Ford F150 Windshield Wipers Won’t Turn Off – [4 DIY Troubleshooting Guides]

Imagine driving on a hot sunny day, and your Ford F150 windshield wipers won’t turn off, which is extremely irritating! Well, I am here to save your day.

In this article, I will talk about all the possible reasons why Ford F150 windshield wipers won’t shut off and the easy troubleshooting methods you can try.

The most common reason Ford F150 windshield wipers won’t stop is the bad multifunction switch (aka combination switch). Some others can be a bad wiper fuse, a bad wiper relay, or a damaged battery sensor.

Please Note: You can follow this windshield wipers troubleshooting guide for any Ford F150 model from 1992 and upwards. 

Some common years include: Ford F150 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021.

4 Reasons Why Ford F150 Windshield Wipers Won’t Turn Off!

Here are the four troubleshooting methods to fix the windshield wipers of your Ford F150.

1. Bad Wiper Fuse

One of the most common reasons the windshield wipers won’t stop on your Ford F150 is the bad or blown wiper fuse.

Open the junction box under the hood, and inspect the fuses associated with the wiper module. See your owner’s manual to identify the wiper fuse. The number varies among the model years.

You need to replace the bad fuse. And hopefully, changing the fuse will fix your wiper problem immediately.

But if it doesn’t make any difference, you need to look for other components associated with the wipers.

To have a temporary fix, you need to remove the wiper fuse from the fusebox, which will disable the windshield wipers.

2. Bad Wiper Relay

Next, inspect the wiper relay in the fuse box under the hood. You can easily identify it with the help of the owner’s manual.

Once you identify it, go ahead and swap it with another identical relay from the box and see if it makes any difference in the wiper behavior.

If the relay is faulty, the swap should fix the issue, and you can be sure the wiper relay is causing your wiper to stay on.

So, to fix the wiper problem, you need to change the faulty wiper relay.

3. Bad Battery Current Sensor

Sometimes the Ford F150 wipers won’t shut off when the ignition is off. And they will keep operating until you disconnect the negative terminal of the battery or the battery completely drains out.

If you’re facing this situation, the battery current sensor on the negative battery cable may be faulty, and it’s messing up with the Body Control Module (BCM), hence the functionality of the wiper blades.

So open up the hood, and inspect the battery terminals and cables. If the negative battery cable is extremely corroded, possibly the sensor is damaged or shorted out too.

And you should replace the negative cable and the sensor to fix this issue.

4. Bad Multifunction Switch

The most common reason Ford F150 wipers won’t turn off is the multifunction switch (also called combination, turn signal, or wiper switch).

When this situation occurs, about 90% of the time, it turns out to be the multifunction switch is faulty.

Especially if you own an F150 model from 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 and the windshield wipers continue to operate at the lowest intermittent speed. Then, you can be sure the multifunction switch is not functioning correctly.

Ford issued a technical service bulletin (TSB 15-0061) back in April 2015 regarding this wiper condition, and they recommended installing a new multifunction switch to solve this problem.

Ford F150 Multifunction Switch Part Numbers (1992-2021)

You need to make sure that you’re getting the right switch for your truck.

To make it more convenient for you, I have spent quite a few hours finding the correct OEM part numbers for your specific F150 model year, as you can see in the following table.

Please Note: If your truck has a rain sensor installed (with rain sensing wipers), ensure you get the appropriate switch.

How to Replace the Multifunction Switch on Ford F150?

Now, as you have the replacement switch on your hand, it’s time to remove the old one. Here’s the step-by-step guide to replacing the multipurpose switch on your Ford F150.

Step 1: Unscrew the Bolts

First, remove the three bolts from the bottom of the steering column housing with a 5.5 mm or 7/32 inch socket.

Step 2: Remove the Steering Shroud

Rotate the steering wheel to get the shroud panel edges. Then, take a flathead screwdriver and pry up the flaps on both sides (left and right).

The top steering housing panel will come off easily, and you can leave the bottom panel where it is.

Step 3: Remove the Torx Screws

Turn the steering wheel to the left, revealing the Torx screws. The top screw holds the wiper switch, and the bottom holds the pedal adjustment switch.

First, remove the bottom screw with a Torx screwdriver. Both of them are T10 Torx screws.

Step 4: Unplug the Pedal Adjustment Switch

Unplug the pedal adjustment switch. It will make the process easier to remove the wiper switch.

Step 5: Unplug the Multifunction Switch

Now with a bit of jiggle, pull the multifunction switch out, and it will pop right off from the connector.

Step 6: Reconnect the New Multifunction Switch

Next, clean any build-up, dirt, or gunk on the connector. Then push the new switch to the connector slot. And it will easily clip in.

And the replacement is done here. But before putting everything else back in place, test whether the new switch works properly.

Final Words

I hope I have covered everything you need to know about why your Ford F150 windshield wipers won’t turn off and how to fix it. If your problem is associated with the multifunction switch, I recommend you replace it and do it yourself.