other electrical problems? do the parking lights and headlights work? do the turn signals work? hi and low beams work? radio works? rear windshield wiper works? any problems starting the car? If any of these are still working, then it's not likely to be the ignition switch. Not saying it isn't the switch, just not likely.

check the negative connector at the battery. On these Escorts, there's a secondary ground connector for various electrical circuits integrated with the main negative ground clamp. Make sure this secondary connector isn't loose, frayed, broken or corroded. If it is, fix it.

If all of the above passes, then this problem is going to require some electrical sleuthing and I recommend that you work on one problem at a time. The 2 problems may or may not be related; if they are related, then diagnosing one may solve the other. I don't recommend that you just guess and throw parts at it; you'll quickly get frustrated and have an empty wallet to boot.

Turn the ignition key to the "run" position

go to the fuse panel in the cabin (driver's side footwell, I think) and use the diagram inside the cover to identify the windshield wiper fuse. Pull the fuse and look at it carefully to make sure it's not blown. If there's corrosion on the fuse blades, clean it off or replace the fuse. Put the fuse back in and test. If the wipers still don't work, try wiggling the fuse with the wipers on. If the wipers still don't work, pop the fuse again and check for 12V at each of the contacts in the fuse box by touching one lead of the meter to a contact and the other to any nearby metal. If you don't have 12V at either contact, then you've got a problem with electrical supply to the fuse.

If you do have 12V at the fuse, put the fuse back in.

Go to the fuse panel in the engine compartment and check all the fuses. Identify any relays (big square boxes in the fuse-box) that might be associated with the wiper or the blower, pull them out, clean the blades and re-insert. Don't try to diagnose the relays, yet.

Find the connector to the wiper motor. Carefully disconnect it, turn the wipers on and check each terminal for 12V by inserting one test lead from the meter into the connector and touching the other to any nearby bare body metal. If you don't have 12V at any terminal, you've got an electrical problem between the fuse and the wiper motor. If you do have 12V with this test, find the ground connector in the terminal (likely a black wire) and test again with the other terminals one at a time. If you don't have 12V, then you have a ground problem. Double-check the ground in the connector by setting the meter to "ohms" and touching one test lead to the ground terminal and the other to bare metal. You should get zero or close to it.

That should keep you busy for a while. Let us know how the testing goes and we can offer other advice based on the results.

 

[Jontron]

Alright sounds like I need to get to work figuring this out. Never felt much with electrical but, no better time to learn than today I will start with what you offered and let you know what I find

 

[denisond3]

I go along with suspecting a bad ignition switch. They have a reputation for going bad. I once drove an Escort of mine with the electrical part of a new ignition switch connected to the wiring harness, and using a small screwdriver instead of the ignition key to operate it. After which I replaced just the part of the ignition switch that is the actual electrical part, not the key-lock part. I had the bottom part of the steering column clamshell off to do this.
There is a fuse in the underhood fuse box that is called the BTN fuse. I dont know what the btn means, but if that fuse is blown, the radio wont work, the alternator wont charge, and the running lights wont come on.

 

[Jontron]

welcome!

first of all, spend $20 on a digital voltmeter and $20 on a Chilton's manual if you don't already have these. The manual will have generic wiring diagrams that you can use as a guide.

are there any other electrical problems? do the parking lights and headlights work? do the turn signals work? hi and low beams work? radio works? rear windshield wiper works? any problems starting the car? If any of these are still working, then it's not likely to be the ignition switch. Not saying it isn't the switch, just not likely.

check the negative connector at the battery. On these Escorts, there's a secondary ground connector for various electrical circuits integrated with the main negative ground clamp. Make sure this secondary connector isn't loose, frayed, broken or corroded. If it is, fix it.

If all of the above passes, then this problem is going to require some electrical sleuthing and I recommend that you work on one problem at a time. The 2 problems may or may not be related; if they are related, then diagnosing one may solve the other. I don't recommend that you just guess and throw parts at it; you'll quickly get frustrated and have an empty wallet to boot.

Turn the ignition key to the "run" position

go to the fuse panel in the cabin (driver's side footwell, I think) and use the diagram inside the cover to identify the windshield wiper fuse. Pull the fuse and look at it carefully to make sure it's not blown. If there's corrosion on the fuse blades, clean it off or replace the fuse. Put the fuse back in and test. If the wipers still don't work, try wiggling the fuse with the wipers on. If the wipers still don't work, pop the fuse again and check for 12V at each of the contacts in the fuse box by touching one lead of the meter to a contact and the other to any nearby metal. If you don't have 12V at either contact, then you've got a problem with electrical supply to the fuse.

If you do have 12V at the fuse, put the fuse back in.

Go to the fuse panel in the engine compartment and check all the fuses. Identify any relays (big square boxes in the fuse-box) that might be associated with the wiper or the blower, pull them out, clean the blades and re-insert. Don't try to diagnose the relays, yet.

Find the connector to the wiper motor. Carefully disconnect it, turn the wipers on and check each terminal for 12V by inserting one test lead from the meter into the connector and touching the other to any nearby bare body metal. If you don't have 12V at any terminal, you've got an electrical problem between the fuse and the wiper motor. If you do have 12V with this test, find the ground connector in the terminal (likely a black wire) and test again with the other terminals one at a time. If you don't have 12V, then you have a ground problem. Double-check the ground in the connector by setting the meter to "ohms" and touching one test lead to the ground terminal and the other to bare metal. You should get zero or close to it.

That should keep you busy for a while. Let us know how the testing goes and we can offer other advice based on the results.

So I checked the fuse panel and there is no power to the fuse with the wipers on. I checked the negitive battery terminal. And everything is good and tight. So I'm not getting power to the fuse panel so...I'm kinda stumped. Still thinking the ignition switch from other threads I've red with similar problems still open to suggestions.

 

[grampy666]

then it does seem likely that the ignition switch is indeed the cause of your multiple electrical device failures...I assume the HVAC blower is still out to lunch? If not, then the issue could be in the multifunction switch, but again, since you haven't reported any electrical failures with other devices controlled by the multifunction switch, it doesn't seem likely...

at this point, if it were my car, I would do some tracing and testing of the wires from the wiper fuse, but that can get quickly frustrating without a year and model specific wiring diagram directly from Ford...the chilton's or Haynes diagrams are generic and often don't match up to what you have, so unless you've got some electrical experience, they aren't much use. Not sure what a new ignition switch costs or what availability in a junk yard might be, but that may be your best bet...see if you can find a common connection at the ignition switch in the wiring diagrams for the blower motor and the wiper; if one exists, then it's a reasonably safe bet that is the cause of the problem...

sorry I can't be of more help, I'm working from memory as I no longer have an Escort...

 

[Jontron]

then it does seem likely that the ignition switch is indeed the cause of your multiple electrical device failures...I assume the HVAC blower is still out to lunch? If not, then the issue could be in the multifunction switch, but again, since you haven't reported any electrical failures with other devices controlled by the multifunction switch, it doesn't seem likely...

at this point, if it were my car, I would do some tracing and testing of the wires from the wiper fuse, but that can get quickly frustrating without a year and model specific wiring diagram directly from Ford...the chilton's or Haynes diagrams are generic and often don't match up to what you have, so unless you've got some electrical experience, they aren't much use. Not sure what a new ignition switch costs or what availability in a junk yard might be, but that may be your best bet...see if you can find a common connection at the ignition switch in the wiring diagrams for the blower motor and the wiper; if one exists, then it's a reasonably safe bet that is the cause of the problem...

sorry I can't be of more help, I'm working from memory as I no longer have an Escort...

Yeah blower still doesn't work so I'll try it I have one ordered now I'll post back with results

 

[Jontron]

So I replaced the electrical switch for the ignition...it was a pain but only took 40 mins start to finish. Everything works like I should. So I guess if your wiper blades don't run and the blower won't then it's probably the ignition switch, anyway thanks!

 

[grampy666]

So I replaced the electrical switch for the ignition...it was a pain but only took 40 mins start to finish. Everything works like I should. So I guess if your wiper blades don't run and the blower won't then it's probably the ignition switch, anyway thanks!

goes to show what I know...glad you were able to fix it without throwing parts at it...

 

[Jontron]

goes to show what I know...glad you were able to fix it without throwing parts at it...

Well on my way to the store this afternoon the a/c went out again after my wife killed the motor...she's new to a standard trans. I thought "damn the switch they sold my is fualty"...but the light was still on for the a/c so i just checked the resistor for the blower and wouldn't you know it the brand new resistor I bought was busted...so I put the 23 year old one back in... Just goes to show how the manufacturing process has changed anyways she's blowing strong again after that hickup...and yeah the electrical for the ignition only cost me 40 bucks so with the crappy resistor I'm only at 58...I think I did alright...less than a shop and not as fun

 

[Pizzaman5000]

I have found with my 2g's that the connector on the bottom of the blower motor burns out often. I clean the connectors with foaming battery cleaner and coat the connections with silicone brake grease or bulb grease as a heat sink. Thermal paste is supposedly best, but I use brake grease because I have a huge tube.

every ecort I've had had the fan connector burn out intermittently, but the grease seems to keep them fixed. I never replace the pigtail. I only clean and grease them.

 

[David79]

I have a 95 escort LX. I've already replaced the ignition switch when it went bad. Son left the lights on killed the battery, after I got it jumped the blower motor and windshield wipers don't work. I don't have any power to the fuse inside for the wipers, or the blower motor. Any help on how I can figure this out.

 

[Pizzaman5000]

I have a 95 escort LX. I've already replaced the ignition switch when it went bad. Son left the lights on killed the battery, after I got it jumped the blower motor and windshield wipers don't work. I don't have any power to the fuse inside for the wipers, or the blower motor. Any help on how I can figure this out.

For the sake of a quick reply, I would just kinda bet it's the ignition switch. I have replaced mine like three times in 9 years. I believe the stereo should also not work.
I may be wrong, but this failure is super common.