The supplier of the bad Transit wiper arms was not named.
Ford Motor has told U.S. dealers to stop deliveries of Transit Connect models because the Turkish built vehicle has defective windshield wipers that are now subject to a safety recall. More than 16,000 of the delivery vans from the 2011 and 1012 model years are affected.
In the required NHTSA filing, Ford said that no accidents or injuries have been reported thus far but wiper warranty rates were high. The defect is caused by short, out of specification wiper arm pivot pins – meaning they fail to connect. The wipers will become noisy with use and eventually fail if they are not repaired.
The fix requires the replacement of both driver- and passenger-side wiper arm and blade assemblies. As is usual, Ford did not publicize the recall with a press release, which is not required by law. The defect became known from the required NHTSA filing.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
