2013 Ford Focus Wipers & Visibility Problems

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the windshield wipers were inadvertently activated. The windshield wipers failed to operate when the contact attempted to activate the wipers. The contact was unable to drive the vehicle when it rained due to the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic informed the contact that an unknown part needed to be replaced and the vehicle needed to be taken to the dealer for repair. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not manufactured with the unknown part and the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER PRIORITY FORD (3420 N MILITARY HWY, NORFOLK, VA 23518, (757)583-3673) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE BODY SECURITY MODULE (BSM) FUSE BOX TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 145,000.

I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY PARENTS DRIVE WAY AND AS SOON AS I TURNED MY WHEEL STRAIGHT THE WIND SHIELD WIPERS STARTED GOING AND WOULD NOT STOP I TURNED MY CAR OFF AND TOOK THE KEY OUT AND THEY STILL WOULD NOT STOP AND THEN THEY STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. THEY WORKED FOR 3 DAYS LIKE USUAL AND THEN THEY STARTED GOING BY THEMSELVES AGAIN AND ARE CURRENTLY NOT WORKING, I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE AND THEY HAD A RECALL ON THEIR WIPERS. IF IT STARTS RAINING I CAN NOT SEE BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY REFUSE TO WORK, AND WHEN THEY START GOING BY THEMSELVES IT'S HARDER FOR ME TO SEE BECAUSE THEY GO FULL SPEED AND WILL NOT STOP EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS OFF AND THE KEY IS OUT, THEY WENT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES WHILE MY CAR WAS OFF. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFTEY ISSUE AND IT'S HAPPENED TO MULTIPLE OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME VEHICLE AS ME AND THEY DID EVERYTHING TO TRY TO FIX IT AND NOTHING WORKED.

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR OUT OF THE GAS STATION AND I TURNED LEFT AND HONKED THE HORN BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS STILL SITTING AT THE GREEN LIGHT. AS I TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL BACK STRAIGHT THE WIPERS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES AND WOULDN'T GO BACK OFF. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A YEAR. THEY TURN ON BY THEMSELVES EVEN WHEN THE KEY IS OUT OF THE IGNITION. I HAVE VIDEO PROOF NOT PICTURES. THEY DON'T WORK IN THE RAIN AND I'VE TRIED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING I CAN TO FIX THEM BUT TO NO AVAIL. IF YOU LOOK UP WIPERS COMING ON BY THEMSELVES ON 2013 FORD FOCUS YOU'LL SEE THAT MY CAR ISN'T THE ONLY ONE DOING THIS. I'M SCARED SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET INJURED OR POSSIBLY KILLED BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T SEE WHEN A RAINSTORM SNEAKS UP ON THEM.

WIPERS WOULD NOT TURN ON. THEN THEY CAN ON BY THEMSELVES, FUNCTIONED IRRATIONALLY AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF EVEN WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND THE KEYS WERE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL GO ERRATIC FOR ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. WHEN THE WIPERS FINALLY TURN OFF THEY WONT COME BACK. CURRENTLY THE WIPERS WILL NOT WORK AT ALL AFTER THIS LAST INCIDENT.

WHILE DRIVING, THE WIPERS WILL GO OFF NON-STOP. I PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND IT WAS STILL ON. I HAD TO PULL THE FUSE OFF TO GET TO MY DESTINATION. AT THIS TIME, IT'S STILL HAPPENING. ALL AT RANDOM TIMES WHILE DRIVING.

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN THE RAIN, FRONT WIPERS STOPPED WORKING CAUSING VISIBILITY ISSUES. REAR WIPERS CONTINUED TO WORK CORRECTLY. AFTER PARKING, WE TRIED THE WIPERS AGAIN, STILL WOULD NOT WORK. TRIED WIPERS AGAIN LATER IN DAY IN A GARAGE, THEY STILL WOULD NOT WORK. CHECKED FUSE, FUSE IS STILL GOOD. SWAPPED FUSE WITH ANOTHER KNOWN WORKING FUSE, BOTH FUSES WORKED BUT WIPERS STILL DID NOT WORK. LATER WIPERS STARTED WORKING WITHOUT PROMPT, AGAIN CAUSING VISIBILITY ISSUES AS IT WAS NOT RAINING, BUT WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN OR TURN OFF. SHUT CAR OFF, REMOVED KEY FROM IGNITION AND WIPERS CONTINUED TO RUN UNTIL FUSE WAS PULLED AGAIN.

"TAKATA RECALL" WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON RANDOMLY, THEY WILL SPEED UP AND SLOW DOWN. THEY WILL NOT TURN OFF EVEN WHEN CAR IS PARKED AND KEY IS OUT OF IGNITION. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE HAD TO DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD WHEN IT IS NOT RAINING AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON BY THEMSELVES. I AM CONCERNED THIS WILL ALSO DRAIN MY BATTERY AND/OR BE A FIRE HAZARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, SITTING STATIONARY, AND WHEN CAR IS COMPLETELY OFF. I DO NOT HAVE A DOCUMENT TO UPLOAD AS I WAS DRIVING BUT I CAN TAKE A VIDEO IF NEEDED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 74 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER DISPENSERS MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER DISPENSERS WOULD NOT DISPENSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID TO CLEAR THE DEBRIS FROM THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS OCCURRED ONLY IN COLD TEMPERATURES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON BY THEMSELVES, WITH NO INPUT FROM ME. CANNOT TURN THEM OFF WITH THE SWITCH. THEY STAY ON EVEN AFTER THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND THE KEY IS REMOVED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CONTINUED TO STAY ON EVEN AFTER THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE CAUSED THE WIPER BLADES TO FAIL TO RESPOND AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILLY HOWELL FORD LINCOLN 1805 ATLANTA HWY, CUMMING, GA 30040 WHERE THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL BUT OFFERED TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE STOP WORKING IN MID WIPE. THIS MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES UNDER WARRANTY.

CAUSE: UNKNOWN. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT A NORMAL SPEED, WITH NO KNOWN DEBRIS OR BUMPS IN THE ROAD, I HEARD A LOUD POP. SUDDENLY, MY REAR WINDOW STARTED CAVING IN, CRUMBLING FROM THE TOP-MIDDLE OF IT, BREAKING OFF GRADUALLY FROM THERE. I WAS DRIVING SAFELY (NO SWERVING, NO COLLISIONS), AND LATER INSPECTION FOUND NO FOREIGN OBJECTS THAT COULD'VE CAUSED THE WINDOW TO SHATTER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.

2013 FORD FOCUS WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED BUBBLES AFFECTING DRIVER AND PASSENGER VISIBILITY. BUBBLES PRESENT IN A EVENLY DISTRIBUTED PATTERN THROUGHOUT THE WINDSHIELD. BUBBLES ARE ROUGHLY 2-5MM IN DIAMETER. THE PRESENCE OF THE BUBBLES COULD AFFECT DRIVER VISIBILITY, WHICH COULD HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE.

THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVER'S VIEW THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. I'VE TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS. THE FIRST DEALER AND WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR, (CRONIN, FORD IN HARRISON, OH) SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BOTH TIMES I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR. I'VE TAKEN IT THREE TIMES TO WOODY SANDER FORD IN CINCINNATI, OH. THEY SAID THERE WAS SOMETHING ON THE WINDSHIELD AND THE WIPERS WORKED FINE FOR THEM AFTER THEY BUFFED OFF THE OBSTRUCTION. IMMEDIATELY AFTER I LEFT WOODY SANDER'S SERVICE SHOP, I NEEDED TO USE MY WIPERS, AND THE WIPER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CONTINUED TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF MY VIEW. THE EXACT PROBLEM WOODY SANDER SAID THEY HAD FIXED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE TO DRIVE WHEN IT'S RAINING. IT ALSO OCCURS EVEN WHEN I JUST TRY TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD WITH THE WIPER FLUID. I'VE TRIED TO GET THIS ISSUE FIXED 5 TIMES SINCE I'VE HAD THE CAR AND NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. *TR

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FROZE IN PLACE WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS TO THE RIGHT SIDE WIPER BUT YESTERDAY (3/12/14) NEITHER WIPER WOULD WORK AFTER A 20 MILE HIGHWAY DRIVE DURING A MODERATE SNOWFALL. THE CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1.) THE VEHICLE IS WARMED UP AND THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTED WITH THE NORMAL AUTOMOTIVE HVAC SYSTEM. 2.) THE WIPERS ARE USED DURING LOW SPEED DRIVING AND KEEP THE WINDSHIELD CLEAR. 3.) AT SPEEDS ABOVE 35MPH, LIGHT/MODERATE SNOW DOES NOT STICK TO THE WINDSHIELD SHIELD AND VISIBILITY IS BETTER WITHOUT THE WIPERS RUNNING. AT SOME POINT DURING TRAVEL WITH THE WIPERS OFF, THE MOISTURE FROM PREVIOUS WIPER USE CAUSES THE WIPERS TO FREEZE IN PLACE. 4.) THE WIPERS ARE NEEDED WHEN SPEED IS REDUCED OR ROADSPRAY IS ENCOUNTERED AND THEY DO NOT WORK BECAUSE THEY ARE FROZE BELOW WHERE THE DEFROSTER HEATS THE WINDSHIELD. AT THIS POINT I MUST STOP AND EXIT THE VEHICLE TO FREE THE WIPERS. I'VE THUS FAR BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO NOT HAVE ENCOUNTER SERIOUS ROADSPRAY WHILE MY WIPERS HAVE BEEN FROZEN IN PLACE, BUT FEEL IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I'M REQUIRE TO STOP IN A DANGEROUS/IMPRACTICABLE LOCATION TO FREE THE WIPERS. *TR

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW FROM FORD OF MAYAGUEZ. I SOON NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WHEN WET OR FOGGY WAS MOTTLED OUTSIDE THE GLASS. THINKING IT NEEDED CLEANING I RETURNED TO DEALER WHO COULD DO NOTHING. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO CLEAN IT HAVE FAILED EXCEPTING A SLIGHT WEAR OF THE MOTTLING WHERE THE WIPERSWORK. THE MOTTLED OUTSIDE OF THE GLASS IS PRONOUNCED AT DARK REFLECTING STREETLIGHTS OR IN RAIN OR FOG WHEN FRONT VIEW IS SEVERELY AFFECTED. THE PATTERN OF THE MOTTLED APPEARANCE NEVER CHANGES WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE IT IS IN THE GLASS. OTHER WINDOWS HAVE SAME MOTTLED APPEARANCE WHEN WET BUT ARE NIT SO IMPORTANT AS THE WINDSHIELD. FORD DOES NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, AND THEY HAVE NOT ANSWERED MY EMAILS. I DOUBT THIS IS UNIQUE TO MY VEHICLE. A FEW DAYS AGO I HAD TO DRIVE AT NIGHT IN A MISTY RAIN. VISION WAS SEVERELY IMPAIRED, HENCE PROMPTING THIS COMPLAINT. *TR

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS REST ON A PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD THAT IS NOT HEATED. AFTER HAVING FULLY CLEARED MY WINDSHIELD OF SNOW AND ICE BEFORE MY TRIP, I WAS QUITE SURPRISED TO FIND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS NON-FUNCTIONAL WHEN I WENT TO USE THEM TO CLEAR ROAD SPRAY FROM MY WINDSHIELD. WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS THAT THE WIPERS HAD REFROZEN TO THE WINDSHIELD AFTER HAVING BEEN CLEARED EARLIER. I COMMONLY DRIVE WITH THE VEHICLE'S CLIMATE CONTROL SET TO THE FLOOR/DEFROST SETTING TO KEEP THE WINDSHIELD WARM, ESPECIALLY ON THE FIRST LEG OF A TRIP. THIS IS THE FIRST VEHICLE I OWN WHERE THE WIPERS DISAPPEAR FROM THE VIEW WHEN THEY ARE NOT USED. INSPECTION OF THE WINDSHIELD DESIGN SHOWS THAT THE LOWER PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD IS NOT DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO CABIN HEAT, NOR IS THERE A EASY PATH FOR ENGINE HEAT TO AFFECT THIS AREA. THERE SHOULD BE, AT A MINIMUM, A METHOD TO DEFROST THE LOWER PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD THAT THE WIPERS REST ON, EITHER THROUGH DIRECT THERMAL ELECTRIC MEANS, OR BY EXPOSURE TO CABIN HEAT WHEN THE HVAC IS ON THE DEFROST SETTING. HAVING WIPERS THAT RANDOMLY NOT FUNCTION BECAUSE THEY ARE FROZEN REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD WHEN ROAD SPRAY COVERS YOUR WINDSHIELD DUE TO GREATLY REDUCED VISIBILITY. ADDITIONAL HAZARDS ARE PRESENT BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO CHOICE TO BUT TO IMMEDIATLY STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO FREE YOUR WIPERS. THIS LEAVES YOU EXPOSED TO TRAFFIC TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS WHILE YOU ARE STOPPED, AS WELL AS THE INHERENT RISK ASSOCIATED WITH MERGING BACK ON THE ROAD FROM A FULL STOP WITHOUT THE AID OF AN ON-RAMP, OR OTHER ACCELERATION LANE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE SUNROOF EXPLODED AND SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,400.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT HEADREST BLOCKED THE REARVIEW MIRROR VISIBILITY WHEN REVERSING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT AN ADJUSTMENT AVAILABLE FOR THE HEADREST BECAUSE IT WAS A SAFETY FEATURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100. ..UPDATED 04/24/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE GAS PEDAL IS TOO CLOSE TO THE BRAKE. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A PERSON WITH A WIDE SHOE TO STEP ON BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. UPDATED 05/16/2013 *JS