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How car recalls get reported
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) officially start car recalls after receiving complaints from consumers.
DETROIT - Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 600,000 vehicles due to faulty windshield wipers.
The recall report was published on Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Ford recalls more than 600,000 Explorer, Lincoln vehicles
Big picture view:
The company recalled 604,533 2020-2022 Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Aviator and Lincoln Corsair vehicles because the windshield wiper motor may fail and prevent the wipers from operating properly.
The recall warns that faulty wiper motors could reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash. (Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
What they're saying:
"In some of the affected vehicles, the front windshield wiper motor may become inoperative, or operate intermittently, potentially resulting in reduced visibility or loss of visibility in certain conditions, increasing the risk of a crash," the notice to dealers said.
Which Ford vehicles were recalled?
Dig deeper:
The recall is listed under NHTSA Campaign Number 26V117, and Ford’s internal recall number is 26S14.
The following Ford vehicles are affected:
- 2020-2022 Ford Explorer
- 2020-2022 Lincoln Aviator
- 2020-2022 Ford Escape
- 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair
History of recall
The backstory:
The recall stems from a 2021 investigation into warranty claims and customer complaints regarding inoperative or intermittent windshield wiper motors across Explorer, Escape, Corsair, and Aviator vehicle lines.
Ford has identified 1,374 warranty claims related to inoperative or intermittent windshield wiper motors within the affected population as of Feb. 18, 2026, but said it is not aware of any reports of crashes or injuries tied to the condition. The estimated defect rate is about 1% of the recalled population.
Ford will replace recalled wipers for free
What you can do:
NHSTA said dealers will inspect and replace the front wiper motors as necessary, free of charge.
Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed on March 9, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in May 2026.
Owners may also contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Ford has instructed dealers not to demonstrate or deliver new in-stock vehicles covered by the recall until repairs are completed. Federal law requires recall repairs to be completed before delivery to buyers.
Other Ford recalls
Big picture view:
Separately, Ford is also recalling 11,431 US vehicles because the driveshaft’s friction weld may fail, which could result in rear driveshaft separation and a sudden loss of drive power, NHTSA said. Dealers will repair that issue at no cost to owners.
RELATED: Ford recalls more than 410,000 vehicles; see affected models
Last month, more than 410,000 Ford SUVs were being recalled over a rear suspension defect that could raise the risk of a crash.
In addition, Ford recalled more than 4.3 million pickup trucks and SUVs due to a software issue that could cause trailer brakes not to function.
The Source: The information for this story was provided by NHTSA. This story was reported from Los Angeles. FOX Business, previous FOX Local reporting contributed.