My 1999 F-150 has intermittent wipers and odometer. The wipers will sweep once in a while even though they are turned off. The LED odometer will be lit when I first start the truck but then turn off. The odometer will light up and turn off while driving. The overdrive doesn't turn off, even though the switch is good. A power window error code also comes up when it was put on the computer. Any suggestions?

 

Without a doubt, the "ghost wipes" are caused by a faulty turn signal arm assembly (the arm and everything sold as a unit) about 75 bucks, fairly easy install. The odometer is seperate issue, search the forums for a highly detailed article for that fix, mine does it too but haven't gotten to fix it yet. As far as the overdrive, ??? I can't say, someone else wanna field this one please?

 

Forgot, the arm with all controls turn signal, wipers, high beams etc. use really good patience because it can be tight and a few connections have holding tabs, so be careful not to break em.

 

Did all 3 things start to happen at the same time ?
Have you had a great deal of rain lately ?

The reason I ask, if you have a windshield leak, and maybe the GEM and Fuse panel are soaked, causing these tiems to happen ( OD, turn signals, and power windows can all be GEM related items, but not nessesarly ).

If you could answer the 2 questions above, we might be able to get on with getting a soultion for you. Hate to see you buy parts from no reason.

 

sscully, mine did these things, except the O/D thing pretty much at the same time but in the summer time. Guaranteed the weird wiper sweeps are the wiper control/ turn signal arm assembly. The other thing with the odometer has to do with a small circuit on the circuit board behind the guages that has just cracked and needs a small dab of solder to fix it. However, you do raise a good point with the fuse box. Maybe all three are connected to the same fuse or something else is common electrically. The owners manual will list which fuse supplies what so look there.

 

More so, all controlled by the GEM. The auto window down it a function of the GEM ( get got a PW error code ), the OD I thought was, but now in hind sight I cannot say for sure it is GEM controled, might onyl be PCM. I have seen the cold solder joint, but I thought that was more so dead display, but this could be the prelim to it.
The Wipers, I have seen both ways, dirt in the grease, clean out, works fine.

The GEM is in the same housing as the Central Junction Box, so if a leak develops, it gets both of them, and causes some nasty stuff to happen.

Just a thought for him to stick his head up under the dahs with a flash light, to see if it is a case of wet working both of them.

 

I think SSCULLY has the right idea. Seperate the GEM and CJB and look for any green fuzzies or water stains. If you've got access to compressed air, blow the CJB out and see if there's any water in it. If it was just the wipers at fault, I'd tend to lean towards the multifunction switch, but wipers and windows, there was probably water in the GEM/CJB at one time.

 

When the truck was put on the computer, all the codes that came up have one thing in common. They all run throught he instrument cluster. Is it possible that one of the harnesses has a connector that may have faulty connections? The overdrive is my main concern, as I tow my Jeep back and forth to Florida.