I have a 96 explorer and the cowl is held on by clips. If you slide a flexible putty knife in the seam on the hood side, it will stop next to the clip area.
By carefully prying up so as not to damage anything, the cowl will pop up at each clip. On one end it has to be pried up where it tucks into the fender space. and the washer hose has to be disconnected . You can stop the engine with the wiper in the straight up position. There is enough space in the cowl hole to slip over the wiper arm etc.
This works on a 96 Explorer, hopefully a 99 is similar.
There is also a Philips head screw that needs to be removed where the two halves of the cowl join together.
It is located under the windshield cowl (the plastic cover with the holes in it, directly under the windshield). To expose it - remove the wiper arms, and the retaining nuts on the wiper shafts, then remove the screws holding down the cover.
They are located under the air inlet grill directly in front of the windshield. You have to remove the wiper arms and antenna to remove the grill.
You can find the cabin filter on your 2000 Ford Explorer under the hood, below the grille where the windshield wipers are found.
you have to remove the cowl panel under the windshield. it is attached with several screws
the battery is under the hood by the windshield on the passenger side,
It is under the cowl thing. You must remove the wipers. MAKE SURE YOU MARK THE LOCATION OF THE WIPERS ON THE WINDSHIELD.
It is under the cowl at the base of the windshield. You will have to remove the wiper arms and the cowl cover to access.
Under the dash , on the drivers side
There is a small compartment under the wripper which you have to remove the wripper before opening it. Inside you will see an adapter which can connect to your heated windshield.
The flashing red light is for the factory security system that comes with your vehicle, I own a 2002 Ford Explorer and we have the same thing...
As I understand it, the windshield washer tank has to be removed. The battery is under it.
under the cowl, remove wiper arm assembly, remove cowl, remove windshield washer resvior (sp) and you will find it