Recalls


CampaignManufacturerManufacturing dateType# of units affectedDate Owner notified MfgRecall Initiated byManufacturers of recalled vehicles/productsReport Recieved DateRecord Creation DateRegulation Part NumberFMVSS Number
VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER - MOTOR
01V258000FORD MOTOR COMPANY V (Vehicle)108300008/20/2001MFRFORD MOTOR COMPANY08/08/200108/23/2001
Defect SummaryVehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. a switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or ignition of the plastic cover material. switch malfunction is most likely to occur when the intermittent setting of the wipers is being used, or when snow or ice obstructs the blades from returning to the parked position at the bottom of the windshield. these vehicles were built at the following assembly plants: atlanta plant from 2/11/00 through 7/31/00; chicago plant from 2/14/00 through 8/4/00; kansas city plant from 2/26/00 to 9/4/00; kentucky truck plant from 2/18/00 to 8/31/00; michigan truck plant from 2/23/00 through 8/3/00; norfolk plant from 2/21/00 through 7/27/00; wayne stamping and assembly plant from 2/25/00 through 8/15/00; and wixom plant from 2/15/00 through 8/8/00.
Consequence SummaryLoss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Corrective SummaryDealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. owner notification began august 20, 2001. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
NotesAlso contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
VISIBILITY
045703/22/200410008542Pop/thump noise at end of window movement and/or driver's window bounce back and reverse to mid-position. *tt08/04/2004
VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM
0125312/24/2001630531Concerns with white flakes coming from the air conditioner vents when the blower motor is engaged. *tt04/18/2002
VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - REAR WINDOW
0418912/13/20040424510014062Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair. *tt04/27/2005
VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - WINDSHIELD - CONTROLS/WIRING
04151408/09/20040418910011159Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair. *tt01/04/2005
03150107/12/20040413710009321Inoperative electric rear window defroster (heated backlite) grid lines, integral antenna concerns. *tt09/23/2004
VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - WINDSHIELD - HEATER CORE
0115608/06/2001623944Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *slc10/31/2001
VISIBILITY - POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
1554901/01/2002630081Information regarding pop/thump noise from power window. *yh04/12/2002
VISIBILITY - SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY
1439701/01/2000620433Certain supercrews and some vehicles may exhibit a wind noise / boom when driven at high speeds above 55 mph with the moon roof fully open, due to the moon roof wind deflector not deployed high enough above the roof line. *tt08/07/2001

Investigations


NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD
PE05033FORD MOTOR COMPANY06/15/200510/13/2005ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE
 Odi has received 39 reports alleging that water leaks around the windshield causing electrical failures, including but not limited to the windshield wipers and the headlamps.ford reports that water entering the vehicle can wet the power distribution box (pdb) and the generic electronic module (gem).these components control various electrical systems in the vehicle.this investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis, ea05015, to allow further investigation of the issue and to assess the nature of the potential safety consequence.
VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
EA05015FORD MOTOR COMPANY10/13/200512/06/2006WINDSHIELD LEAK CAUSES ELECTRIC FAILURES
 Consumers alleged that when it rained or snowed, water leaked into the vehicle around the windshield.moisture flowing through the seal that surrounds the front windshield follows a path through the seal into the generic electronic module (gem) and fuse box, and may cause the electrical components in the vehicle to malfunction.overall, the number of reports alleging wiper failures and lighting failures is relatively small.in reviewing a large sample of the 1503 complaints for windshield leaks, odi's analysis reveals that 0.04% of the total vehicle population reported improper windshield wiper operation and 0.01% of the total vehicle populationreported lighting failures.the warranty claims reveal that approximately 0.10% of the population has been serviced for wiper malfunctions and 0.08% for lighting malfunctions as a result of windshield leaking. odi's analysis of the field performance statistics and available technical information has not established that a defect trend exists in the malfunction, failure or intermittent operation of the front windshield wipers or headlights.see the attached summary report.

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
VISIBILITY
02/12/2010737001
 Leaking windshield and electrical problems on our 2001 expedition, worried about a possible fire. *tr
03/16/2009500001
 Windshield leaking water causing erratic and unpredictable intermittent electrical failures in a 2001 ford expedition. windshield wiper operation is effected by water intrusion into the fuse panel and gem as stated in ford motor company advisory. when vehicle is placed into drive it operation of the windshield wipers is either non operational or only operational when vehicle is placed back into park. this a major safety issue which has been swept under the rug by ford motor company. this issue has been documented by numerous complaint on this web site alone. but until someone is injured or killed well this issue come to light and action to correct the problem which effect many families that use these vehicles everyday rain or shine. these incidents have been going on for more than three years. *tr
02/18/20091300001
 Safety related electrical problems during rainy conditions, including failure of windshield wipers. *tr
11/30/20081400001
 During wet weather my 2001 ford expedition will have various electrical problems including windshield wipers not working, radio turning on/off, door locks not working and windows not working. sometimes car will not start at all. *tr
07/24/2008890001
 Water leaked through windshield. car stays on when key is out at times wasting all gas. blower and dash lights stay on at times draining battery. *tr
VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM
01/12/2007301/23/2006
 Hvac blower motor runs when engine is off. numerous electrical problems with this 2001 ford expedition. water also gets in the cab somehow when it rains. *nm
712/01/2001
 The heating and air conditioning unit has been blowing white flakes into the face of the driver and other passengers in the vehicle. several times i have had to quickly get off the highway, to clear my eyes of the flakes. several time coming close to running into on coming traffic. ford rep states this is a common problem, keep bringing it in. i have been back to service about once a week for this. previous service advisor stated,put your windows down and dont use the a/c system. i found on the web a tsb on this problem. there must be others with this problem in 97-02 f-150/expeditions. ford has already replaced my system once to no avail. help. dt
VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - WINDSHIELD - HEATER CORE
08/10/2001
 Some kind of silvery white substance i powder, and sometimes pieces were coming out of air conditioner vent. substance was making family ill when riding in vehicle. contacted dealer ,and dealer inspected and replaced heater core and vacuum pad, but problem has come back. please add vin#*ak
VISIBILITY - POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
02/24/20101301081
 Drivers side window actuator failed causing window to suddenly drop into door while driving at highway speeds in 25 degree weather. this is my first occurrence with this happening (but i just bought this used truck less than a week ago) but in doing research it appears to be a very common problem resulting in numerous accidents. *tr
11/09/200539000512/26/2001
 Dt: the contact complained about several problems with vehicle. first, the accelerator pedal stuck. the dealer cleaned the throttle body which seemed to solve the problem. the vehicle would sometimes surge forward. she thought the surging was related to apparent transmission problems. she finally had the transmission rebuilt. part of the cost was covered under the extended warranty. secondly, the seat belt in the middle row did not retract correctly. the dealer could not duplicate the problem. therefore, no repairs were made to the seat belt. thirdly, the left rear door actuator had to be replaced because the power locks were not working. fourthly, the rear passenger child safety lock did not work properly. once the child safety lock was deactivated, and the door handle was raised from the inside, the child safety lock activated. the contact's husband corrected this problem by taking apart the lock and cleaning it. she had to push very hard on the exterior key pad to get it to work. the dealer did not think this was a problem since she was able to get it to work eventually. lastly, the right front power window worked intermittently. the dealer could not duplicate the problem, and no repair was made.*ak
01/03/2005693003510/19/2002
 There was a heavy rain the expedition was parked outside. there was water on the floor mat. the headlights, windshield wipers, radio worked when the expedition was off. yet would not work when the car was on. the expedition acted on its own. we took the expedition to the dealership (jim keim ford) where we purchased the vehicle. they charged us 893.00 to fix the fuse panel, sensor panel and reseal the entire front window. then jim keim told me it would be another 200.00 if they broke the windsheild. i paid the money and have not had a problem since. *jb
08/02/2005698002007/23/2005
 Since i got the truck the electric system has been failing, also the brakes failed to operate while on the freeway and almost had us killed. the back door locks by itself and can't be opened. air comes in from the front windshield and it also leaks when it rains. all four tires were very wasted, also i was lied about the interest rate. i was told that my interest would be 6.78% and in the contract it appears as 12.15%.*jb
VISIBILITY - REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES - EXTERIOR
01/23/2002301/25/2001
 While driving at 66 mph vehicle vibrates and shakes, consumer took the vehicle the to dealer, cause unknown. *ak consumer states cv boots failed causing front-end to squeak, the seat belt hold strap fell off, drivers window does not close properly and it makes noise and the passenger side mirror shakes while driving. *yd
VISIBILITY - REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER
11/30/20081400001
 During wet weather my 2001 ford expedition will have various electrical problems including windshield wipers not working, radio turning on/off, door locks not working and windows not working. sometimes car will not start at all. *tr
VISIBILITY - SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY
01/20/200687000108/10/2002
 Opened my sun roof on friday january 20, 2006 was a very nice day, it started to rain and the sun roof would not close stop at the dealership roundtree moore of lake city, and we try for about 15 minutes to close and could not. i left and put my vehicle in the garage, and took it to the dealership today monday january 23, 2006, and they said the track got broken some how. we need to replace the whole window and it would cost me $1100.00 for a brand new one, i stated no way, that should have never broken, it must be a manufacturer's defect. i called ford, and they stated no. i don't believe that something they put in most of their vehicles should break after 5 years. *ak
VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD
07/10/2009997501
 I have experienced a windshield leak on my 2001 ford expedition. this has lead to unwanted electrical activity when the vehicle is unattended. this has included the radio coming on or the blower motor running and even the starter engaging with the key removed. i am very concerned about a possible fire! *tr
09/09/2008700001
 Windshield leaking water causing erratic and unpredictable intermittent electrical failures in a 2001 ford expedition. this is dangerous. *tr
02/20/2008795001006/01/2003
 Water leak in the front windshield (following a few consecutive rainy days), causing electrical failure of the dome light, wipers, radio and gear selector. ford service advised replacing the fuse box and gem module for $1,100. this is my family vehicle and i am deeply concerned that this may cause an electrical fire or unwnated electrical activity when the car is unattended. my car is just under 80k miles. i have done some research and can see that there are many others that are experiencing similar problems. this is a safety concern that should should be attended to immediately. i hope this can be resolved without taking legal action. *tr
02/16/200894000607/07/2001
 In the last few months, i have noticed that when it rains, my blower motor will run on high-speed and my lights will flicker after i turn the vehicle off. at first it would stop after a few seconds, however this last time, it ran for about 10 minutes and finally shut off. i have a co-worker who has the exact same expedition and asked him if he's had this happen too him, which he stated yes and has been going on for around 6 months. i called ford motor co to inquire about a recall, since this is very unique in nature, and (of course) they have no record nor keep any data on anything (according too the rep). not quite sure what their job is! so i called the local dealer and they were 'familiar' with my problem and had a 'few' fixed. well, after doing some research on the internet, it turns out there's more than just a 'few' incidents.. there are several!!! the problem appears too start with a water leak in the windshield, going to the fuse box and gemodule which in turn sends electrical currents to the abs module which cause all sorts of problems. now if this isn't a ford manufacturers defect versus normal wear and tear, than i guess my college education means nothing. from my research and the local dealers quote, the cost of this repair starts a $1000.00.!! as of today, i have not fixed it, i'm deciding it i want to get a diff vehicle. *tr
01/18/200880000505/24/2001
 After rain or heavy fog we experienced many electrical issues on our 01 expedition incl. horn not working normal,front & rear wipers not working or coming on by themselves,door locks locking/unlocking while driving, interior & exterior lights not working,alarm system going off while suv was being driven,fan blower on after suv was turned off, radio working intermittently, etc. the latest occurred 1/16/08 after heavy rains the prior night. suv wouldn't start in the morning and had to be jumped. it was driven that day with only issue being interior lights coming on themselves. on 1/17/08 suv wouldn't turn over and again was jumped. there was clicking noise from engine compartment that seemed to be coming from kelsey hayes black box. we immediately took suv to dealership and asked for tech to witness issue. tech confirmed noise coming from the k-h abs module, said problem was probably due to windshield leak into fuse box & gem module which was sending current to abs module and also causing interior lights to turn on/off by themselves. on 1/18/08 dealership said tech did pressure test on windshield and it leaked and needed to be resealed. fuse box and gem module would also need replaced. since problems were caused by water leak ford ext.warranty won't cover repairs. i spoke to srv mgr,who said he would call zone mgr.and get back to me. i called ford customer relations (crc) to document issues. called dealership on 1/21/08 and srv. mgr. said zone mgr. said nothing could be done to resolve situation and we were responsible for repairs. due to ongoing electric issues with suv we fear other safety features may malfunction compromising our safety. ford issued ssm 15773 on 4/05/02 to dealerships addressing unusual electrical issues after rain or snow resulting from a windshield water leak. the ssm included actions to be taken in that situation. our vehicle was back to dealership many times after release of ssm for electrical issues and ssm work was never done. *tr
01/15/2007159900211/28/2006
 After a rain and ice storm water leaked around the windshield causing electrical failures, including but not limited to the windshield wipers and the headlamps. water entered the engine of the vehicle through an improperly sealed windshield causing the power distribution box and the generic electronic module to get wet. these components control various electrical systems in the vehicle. this caused the vehicle to stop running. electrical damage had to be repaired and a new windshield had to be installed. this caused the owner to pay over $2000 in out of pocket expenses. *nm
07/23/2006860003004/15/2001
 My windshield on my 201 ford expedition is leaking and has caused my gem module to act up. most notably windshield wipers not working, radio on and off. *nm
06/14/200678000106/01/2004
 Dt*: the contact stated the front windshield leaked rainwater into the vehicle and the dash panel area. afterwards, the power and electrical features did not work. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who determined due to the heavy rain the windshield seal leaked and the water caused an electrical failure of the central junction box.
03/01/2006109375101/05/2002
 Windshield on 2001 expedition leaks and gem module has shorted out. *nm
03/30/20051
 Ford expedition 2001 windshield leaking through hand holds on right and left side. diagnosed as windshield sealant failure between the hand and the glass over approximately 75% of the sealant band area. solution: remove glass, strip all sealants, prime body, prime glass, replace glass (broken during removal). *jb
12/09/200550000305/14/2005
 Leaky windshield caused electrical failure of the general electronic module, causing most systems in vehicle to malfunction, including transfer case switching, transmission shifting. ford, nor advantage warranty company would stand behind the cost of this failure brought on by poor quality in manufacturing. *nm
01/18/200655000412/12/2005
 2001 ford expedition windshield leaking into fuse box and gem module , causing electrical problems and shorts.*ak
09/05/200548110106/20/2001
 My windshield on my 2001 expedition is leaking water in the driver side lower corner. it's seeping into the floor boards and into the engine electrical compartment under the hood. *jb
06/15/2005511/10/2003
 Dt: contact states the windshield is leaking, causing the computer in the fuse panel to short out. the stereo, windshield wipers, and the air conditioner come on when the vehicle was not in use. windshield was replaced. warranty expired , and electronic panel had not been replaced. ford manufacturer has been contacted.*ak
06/20/200435600311/20/2002
 2001 ford expedition (eddie bauer) has had repeated water leaks in front windshield. i've had the window replaced once and repaired 2 more times, so far in the past 2 years. it caused my automatic head-light control switch to fail. also my rear-winshield wipers failed once, but i'm not sure if it was related to a windshield leak.
12/16/20022
 There is a leak through the windshield, enabling water to run down through the electronic module. this is causing the dashboard lights to turn on intermittently, and causing the vehicle to shut off. dealer will repair for the second time at consumer's expense.*ak
06/20/2002105/01/2000
 While backing up, driver's side window busted, causing injuries to driver.*ak *tt
09/01/20012
 When there is a glare there are a ton of spots on windshield and it disturbs consumer when driving. contacted dealer who could not find cause. *ak dealer replaced the windshield, however the replacement also has spots which are only seen during the early morning and evening, the dealer is willing to replace with another brand of glass, however the ford rep declined payment. *slc
01/23/2002301/25/2001
 While driving at 66 mph vehicle vibrates and shakes, consumer took the vehicle the to dealer, cause unknown. *ak consumer states cv boots failed causing front-end to squeak, the seat belt hold strap fell off, drivers window does not close properly and it makes noise and the passenger side mirror shakes while driving. *yd
VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
01/21/20101020001
 Was driving down the road in heavy rain when windshield wipers stopped working. could not see 2 feet infront of me, so i was forced to pull over on a busy road. put the truck in park, and wipers started working. put back in drive and they stopped. finally the rain slowed enough for me to drive with out the wipers, very unsafe! when i got home, i turned the key off, pulled them out of the ignition and the heater kept running. i had to turn it to off position. lights on gauge cluster were flickering too. opened driver side door and radio stayed on. had to manually turn that off as well. smelled something burning, so i quickly unhooked the battery. came back a couple hours later, connected battery, now vehicle wont start! will turn over, but wont crank. did some research and found that this is a very common problem with many different ford vehicles! problem is caused by a faulty windshield, allowing water to leak into the cab, behind the dash, and get water on the gem and fusebox, creating corrosion. these problems could be very unsafe! possible fire from electric short, possible injury/death from wipers quitting while driving. ford should take responsibility for their faulty design! *tr
12/28/200441733910/01/2003
 Incident: 2001 ford expedition 1. windshield wipers would not work, radio would go off when vehicle was put in gear, blower, compass, thermometer lets & bells would not work, vehicle would not start, battery eventually went dead, etc 2. had to service the vehicle for safety and performance reasons 3. expedition was serviced at a local ford dealership. service department advised us that there was a water leak around the windshield. water was leaking into an electrical box - had to replace fuse panel and reseal glass at a cost of $456.96. *nm
05/01/2001104/01/2001
 No, summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER - LINKAGES
10/12/2005600001
 2001 ford expedition leakage from windshield into interior of vehicle on both driver and passenger sides. serviced by cella ford new bern nc on 10-12-05. cost of repair $225.00. *jb
VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER - MOTOR
01/18/200880000505/24/2001
 After rain or heavy fog we experienced many electrical issues on our 01 expedition incl. horn not working normal,front & rear wipers not working or coming on by themselves,door locks locking/unlocking while driving, interior & exterior lights not working,alarm system going off while suv was being driven,fan blower on after suv was turned off, radio working intermittently, etc. the latest occurred 1/16/08 after heavy rains the prior night. suv wouldn't start in the morning and had to be jumped. it was driven that day with only issue being interior lights coming on themselves. on 1/17/08 suv wouldn't turn over and again was jumped. there was clicking noise from engine compartment that seemed to be coming from kelsey hayes black box. we immediately took suv to dealership and asked for tech to witness issue. tech confirmed noise coming from the k-h abs module, said problem was probably due to windshield leak into fuse box & gem module which was sending current to abs module and also causing interior lights to turn on/off by themselves. on 1/18/08 dealership said tech did pressure test on windshield and it leaked and needed to be resealed. fuse box and gem module would also need replaced. since problems were caused by water leak ford ext.warranty won't cover repairs. i spoke to srv mgr,who said he would call zone mgr.and get back to me. i called ford customer relations (crc) to document issues. called dealership on 1/21/08 and srv. mgr. said zone mgr. said nothing could be done to resolve situation and we were responsible for repairs. due to ongoing electric issues with suv we fear other safety features may malfunction compromising our safety. ford issued ssm 15773 on 4/05/02 to dealerships addressing unusual electrical issues after rain or snow resulting from a windshield water leak. the ssm included actions to be taken in that situation. our vehicle was back to dealership many times after release of ssm for electrical issues and ssm work was never done. *tr
06/15/2005511/10/2003
 Dt: contact states the windshield is leaking, causing the computer in the fuse panel to short out. the stereo, windshield wipers, and the air conditioner come on when the vehicle was not in use. windshield was replaced. warranty expired , and electronic panel had not been replaced. ford manufacturer has been contacted.*ak
11/01/20021
 Windshield wipers do not work while vehicle's gear is in drive. wipers only work when gear is in park or neutral. dealer previously replaced wiper motor, but problem occurred. related to recall 01258000. however, this vehicle not included due to vin. *ak
VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER - SWITCH/WIRING
01/03/2005693003510/19/2002
 There was a heavy rain the expedition was parked outside. there was water on the floor mat. the headlights, windshield wipers, radio worked when the expedition was off. yet would not work when the car was on. the expedition acted on its own. we took the expedition to the dealership (jim keim ford) where we purchased the vehicle. they charged us 893.00 to fix the fuse panel, sensor panel and reseal the entire front window. then jim keim told me it would be another 200.00 if they broke the windsheild. i paid the money and have not had a problem since. *jb
01/10/200565809203/13/2002
 Windshield wipers stopped working while driving in the rain. ford dealer and ford customer assistance 800-392-ford refused to repair problem of water in driver compartment fuse box caused by leaking original windshield, resulting in shorting out of the windshield wipers and other dash equipment while driving, with no warning. ford dealer service dept mgr said: known problem with ford expeditions and f150 trucks.*ak
04/08/2003300001007/20/2002
 When ever you park on a hill with my 2001 expediton the trunkgoes dead will not come back on unless on a level surface ithas done this numerous times. the window sheild washer sensor al ways comes on even when full.*ak