Ford is recalling more than 650,000 pickup trucks and big SUVs in the US 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 US.
The company says in documents posted Thursday by US safety regulators that the 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 the letter starting May 23.
Ford 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.
Ford is the mass-market brand of Ford Motor Co., which also sells luxury vehicles in North America under the Lincoln name. As cars have fallen out of favor with many U.S. shoppers, SUVs are now the bulk of Ford’s lineup, including the three-row Explorer that’s once again on a rear-wheel-drive-based platform. There’s also the full-size Expedition and a bunch of five-seat SUVs: the mid-size Edge, compact Escape, and subcompact EcoSport.
The Ford F-Series pickup line, which includes the F-150 and Super Duty trucks, remains the best-selling vehicle in the U.S., and the Ranger pickup returned for 2019 with mid-size dimensions. Another classic nameplate that’s back is the Ford Bronco, an off-road SUV meant to compete with the Jeep Wrangler.
Ford also makes performance cars, including the Mustang and GT supercar. There’s also the all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV.