NHTSA Complaint #10290541 — 2003 PONTIAC AZTEK

1. FAILURE OCCURS WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ACTIVATED (INCLEMENT WEATHER, WINDSHIELD WASHER). 2. THE WIPERS BIND TOGETHER AND LOCK UP ON THE WAY BACK TO REST POSITION. THE BINDING HAPPENS FREQUENTLY, AND THIS INCIDENT IS APPROXIMATELY THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THIS VEHICLE. THERE IS CONSTANT RISK THE WIPERS COULD BIND AT ANY TIME DURING WIPER OPERATION. CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE LOSS OF FORWARD VISIBILITY WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT, VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO MOTOR BURNING OUT WHILE WIPERS ARE STUCK (MOTOR TRIES TO MOVE WIPERS TO REST POSITION EVEN WHEN WIPERS ARE SWITCHED OFF), OR PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH IF STRUCK WHILE GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AT THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE IN HEAVY RAIN OR SNOW TO UNBIND THE WIPERS. 3. CORRECTIVE ACTION: THE DRIVER MUST IMMEDIATELY STOP THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE IN HEAVY RAIN OR SNOW AND GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO MANUALLY UNBIND THE WIPERS TO RESTORE FORWARD VISIBILITY AND TO REMOVE RISK OF VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR BURNOUT. WIPERS WERE REPLACED AT THE DEALER, BUT INCIDENT RECURRED. WIPERS WERE REPLACED AGAIN AT AUTO PART STORE AND CORRECT BLADE SIZES WERE VERIFIED TO BE CORRECT, BUT INCIDENT RECURRED. *TR