Key Takeaways
- Ford has issued 14 recalls in the first three months of 2026, the highest of any automaker.
- Over 604,000 vehicles, including the Ford Explorer and Escape, are affected by faulty windshield wiper motors.
- Dealers will replace the wiper motors at no charge, but customers may experience long wait times for the fix.
Ford’s Ongoing Recall Issues
As of early 2026, Ford continues to struggle with recall issues, having issued 14 recalls so far, far surpassing competitors such as Toyota and Hyundai, which have each issued five. The latest recall concerns windshield wiper motors in various 2020-2022 models, including the Ford Explorer, Escape, and their Lincoln counterparts, the Aviator and Corsair. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 604,533 vehicles are affected by this defect, which has raised safety concerns, particularly given predictions of extreme weather conditions across the country.
The NHTSA report clarifies that while the wiper motor itself may not be entirely faulty, a misalignment in the motor’s cover terminal with the brush card terminal can lead to insufficient electrical continuity. The problem stems from the manufacturing process by OEM supplier Valeo, rather than assembly issues at Ford facilities. Consequently, the erratic performance of the wipers—sometimes working and other times failing—poses a safety risk for drivers.
Dealers have been informed about the necessary repairs, and affected customers can expect the wiper motors to be replaced at no cost. However, the timeline for notifications and repairs is frustratingly long. While VINs are available for search on nhtsa.gov and interim owner notifications will be distributed next week, the official remedy notifications are projected to be sent out from May 11-15.
Adding to the dissatisfaction among impacted customers, the windshield wiper problem has been known since 2021, when Ford initially began investigating warranty claims and complaints related to the issue. By September 2021, Ford had closed its investigation, asserting that the condition did not pose significant safety risks. At that time, it was thought that the problem would not present itself in many vehicles. However, in November 2025, Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group reopened the investigation due to an uptick in occurrences of the issue.
After reviewing historical records and warranty claims, Ford identified 1,374 warranty claims linked to this specific wiper motor failure by February 18. Fortunately, despite the high number of affected vehicles, Ford has not reported any accidents or injuries connected to this defect. Unfortunately, for many customers waiting for a resolution, the delay may stretch up to five years since the inception of the issue.
As Ford attempts to address this ongoing challenge, the company’s ability to rectify these concerns efficiently may significantly influence customer satisfaction and brand trust moving forward.
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