Ford Recalls 605K SUVs Due to Windshield Wiper Issue

Michael Strong
by Michael Strong

Ford Motor Co.’s quality issues continue rearing their ugly head as the company just recalled nearly 605,000 SUVs due to a problem with windshield wiper motors.


According to  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents, the company needs to repair 604,533 small and midsize sport-utility vehicles, including select Ford Escapes and Explorers as well as Lincoln Corsairs and Aviators built between 2020 and 2022.

The affected vehicles have front windshield wiper motors where the motor’s cover terminal isn’t properly aligned with the brush card terminal. As a result, this can produce a poor electrical connection causing the front wipers to work “intermittently” before they stop working altogether.

Ford told NHTSA there have been 1,374 warranty claims related to the problems since 2021. After an initial investigation about the matter was closed in September that year, Ford reopened its query late last year as part of separate investigation into production problems for a different component.


“Between November 2025 and February 2026, Ford and its supplier collaborated to review historical teardown records, analyze warranty claims, and conduct replication testing to gain a deeper understanding of the onset of the failure mode. This analysis established the suspect period of production driven by the root cause terminal mismatch condition,” the recall report notes.

Owners will be notified by mail if they’re vehicle is part of the action. They’ll be told to take their vehicle to the nearest Ford or Lincoln dealer where the motors will be inspected. If faulty, they’ll be replaced at no cost to the owner.

It’s the second major recall by Ford in the last 10 days. On Feb. 26, the company announced it was recalling 4.4 million trucks, SUVs, and vans due to a problem where those vehicles could lose their brake and trailer lights while towing.


[Images: Ford, Lincoln]


Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by  subscribing to our newsletter.

Michael Strong
Michael Strong

Michael Strong has spent more than 25 years writing about the automotive industry. A Detroit-area native, he’s written about everything from local car shows to product reviews to financial news. Currently he writes and edits for a variety of national and local publications. He’s also a longtime member of the Automotive Press Association and the International Motor Press Association, and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Hail Southern! Despite a love for ’70s land yachts and BMWs from the late ’80s and early ’90s, his personal vehicle is neither of those.

More by Michael Strong

Comments
Join the conversation
6 of 34 comments
  • Grandmaster T Grandmaster T on Mar 05, 2026

    I LIKE INTERMITTENT WIPERS!!

  • EBFlexing on ur mom EBFlexing on ur mom on Mar 06, 2026

    Yesterday Ford had 14 recalls when I checked. Now they have 17. Built Ford Proud

    • See 3 previous
    • MaintenanceCosts MaintenanceCosts on Mar 09, 2026

      Looking forward to when EBFlex is old and gray, because he will reject the electric wheelchair and insist on one powered by a two-stroke lawnmower engine.


  • Andarris Here in the Toronto area I haven't seen a 2006-2012 with intact rocker pannels for over two years now. I presume everywhere around the Great Lakes is the same ? They were super cheap dhring the first two years of the pandemic - could get one with less than 85K for around $6500 certified or a little higher mileage for $5000. Glad I skipped it, even in 2021 some of the 10's &11's were displaying corosion like you'd see on a 7 year older Impala, Camry or Accord. Also the mid-model switch to EPS made me balk at the few clean ones I found.
  • Kjhkjlhkjhkljh kljhjkhjklhkjh I do not ever have delays. I only fly out of PDX or EUG to LAS or OAK and OGG then back .. have never been delayed in the last ?30-ish? trips to vegas/disneyland/maui/cruise ship vacations.... EUG has contract tsa so we never have any TSA delays. unsure which airports have PRIVATE contract TSA that is UNAFFECTED by the deadlock that i HOPE NEVER EVER END.
  • Big Al from Oz gidday mites how are yall feelin today? Want to have a barbie? We are right here gettin dee fire ready
  • Michael S6 The 3 Amigos better hope that the oil spike is short lived as 4-5 dollar a gallon gas would put a damper on their cash cows especially "Ford's strategic shift" of killing off the escape/Lincoln cousin. Most other automakers have a full line of vehicles with much better full economy. GM is sucking air and its Cadillac devision is mostly EV and geriatric line up of ICE cars and SUV's that were supposed to be phased out this year. The expensive gas may push shoppers toward EV but GM's horrible EV reliability is a barrier.
  • Tane94 I read the GM press release about first quarter sales 2026 vs 2025 and Buick is getting its butt kicked:Buick Total* 41,654 61,822 -32.6 The future is bleak for Buick.
Next