The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility and 2020 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The affected vehicles contain windshield washer fluid that was contaminated with brake fluid. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems."
The risk
A washer system contaminated with brake fluid can reduce the driver's ability to clear windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush out the washer system, replacing the washer bottle neck, washer pump assembly, fluid level sensor and the front and rear wiper blades. Dealers will also inspect and repair the vehicle's paint and exterior components if affected, free of charge. The recall began March 2, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C01.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer Police Intercept | 2020 |
| Lincoln Aviator | 2020 |
Components: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Explorer Police Intercept | 2020 | 1 | 2 |
| Lincoln Aviator | 2020 | 110 | 30 |
Other visibility recalls in 2021
17 of the 988 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2021 concerned the visibility; Ford Motor Company filed 737 campaigns in all.
| 21V00M000 28 Dec 2021 | Hyundai Motor America |
| 21V00D000 21 Dec 2021 | Tesla, Inc. |
| 21V977000 16 Dec 2021 | Ford Motor Company |
| 21V871000 10 Nov 2021 | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) |
| 21V832000 22 Oct 2021 | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC |
| 21V809000 15 Oct 2021 | Ford Motor Company |
| 21V712000 14 Sept 2021 | Ford Motor Company |
| 21V711000 14 Sept 2021 | Ford Motor Company |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2021