How to Repair the Windshield Washer Motor on a 2003 Ford Windstar

In 1995, Ford introduced the Windstar, a Caravan-like minivan, to complement its existing Aerostar minivan. The 2003 model year was the last one for the Windstar, as Ford redesigned its minivan and renamed it the Freestar the following year. The 2003 Windstar has two sets of windshield washers, front and rear, and both systems use a reservoir-mounted pump to create the pressure needed to shoot the washer fluid onto the windshield. When the washer fluid pump malfunctions, it is simpler and more cost effective to replace it rather than repair it.

Instructions

1

Open the vans hood. Find the two bolts securing the upper part of the washer fluid reservoir to the Windstars body, just in front of the coolant degas bottle. Remove these bolts with a ratchet and socket.

2

Remove the two bolts securing the coolant degas bottle, which are located near the top of the bottle, with a ratchet and socket. Move the coolant degas bottle a few inches away from the washer fluid reservoir and secure it with a bungee strap.

3

Loosen the lug nuts on the passengers side wheel with a ratchet and socket. Raise the front of the van with a floor jack and slide jack stands under its subframe. Lower the Windstar onto the jack stands. Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheel from the vehicle.

4

Remove the screws securing the outer part of the passengers side wheel-well liner using a ratchet and socket. Pry out the pins on the inside of the liner with a flat-head screwdriver. Remove the wheel-well liner.

5

Look inside the wheel well and find the cornering lamp assembly mounted to the bumper. Remove the two screws securing the cornering lamp assembly using a ratchet and socket, and press the assembly outward to provide access to the washer fluid reservoir.

6

Unplug the washer fluid level sensor by pressing and holding the unlocking button on the sensors wiring harness and pulling the harness away from the sensor. Remove the lower mounting bolt on the washer fluid reservoir and pull the washer fluid tank downward to access the hoses and pumps.

7

Label the hoses and wiring harnesses plugged into the washer fluid pumps in a way that will aid you in installing them correctly, using a permanent marker and masking tape.

8

Pull the two rubber hoses from the washer pumps with a slight twisting motion. Press and hold the unlocking button on each washer pumps wiring harness there are two washer pumps and unplug the harness from each pump. Pull the washer fluid reservoir from the Windstar.

9

Pour the old washer fluid from the washer fluid reservoir into a clean container.

10

Pull the failed pump the front pump is for the front washers and the rear pump is for the rear washer from the washer fluid reservoir with a slight twisting motion.

11

Roll the O-ring, which comes with the new pump, onto the inlet nipple on the new pump until it seats in its groove, if its not already installed.

12

Align the inlet nipple on the new washer pump with its hole in the washer fluid reservoir and press the pump into the hole until it seats into place.

13

Plug the hoses back into their respective nipples on the washer pumps, using your labels as a guide. Plug the wiring harnesses into their respective fluid pumps,again using the labels as an aid. Remove the labels from the washer fluid lines and wiring harnesses.

14

Lift the washer fluid reservoir back into place in the engine compartment and hand-thread its lower and upper bolts. Torque the lower mounting bolt to 27 inch-pounds with an inch-pound torque wrench and socket. Tighten the upper mounting bolts to 53 inch-pounds. Plug the washer fluid level sensors wiring harness back into the sensors receptacle

15

Reinstall the wheel-well liner and tighten its outer retaining screws with a ratchet and socket, then press its inner retaining pins into place to secure it in place.

16

Reinstall the front wheel and hand-tighten its lug nuts. Raise the Windstar off the jack stands with a floor jack and remove the stands. Lower the van to the ground and tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern to 100 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

17

Remove the degas bottle from the bungee strap, then set the bottle in its original position. Hand-tighten the degas bottles retaining bolts and tighten them to 88 inch-pounds.

18

Refill the washer reservoir with the fluid in the clean container. Top it off with new washer fluid as needed.