The defect
THE NUTS WHICH HOLD WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR TO THE WIPER MODULE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED AND MAY LOOSEN OR COME OFF. THIS CAUSES CHANGED WIPER PATTERNS, OR THE WIPERS MAY JAM IF TWO OF THE THREE NUTS COME OFF.
The risk
CHANGES IN THE WIPER PATTERN OR JAMMING OF THE WIPERSWOULD RESULT IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILTY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS.
The remedy
APPLY TORQUE RETENTION MATERIAL TO WIPER MOTOR STUDS AND NUTS AND RETORQUE.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Thunderbird | 1990, 1991 |
| Mercury Cougar | 1990, 1991 |
Components: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
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 Thunderbird | 1990 | 140 | 3 |
| Ford Thunderbird | 1991 | 112 | 3 |
| Mercury Cougar | 1990 | 86 | 3 |
| Mercury Cougar | 1991 | 73 | 3 |
Other visibility recalls in 1991
9 of the 220 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1991 concerned the visibility; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 91V006000 3 Oct 1991 | THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. |
| 91V004000 2 Oct 1991 | CHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 91V139000 23 Aug 1991 | BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY |
| 91V090000 10 Jun 1991 | PACCAR, INCORPORATED |
| 91V086000 3 Jun 1991 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 91V035000 4 Mar 1991 | PACCAR, INCORPORATED |
| 91V031000 19 Feb 1991 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 91V017000 1 Jan 1991 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1991