April 11, 2012

Christopher Jensen writes in the New York Times (4/10) “Wheels” blog, “Ford is recalling about 140,000 Focus models from the 2012 model year because the windshield wiper on the passenger side could fail.” Jensen adds, “According to a summary posted over the weekend on the Web site of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford said a plug on an electrical connector intended to keep water from entering the motor might not have been installed. If water were to enter the motor, it could fail.”

NHTSA ending investigation of Ford vans. Meanwhile, in related coverage, the Detroit News (4/10, Shepardson) reports, “. “The NHTSA said that the “Dearborn automaker has agreed to take two actions to reduce the likelihood of a fire,” after the agency received “1,036 complaints, claims and field reports of failed blower motor control switches.” However, “Ford said the vehicles — some used as airport shuttles, school buses, ambulances or in public transit — have run an estimated 128 billion miles, and argued that they have performed extremely well.”