Component
VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
52 NHTSA complaints about visibility:rear window wiper/washer:switch/wiring issues across 19 makes and 39 models.
The visibility:rear window wiper/washer:switch/wiring is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 52 filings from 19 manufacturers and 39 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 1 crash, 3 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the PLYMOUTH VOYAGER with 3 filings, followed by ISUZU RODEO and FORD EXPLORER. 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 | PLYMOUTH VOYAGER | 3 |
| 2 | ISUZU RODEO | 3 |
| 3 | FORD EXPLORER | 3 |
| 4 | PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER | 2 |
| 5 | NISSAN XTERRA | 2 |
| 6 | LAND ROVER FREELANDER | 2 |
| 7 | FORD TAURUS | 2 |
| 8 | CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY | 2 |
| 9 | CHEVROLET S10 | 2 |
| 10 | CHEVROLET BLAZER | 2 |
| 11 | TOYOTA SEQUOIA | 1 |
| 12 | TOYOTA 4RUNNER | 1 |
| 13 | SATURN VUE | 1 |
| 14 | PONTIAC GRAND AM | 1 |
| 15 | OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE | 1 |
| 16 | OLDSMOBILE ALERO | 1 |
| 17 | MITSUBISHI GALANT | 1 |
| 18 | MERCURY SABLE | 1 |
| 19 | LINCOLN TOWN CAR | 1 |
| 20 | KIA SEDONA | 1 |
| 21 | JEEP LIBERTY | 1 |
| 22 | JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE | 1 |
| 23 | HYUNDAI ACCENT | 1 |
| 24 | FORD WINDSTAR | 1 |
| 25 | FORD FORD | 1 |
| 26 | FORD FOCUS | 1 |
| 27 | FORD F-250 | 1 |
| 28 | FORD F-150 | 1 |
| 29 | FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC | 1 |
| 30 | FORD EXPEDITION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
The plastic window switch has peeled, creating essentially a very sharp edge that has cut me and caused bleeding and pain. It is available for inspection and I have pictures. This is a problem known t
CPSC:SECURED MY TWO CHILDREN INTO THE MIDDLE SEATS OF MY 2007 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, SECURED MYSELF INTO THE DRIVER SEAT, AND LEFT MY RESIDENCE. LESS THAN 2 MILES INTO THE DRIVE, I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL,
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CARAVAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V234000 (REAR QUARTER VENT WINDOW SWITCH); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, BOTH REAR WINDOWS RELEASED IN AN OPEN POSITION INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THEY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. WHILE AT AN AUTOMATED CAR WASH, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW SWITCH SHORT CIRCUITED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, FLAMES APPEARED AND ENGULFED THE VEHICLE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WINDOW SWITCH OVERHEATED AND STARTED TO SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE THE REAR WINDOW SWITCH WAS REM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL HOUSING WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON TWO OCCASION
PROBLEM IS WITH REAR POWER WINDOWS WHEN THE ASSEMBLY BREAKS THE CABLE JAMS THE DOOR LOCK AND YOU CAN NOT OPEN THE REAR DOOR. *TT
COMPLETE LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION WHICH CAUSES LOSS OF VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING DURING RAIN, SNOW, OR ICE AND INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH. *KB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 GMC SIERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. HE WAS ABLE TO USE THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS. THERE WERE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE INTREPID. WHEN PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER WOULD NOT ALLOW THE CONTACT TO INSPECT ITS UNDERCARRIAGE. AFTERWARDS, THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AND A M
MY WIPERS WORK AT TIMES, HOWEVER MOST OF THE TIME I CANNOT GET THEM TO WORK AT ALL. I HAVE THE SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL THAT IS INCLUDED IN RECALL# 03V159000. HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO MY VIN, MY TRUCK I
WATER PUMP FAILED, TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT, GAS PUMP FAILED TOOK IT TO SHOP TO REPLACE IT, GAS TANK LID FAILED, BOTH ONE FROM DEALER TO REPLACE IT, ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM FAILED, TRANSMISSION FA
WATER PUMP FAILED, TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT, GAS PUMP FAILED TOOK IT TO SHOP TO REPLACE IT, GAS TANK LID FAILED, BOTH ONE FROM DEALER TO REPLACE IT, ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM FAILED, TRANSMISSION FA
MY SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T CONSISTENTLY WORK. SOME TIME IT DOES.. SOME TIMES IT SAYS I'M DOING 110 MPH AND PEOPLE ARE PASSING ME AND MY RPMS ARE AT 1800. ALSO WHEN MY SPEED OMETER DOESN'T WORK MY REAR DFO
REAR WINDOW STOPPED WORKING. I HAD ABOUT 55,000 MILES ON MY TOYOTA WHEN THIS STARTED. MY REAR WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL DOWN. A FEW WEEKS LATER, I TRIED IT AND IT WORKED, THEN NEXT TIME I TRIED TO ROLL
MAJOR ELECTRICAL FIRE WHICH DESTROYED THE ENGINE ROOM HARNESS , SHORTED THE POWER TRANSIISTOR IN THE DISTRIBUTOR, DESSTROYED THE HOOD RELEASE CABLE AND BURNED THE WINDSHIELD WASHER TUBING, AND ALSO MU
TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED ABOUT THE 2003 FORD EXPLORER XLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON, AND WHEN IT WAS ON, THE AIRBAG DEACTIVATED WHICH WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED AL
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE DID NOT START IMMEDIATELY UPON TURNING THE IGNITION. THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED BRIEFLY. PREVIOUSLY, THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO 3 DIFFERENT PRIVATE REPAIR
APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO AFTER JUST STARTING MY XTERRA, I NOTICED THAT THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS ON. I BEGAN TO PRESS THE SWITCH TO TURN THE WIPER OFF, THINKING I HAD LEFT IF ON, BUT REALIZED
Related Vehicle Components
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints involve visibility:rear window wiper/washer:switch/wiring issues? ▼
How dangerous are visibility:rear window wiper/washer:switch/wiring defects? ▼
Which vehicles have the most visibility:rear window wiper/washer:switch/wiring problems? ▼
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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.