Wipers work intermittently. when I turn on the switch and the wipers dont come on,I hear a high pitched noise like their is power,but the wipers still only work when they want to

Hi Justin , Do you know what a SJB - smart junction box is and where it is located on you escape ?
Windshield Wiper Operation
The smart junction box (SJB) supplies power to the multifunction switch from the SJB fuse 25 (20A) when the ignition switch is in the ON or ACC position. The multifunction switch supplies power to the windshield wiper motor for the HIGH or LOW/INTERMITTENT input, depending on the multifunction switch position selected. The SJB also supplies power directly to the windshield wiper motor from fuse 25 (20A) when the ignition switch is in the ON or ACC position for RUN/PARK operation. When the multifunction switch is in the LOW, HIGH, or INTERMITTENT position, power is supplied to the windshield wiper motor, which moves the wipers off the park position. Once the wipers are off the park position, an internal switch in the windshield wiper motor switches to the run/park position which directs power to the wiper switch then back to the wiper motor. This maintains power to the windshield wiper motor to complete the wipe cycle. When the cycle is complete, the internal switch in the windshield wiper motor switches back to the park position. If the multifunction switch is in the LOW or HIGH position, power is supplied from the multifunction switch and another wipe cycle starts. If the multifunction switch is in the INTERMITTENT position, the windshield wipers remain parked until the internal relay in the multifunction switch supplies power to the windshield wiper motor. The internal relay supplies power after a time delay that is determined by the 1 of 9 intermittent switch settings.

The wiper delay is in the steering column. It's a small box about 2 x 2 inches with a wiring harness attached. With the testing procedures I found below, you should be able to figure it out. I found wiper delays on eBay for around $10 to $20. Good luck.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS CHEROKEE, COMANCHE & WAGONEER 1. POWER INPUT Remove circuit breaker. Test battery side of circuit breaker. If battery voltage is not present, repair open to splice. Test across circuit breaker terminals. Tester reading should be zero (0) ohms. If not, replace circuit breaker. 2. GROUND Connector A unplugged. Test terminal G. Tester reading should be zero (0) ohms. If not, repair open to ground. 3. INTERMITTENT WIPERS Ignition switch in ACCY. Remove delay module and plug connectors together from the module. If wiper operate in LO and HI speed modes and mist (washer) is working, if wipers and mist operate, replace intermittent module. If not go to step 4. 4. WIPER/WASHER SWITCH Ignition in RUN, wiper switch position as indicated, back probe switch side of connector A for standard, connector B for intermittent: Test connector terminal E-wiper switch in LO and mist/intermittent. If battery voltage is not present, replace switch. test connector terminal C-wiper switch in HI. If battery voltage is not present, replace switch. Test connector terminal F-wiper switch to OFF. If battery voltage is present until wipers stop and then voltage drops to zero (0), system is working fine. If this does not occur, replace switch. 5. INTERMITTENT WIPERS Connector B unplug. Test across terminal A and D while rotating switch from minimum to maximum delay. If tester reading is not between 0-500 ohms, replace switch. Test across terminal A and G while rotating switch from minimum delay to maximum delay. If tester reading is between 0 and 500 ohms, replace wiper module. If not replace switch. 6. WIPER MOTOR Ignition in ACCY, wiper switch position as indicated, probe connector D. Test connector terminal 1. If resistance is no zero (0) ohms,repair open to ground. Test connector terminal 4-wiper switch in any position. If battery voltage is present, replace motor. if is not repair open from fuse panel. Test connector terminal 2-wiper switch in LO. If battery voltage is present, replace motor. If not , repair open from wiper switch. Test connector terminal 2-wiper switch in HI. If battery voltage is present, replace motor. If not , repair open from wiper switch. Test connector terminal 5-wiper switch OFF with voltmeter connected. If battery voltage is present until wipers stop and then voltage drops to zero, system is OK, replace motor. If not, repair open from wiper switch.






Found on the web. I hope this helps.
Rich Long

A wiring diagram doesn't show a relay, just a 25 amp fuse in fuse panel under driver's side of dash. Intermittent working is usually from a loose or poor or corroded connection, or the switch is old and tired, or the motor is old and tired.
Here is one way to check, if you have a test light: when the wipers are not working with wiper switch on high, and key is on, pull off the connector to the wiper/washer motor module (in the engine bay, on the firewall) and check if the purple wire has power. If it does, you probably need to replace the module. Inside the module is a park relay switch (to return wipers to down position when turned off) and a circuit breaker between the motor and ground.
If the purple wire does not have power when key is on and wipers on high, the connection is lost between the switch and the module, or the switch may be malfunctioning. The switch has 5 wires, white wire from 25 amp fuse (power in to switch), a pink wire (for the washer motor), a purple wire (high speed wipers), a dark green wire (low speed wipers), and a gray wire (for the park relay switch inside the wiper/washer motor module). If you see a yellow wire also at the module, that is part of the low speed wiper circuit (the dark green wire) coming from the park relay switch and then to the motor.
Good luck. Post back if further questions, or need more help.

No relay in the circuit.
There is a delay module but if it fails that usually causes the wipers to stop in the middle of travel or only run on high.
And the switch is working if you hear noise coming from the motor. The wiper switch is not the same switch as the turn signals but it is near that assembly.
I would say if you have power to the wiper motor the motor is probably dead or something happened to the linkage to the arms.

most likely cause is the wiper switch has gone bad and unable to 'time' the intermittent speeds.the intermittent speeds work on a resistor type system where low and high speeds add direct voltage.

It might be either switch itself or wiper relay.
Ufortunatly I don't know location of the relay.
You can actually find relay by noise , put the switch on intermittent position and see where the cliking coming from.

Hi:
If your truck has a wiper switch that you rotate counter clockwise to get the intermittent wipe mode, and turn clockwise to get to the low and high settings, then your truck has a interval wiper relay module. You could have a bad wiper switch assembly too, as the intermittent part of the switch is seperate from the low and high wiper switch. It is a inexpensive part, less than $20 for the switch, and the interval wiper relay part is somewhat expensive, 70-100 bucks or so. My truck didn't have intermittent wipers when I bought it, so I went to a junk yard and removed a switch and a module from a wrecked truck for $40, and it has worked fine ever since. Maybe you can find a good used part to swap into your truck for testing? Once you buy new electrical parts, you cant return them!

Sounds like a defective multiswitch on the steering column that is used to turn on wipers, washer, intermittent, etc. If you were only having problems with the washer, I might suspect the washer motor. But the fact that you are also having problems with the intermittent feature, I would suspect the multiswitch. If you can get access to the washer motor, you can test it by putting 12V to the connector to see if the pump will come on. Are your turn signals activated with the same switch as the wipers?

i belive that your wiper switch has gone out on the intermittent side. this is a very common problem.
I hope this helps you
Thanks
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Check your power steering fluid level, and system for leaks. May be a bad p/s pump as well. Hope this helps