Component
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
661 NHTSA complaints about visibility:windshield wiper/washer:switch/wiring issues across 32 makes and 170 models.
The visibility:windshield 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 661 filings from 32 manufacturers and 170 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 5 crashes, 11 fires, 8 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the CHEVROLET S10 with 40 filings, followed by FORD TAURUS and CHEVROLET BLAZER. 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 | CHEVROLET S10 | 40 |
| 2 | FORD TAURUS | 35 |
| 3 | CHEVROLET BLAZER | 34 |
| 4 | FORD RANGER | 29 |
| 5 | DODGE GRAND CARAVAN | 28 |
| 6 | PONTIAC GRAND PRIX | 25 |
| 7 | CHEVROLET LUMINA | 18 |
| 8 | FORD F-150 | 14 |
| 9 | CHEVROLET SUBURBAN | 13 |
| 10 | CHEVROLET SILVERADO | 13 |
| 11 | GMC JIMMY | 12 |
| 12 | CHEVROLET ASTRO | 12 |
| 13 | FORD EXPLORER | 11 |
| 14 | CHEVROLET C/K PICKUPS | 11 |
| 15 | FORD EXPEDITION | 10 |
| 16 | CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY | 10 |
| 17 | BUICK REGAL | 10 |
| 18 | DODGE CARAVAN | 9 |
| 19 | PLYMOUTH VOYAGER | 8 |
| 20 | GMC SONOMA | 8 |
| 21 | GMC SIERRA | 8 |
| 22 | CHEVROLET LUMINA APV | 8 |
| 23 | CHEVROLET CAVALIER | 8 |
| 24 | PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER | 7 |
| 25 | OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS | 7 |
| 26 | FORD WINDSTAR | 7 |
| 27 | FORD FOCUS | 7 |
| 28 | CHEVROLET TAHOE | 7 |
| 29 | MERCURY SABLE | 6 |
| 30 | LINCOLN TOWN CAR | 6 |
Recent Complaints
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR COVER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURNED ON WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SWITCH FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY AN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW SWITCH CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. T
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATED, SMOKE BEGAN TO EMIT FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION, THE WIPERS WOULD ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATE AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL
2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NO INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION, FUEL AND OIL LEAKS, BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS COMES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH. *S
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, BUT THE WIPERS WOULD NOT TURN ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN
2006 DODGE RAM 3500 WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING UNTIL LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED. THIS HAPPENS REPEATEDLY CAUSING LOSS OF VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN. *KB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE RS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH WHEN HE ENGAGED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LEVER IT FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMAT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL BUT THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL CAME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HIS RESID
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD ALSO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY AND WHEN OPERATING THE WIPERS, THE HAZARD
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 65 AND 70 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ENGAGED WHEN SUDDENLY, THE WINDSHIELD WIP
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HUMMER H2. THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ACTIVATED YET SHE WAS UNABLE TO DEACTIVATE THEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY WERE UNSUC
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND ENGAGING THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL IT ACTIVATED THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL INSTEAD. OCCASIONALLY, THE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SWITCH. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, HE DISCOVERED A RECALL FOR THIS PARTI
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. SHE WAS INFORMED BY AN AUTO PARTS STORE THAT THE NECESSARY PART FOR THE REPAIR WAS INCOR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK. THE WASHER/WIPER SWITCH POWER FEED WIRE CAUSES THE WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND BECOME INOPERA
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL FROM APPROXIMATELY 2-5 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO IMMEDIATELY STOP. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE BRAKE SYSTEM, B
2000 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE WITH A SHOCK RUPTURE DUE TO RUST. CONSUMER STATES THAT IT IS RARE THAT RUST IN THAT AMOUNT HAPPEN ON THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. SHE STATES THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT GOING
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints involve visibility:windshield wiper/washer:switch/wiring issues? ▼
How dangerous are visibility:windshield wiper/washer:switch/wiring defects? ▼
Which vehicles have the most visibility:windshield 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.