Ford Recalls 605,000 Vehicles For Windshield Wiper Issue

Ford first learned of a potential problem in 2021.

2021 Ford Explorer

Photo by: Ford

Anthony Alaniz

By: Anthony Alaniz

Mar 5, at 1:00pm ET

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The Breakdown:

Ford is recalling 604,533 vehicles because their windshield wipers may fail.
The wiper motors have misaligned terminals that could result in a loss of functionality.
The recall affects the 2020-2022 Ford Explorer and Escape, and the 2020-2022 Lincoln Aviator and Corsair.

Ford is recalling 604,533 vehicles because their windshield wipers may fail. Some front wiper motors may have misaligned terminals, resulting in intermittent functionality before they completely fail.

The recall affects the 2020-2022 Ford Explorer and Escape, as well as the 2020-2022 Lincoln Aviator and Corsair. According to the recall report, these misaligned terminals can create a poor connection that eventually fails.

Ford first learned of a potential issue with the wipers in June 2021. The automaker opened an investigation but closed it in September of that year after determining "that the condition did not pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety." According to the report:

'This conclusion was supported by a low projected occurrence rate, the overt nature of the condition to the customer, and Ford’s assessment of regulatory compliance.'

Ford would reopen its investigation in November 2025 after learning of an increased rate of inoperative or intermittent wipers while looking into a separate issue. Between November and February 2026, the automaker and its supplier conducted further investigations, during which Ford uncovered 1,374 warranty claims related to the issue.

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The automaker decided to issue a recall late last month. It is unaware of any injuries or accidents related to the issue. Ford will begin notifying affected owners next week.

2020-2022 Explorer — 328,341 Affected
2020-2022 Aviator — 32,257 Affected
2020-2002 Escape — 210,349 Affected
2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair — 33,586 Affected
Total Affected — 604,533 Affected

Motor1’s Take: Ford has issued 14 recalls so far this year, nearly three times as many as the next manufacturer, Toyota. Last year, Ford Motor Company recorded the most recalls of any automaker, with 152 recalls affecting more than 13 million vehicles. Ford won’t likely get anywhere close to that number this year.

Recall Roundup:

Subaru Recalls Nearly 70,000 Cars For Fuel Leak Issues