The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated Tuesday that it is upgrading an investigation into 1.7 million General Motors vehicles for windshield wiper failures.
The auto safety agency started the investigation in November 2018 to see if the automaker needed to expand a 2016 recall of 2013 model year Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain SUVs to cover more vehicles.
The engineering analysis investigation covers 2010-2012 and 2014-2016 Equinox and Terrain vehicles. NHTSA could demand a recall following the completion of the probe.
NHTSA stated it has reviewed 1,900 complaints and reports associated with the issue in the 1.7 million vehicles.
NHTSA stated it has observed elevated failure rates in the 1.7 million vehicles, even though GM stated the recalled vehicles have “double the warranty rate and five times the complaint rate.”
GM stated it “fully cooperate to support their investigation. We do not believe these windshield washer systems are defective.”
The wiper failures that led to the 2016 recall were attributed to water and debris intrusion into the windshield wiper assembly ball joints, resulting in excessive wear and eventual detachment of the ball joint.”
GM stated it was setting up an improved windshield wiper motor and transmission assembly and moving a drain hole at the base of the windshield.
