NHTSA Complaint #10254876 — 2008 FORD ESCAPE

2008 FORD ESCAPE - WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE 2008 MODEL ESCAPE UTILIZES A NEW "SPRINGLESS" WIPER DESIGN. THE FORD EDGE AND TAURUS ALSO USE THE SAME WIPER DESIGN FOR 2008. THE DESIGN DOES NOT PLACE ENOUGH DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON THE WINDSHIELD TO ALLOW FOR CONSISTENT CONTACT LEAVING LARGE AREAS COMPLETELY MISSED BY THE BLADE. I'VE NOTICED THIS TO BE MORE PROBLEMATIC IN COLD WEATHER, WHICH MAY BE A RESULT OF THE BLADE MATERIAL STIFFENING ALLOWING FOR CURVED BLADE TO NOT FLEX AND LIE FLAT AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD SURFACE. I'VE CONTACTED FORD AND THE DEALER, AND FORD DOES NOT MAKE A WINTER BLADE FOR THIS VEHICLE. AFTER MARKET BLADES ARE ALSO NOT AN OPTION BECAUSE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BLADE ARM AND BLADE ONLY SUPPORTS THE FORD STOCK WIPERS. FORD ALSO DOES NOT CURRENTLY OFFER AN OPTIONAL BLADE ARM FOR THIS VEHICLE THAT WOULD UTILIZE A DIFFERENT CONNECTOR. WITH THE WIPERS CONSISTENTLY MISSING SECTIONS OF THE WINDSHIELD, THE DRIVER'S FIELD OF VIEW BECOMES LIMITED PRESENTING AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. REPLACING THE BLADES WITH THE SAME EXACT DESIGN OF BLADE WILL NOT CORRECT THE DESIGN PROBLEM. *TR