NHTSA Complaint #767739 — 1999 MERCURY SABLE

ON A RECENTLY PURCHASED 1999 MERCURY SABLE THERE ARE MINUTE SCRATCHES WITHIN THE AREA OF THE WINDSHIELD SWEPT BY THE WIPERS. THESE SCRATCHES ACT AS A REFRACTOR CAUSING GLARE WHEN TRAVELING TOWARD THE SUN AND FROM ONCOMING VEHICLES LIGHTS AND OVERHEAD STREET LIGHTS, ETC. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS NOTED THAT WHEN THE WASHER WAS ACTUATED THAT THE WIPERS WOULD MAKE AN UPWARD SWEEP PRIOR TO FLUID BEING DISPENSED ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE WIPER ACTION SCOURED THE WINDSHIELD WITH THE DIRT OR DEPOSITS ON THE GLASS CAUSING THESE SCRATCHES. MY WIFE STATED THE GLARE IS SIMILAR TO THAT SHE EXPERIENCE PRIOR TO HER CATARACT SURGERIES. FROM A RECENT DISCUSSION WITH A SERVICE MANAGER OF A FORD DEALER IT WAS LEARNED THAT MOST LATE MODEL FORD PRODUCTS WASHER OPERATE THE SAME WAY, I.E. THE WASHER PUMP MOTOR AND WIPER MOTOR ARE ENERGIZED SIMULTANEOUSLY AND THE DELAY OF THE FLUID APPLICATION IS DUE THE FLUID HAVING TO BE PUMPED FROM A REMOTE RESERVOIR. NLM