Photo: Ford
Ford, Lincoln, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have announced a new recall in the United States for certain SUVs and trucks.
Models such as the 2020-2021 Ford Expedition, F-150, 2020-2022 F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, and the 2020-2021 Lincoln Navigator are included in this safety campaign. As per the official estimate, only 1% or so have the defect out of the total of 652,996 vehicles.
But what exactly is the problem? The answer comes from the safety watchdog, which states that these cars were equipped with front windshield wiper arms that could break. The head spline teeth of these parts were made “out of design specification, and with higher torque wiper motors,” the NHTSA explains, revealing that the issue is blamed on the supplier, Mexico’s Trico Componentes SA de CV.
Owners should look for “erratic or slow wipe speed” of the wipers, as these are good indications that they could fail. Obviously, “an improper functioning wiper arm may potentially result in reduced visibility in certain conditions, which could increase the risk of a crash,” the safety agency added.
Dealers have been aware of this recall since earlier this week, and the planned owner notification is scheduled for May 23-27. Those whose names are written on the dotted line of the vehicles mentioned above, which are not in VIN order, by the way, and have already fixed this problem on their own will be reimbursed if they can prove it. The ending date for the reimbursement is estimated to be June 6 this year.
The fix is easy, as the company’s authorized technicians will replace both front windshield wiper arms. This action will be carried out free of charge. Owners who may have questions on the topic can contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332, using the recall number 22S26, and/or the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.
But what exactly is the problem? The answer comes from the safety watchdog, which states that these cars were equipped with front windshield wiper arms that could break. The head spline teeth of these parts were made “out of design specification, and with higher torque wiper motors,” the NHTSA explains, revealing that the issue is blamed on the supplier, Mexico’s Trico Componentes SA de CV.
Owners should look for “erratic or slow wipe speed” of the wipers, as these are good indications that they could fail. Obviously, “an improper functioning wiper arm may potentially result in reduced visibility in certain conditions, which could increase the risk of a crash,” the safety agency added.
Dealers have been aware of this recall since earlier this week, and the planned owner notification is scheduled for May 23-27. Those whose names are written on the dotted line of the vehicles mentioned above, which are not in VIN order, by the way, and have already fixed this problem on their own will be reimbursed if they can prove it. The ending date for the reimbursement is estimated to be June 6 this year.
The fix is easy, as the company’s authorized technicians will replace both front windshield wiper arms. This action will be carried out free of charge. Owners who may have questions on the topic can contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332, using the recall number 22S26, and/or the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.
Google News