Dodge 2001 Ram 1500, Owner'S Manual

Page: 737 / 2889

WIPER MODULE
DESCRIPTION
The wiper module is secured with screws to the
cowl plenum panel and concealed within the cowl
plenum area beneath the cowl plenum cover/grille
panel. The ends of the wiper pivot shafts that pro-
trude through dedicated openings in the cowl plenum
cover/grille panel to drive the wiper arms and blades
are the only visible components of the wiper module.
The wiper module consists of the following major
components:
•
Bracket - The wiper module bracket consists of
a long tubular steel main member that has a
stamped pivot bracket formation near each end
where the two wiper pivots are secured. A stamped
steel mounting plate for the wiper motor is secured
with welds near the center of the main member.
•
Crank Arm - The wiper motor crank arm is a
stamped steel unit that has a slotted hole on the
driven end that is secured to the wiper motor output
shaft with a nut, and has a ball stud secured to the
drive end.
•
Linkage - The two wiper linkage members are
each constructed of stamped steel. A driver side drive
link with a plastic socket-type bushing in the left
end, and a plastic sleeve-type bushing in the right
end. Socket bushing is snap-fit over the pivot ball
stud on the left pivot, while the sleeve bushing is fit
over the longer wiper motor crank arm pivot stud.
The passenger side drive link has a plastic socket-
type bushing on each end. One end of this drive link
is snap-fit over the pivot ball stud on the right pivot,
while the other end is snap-fit over the exposed end
of the longer ball stud on the wiper motor crank arm.
•
Motor - The wiper motor is secured with three
screws to the motor mounting plate near the center
of the wiper module bracket. The wiper motor output
shaft passes through a hole in the module bracket,
where a nut secures the wiper motor crank arm to
the motor output shaft. The two-speed permanent
magnet wiper motor features an integral transmis-
sion, an internal park switch, and an internal Posi-
tive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) circuit breaker.
•
Pivots - The two wiper pivots are secured to the
ends of the wiper module bracket. The crank arms
that extend from the bottom of the pivot shafts each
have a ball stud on their end. The upper end of each
pivot shaft where the wiper arms will be fastened
each has an externally serrated drum secured to it.
The wiper module cannot be adjusted or repaired.
If any component of the module is faulty or damaged,
the entire wiper module unit must be replaced.
OPERATION
The wiper module operation is controlled by the
vehicle operator through battery current inputs
received by the wiper motor from the multi-function
switch on the steering column. The wiper motor
speed is controlled by current flow to either the low
speed or the high speed set of brushes. The park
switch is a single pole, single throw, momentary
switch within the wiper motor that is mechanically
actuated by the wiper motor transmission compo-
nents. The park switch alternately closes the wiper
park switch sense circuit to ground or to battery cur-
rent, depending upon the position of the wipers on
the glass. This feature allows the motor to complete
its current wipe cycle after the wiper system has
been turned Off, and to park the wiper blades in the
lowest portion of the wipe pattern. The automatic
resetting circuit breaker protects the motor from
overloads. The wiper motor crank arm, the two wiper
linkage members, and the two wiper pivots mechan-
ically convert the rotary output of the wiper motor to
the back and forth wiping motion of the wiper arms
and blades on the glass.
REMOVAL
(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative
cable.
(2) Remove the wiper arms from the wiper pivots.
(Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/WIPERS/WASHERS/
WIPER ARMS - REMOVAL).
(3) Remove the cowl plenum cover/grille panel
from the cowl plenum. (Refer to 23 - BODY/EXTERI-
OR/COWL GRILLE - REMOVAL).
(4) Remove the four screws that secure the wiper
module bracket to the cowl plenum panel and the
dash panel (Fig. 8).
(5) Reach into the cowl plenum to move the wiper
module far enough to access the wiper module elec-
trical connections (Fig. 9).
Fig. 8 Wiper Module Remove/Install
1 - WIPER MODULE MOUNTING SCREWS
8R - 14 WIPERS/WASHERS
BR/BE