NHTSA Complaint #10143617 — 2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS

I DRIVE A 2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS VAN. I BELIEVE THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. MANY TIMES, WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 THE WIPERS DO VERY LITTLE TO KEEP THE WINDSHIELD CLEAR. EVEN AFTER INSTALLING NEW BLADES. THIS HAPPENS DURING ALL TYPES OF INCLEMENT WEATHER, BUT IS ESPECIALLY BAD IN THE WINTER. THE WIPER BLADES ALLOW ICE TO COLLECT ON THEM, AND THE DEFROSTER IS NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP THEM CLEAR. I MUST STOP AND MANUALLY CLEAR THE WIPERS IF I MUST USE THE WIPERS, THEY JUST SCRAPE ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD BUT DO VERY LITTLE TO ACTUALLY CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD. IF TRAFFIC PASSING BY, THROWS SLUSH AND SUCH ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE WIPERS CAN NOT CLEAR IT PROPERLY. IN ADDITION TO THIS, THE WINDSHIELD WASHER SPRAY HOSES ARE ATTACHED TO THE WIPER ARMS AND TEND TO PLUG OR FREEZE AND COMPOUNDS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE FOR 3 YEARS AND ITS THE SAME THING EVERY YEAR. IT PRESENTS QUITE A PROBLEM SINCE MANY TIMES, I AM OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WITH LIMITED VISION. UNTIL I STOP AND CLEAR IT OFF. I DON'T KNOW IF ITS BECAUSE THE WIPERS LIFT OFF THE WINDSHIELD AT HIGH SPEEDS OR IF THE JUST SHRINK DUE TO THE COLD. I DO KNOW THAT IT HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE. *JB