Component
VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES
31 NHTSA complaints about visibility:rear window wiper/washer:linkages issues across 15 makes and 25 models.
The visibility:rear window wiper/washer:linkages is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 31 filings from 15 manufacturers and 25 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.
Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD EXPLORER with 4 filings, followed by FORD EXPEDITION and CHEVROLET VENTURE. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.
Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.
Most Affected Vehicles
| # | Vehicle | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FORD EXPLORER | 4 |
| 2 | FORD EXPEDITION | 2 |
| 3 | CHEVROLET VENTURE | 2 |
| 4 | CHEVROLET MALIBU | 2 |
| 5 | VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN | 1 |
| 6 | PONTIAC TRANS SPORT | 1 |
| 7 | PLYMOUTH VOYAGER | 1 |
| 8 | MAZDA TRIBUTE | 1 |
| 9 | KIA SEPHIA | 1 |
| 10 | JEEP WRANGLER 4-DR 4X4 | 1 |
| 11 | HONDA PILOT | 1 |
| 12 | GMC SUBURBAN | 1 |
| 13 | FORD WINDSTAR | 1 |
| 14 | FORD F-250 | 1 |
| 15 | FORD F-150 | 1 |
| 16 | FORD ESCAPE | 1 |
| 17 | DODGE GRAND CARAVAN | 1 |
| 18 | DODGE CARAVAN | 1 |
| 19 | DAEWOO LANOS | 1 |
| 20 | CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY | 1 |
| 21 | CHRYSLER SEBRING | 1 |
| 22 | CHEVROLET SILVERADO | 1 |
| 23 | CHEVROLET ASTRO | 1 |
| 24 | BUICK LESABRE | 1 |
| 25 | AUDI A4 | 1 |
Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front windshield wipers were activated but failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-250. The contact stated that the rear sliding window was leaking. The contact noticed that the carpet was wet. The water was leaking into the wiring harness. There were
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HINGES ON THE REAR WINDSHIELD WERE LOOSE AND THE REAR WINDOW WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED
A YEAR AGO MY REAR LEFT WINDOW HINGE BROKE. COST TO REPAIR $50 FOR PART. NOW THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW HINGE BROKE COST NOW HAS INCREASED TO $80 FOR REPAIR. REAR PANEL CRACKED WHEN HEAT WAVE OCCURRED. FOR
REAR PANEL WAS CRACKED WHICH THEN LEAD TO THE REAR WINDOW HINGE FAILING AND THE WINDOW SHATTERED IN AN UNPROVOKED MANNER. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 AUDI A4 AVANT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID PREVENTS THE WIPERS FROM WORKING PROPERLY. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE WIPERS TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE PERS
WHILE DRIVING DURING ICE STORMS IN JANUARY 2007 THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING DUE TO A BROKEN PIVOT HOUSING ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE SAME DEFECT WAS COVERED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 01V068
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 JEEP WRANGLER 4X4. ON THREE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING 25MPH, THE SNOW FROZE THE LINKAGE ON THE VEHICLE AND THE WIPERS DIDN'T OPERATE NORMALLY. SNOW ALSO ENTERS THE HEATER VE
TL* - ON JANUARY 2, 2007 WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT FOUND OUT THAT THEREWAS RECALL 98V072000, ON THIS VEHICLE , AND TOOK IT TO A DEALER, AND DEALER REFUSED TO DO RECALL REPAIRS.
THE ELECTRIC WINDOW REGULATORS ARE POORLY MADE AND SUBJECT TO FAILURE EVEN WITH LITTLE USE OF THE WINDOWS. *JB
SITTING IN VEHICLE IN GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT AND HEARD LOUD POP SOUND. I NOTICED THE REAR WINDOW HAD SHATTERED. I LATER CONCLUDED THAT THE REAR WINDOW SHOCKS HAD EXPLODED AND SHATTERED THE REAR WIN
WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONSUMER NOTICED WATER COMING THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETE
NARY 05/21/2003 *MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED REAR BRAKE SUSPENSION, TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE, REAR WINDOW SEALANT LOOSE, AND STEERING PROBLEMS. *CB
CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH 1999 KIA SEPHIA. NAR 07/21/2003.*MR TRANSMISSION, REAR BLINKERS, BRAKE PADS, FUEL PUMP AND VALVE. *CB
WHILE TRAVELING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE IN VERY HEAVY RAINS AND RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THEN MY WIPERS WERE STOPPED & CRISS-CROSSED IN FRONT OF ME. I FELT EXTREMELY LUCKY TO GET OFF
I HAVE A 1999 GRAND CARAVAN, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTICES AT ALL. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. WHY HAVEN'T I BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY OF THESE CONCERNS. I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH
WINDSHIELD WIPER HOUSING FELL OUT/ TRANSMISSION GRINDS IN THIRD GEAR.*MR CONSUMER COULDN'T TURN WIPERS ON OR OFF. *PH
REAR PASSENGER'S WINDOW EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH. FORTUNATELY SEAT WAS EMPTY AND NOBODY WAS HURT.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PIVOT ARM HAD TO BE REPLACED ONE YEAR AGO UNDE RECALL 99 V 189 000. CONSUMER STATES THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS STUCK IN THE UP POSITION WITH THE MOTOR RUNNING. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER VIEWS. DEALER SORRY THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.
Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.
Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.