Ford recalls more than 650K trucks; windshield wipers can fail

AUTOS

Ford recalls more than 650K trucks; windshield wipers can fail

Published Thursday, April 21, 2022 8:48AM EDT

A Ford logo is seen on signage at Country Ford in Graham, N.C., on July 27, 2021. (Gerry Broome / AP)

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DETROIT -- Ford is recalling more than 650,000 pickup trucks and big SUVs in the U.S. because the windshield wipers can break and fail.

The recall covers certain F-150 pickups, and Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs from the 2020 and 2021 model years. Also included are F-250, 350, 450 and 550 trucks from 2020 through 2022.

Ford's F-Series pickups are the top-selling vehicles in the U.S.

The company says in documents posted Thursday by U.S. safety regulators that teeth on the wipers aren't the right height. That can cause the wiper arms to become stripped. Documents say malfunctioning wiper arms can reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash.

Dealers will replace both front windshield wiper arms. Owners will be notified by letter starting May 23.

Ford Motor Co. says that as of Feb. 25 it had 754 reports of malfunctioning wiper arms. Some of the trucks were built with higher-torque wiper motors due to the global shortage of computer chips.