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Ford Explorer Police and Lincoln Aviator have contaminated washer fluid

NHTSA campaign 21V014000 · Reported 2021-01-15 · Ford Motor Company

medium How serious is it? About this label

You can keep driving, but smeared glass in rain, snow or glare makes it harder to see the road and raises your chance of a crash, so avoid using the washers until the fix is done.

What's wrong, in plain English

Ford is recalling certain 2020 Explorer Police Interceptor Utility and 2020 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. They left the factory with brake fluid mixed into the windshield washer fluid. That mixture does not clean glass the way washer fluid should, so spraying it can leave the windshield smeared and hard to see through. It can also damage paint and parts on the outside of the vehicle. Dealers will flush the system and replace several washer parts and the wiper blades.

What you should do

1. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to check whether your vehicle is included.
2. Contact your Ford or Lincoln dealer, or Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332, and mention recall 21C01.
3. Have the dealer flush the washer system and replace the bottle neck, pump, fluid level sensor and wiper blades, plus any affected paint or exterior parts — all free.

Affected vehicles (2)

2020 Ford Explorer Police Intercept
2020 Lincoln Aviator

Who to contact

Ford — official Ford recall lookup

Customer service: 1-866-436-7332

Lincoln — official Lincoln recall lookup

Customer service: 1-866-436-7332

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Why do Ford windshields, glass panels and wipers keep getting recalled? · all 17 Ford recalls in this area
Why do Lincoln windows, wipers and windshields keep getting recalled? · all 13 Lincoln recalls in this area

Official notice

Component: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility and 2020 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The affected vehicles contain windshield washer fluid that was contaminated with brake fluid. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems."
Safety risk: A washer system contaminated with brake fluid can reduce the driver's ability to clear windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush out the washer system, replacing the washer bottle neck, washer pump assembly, fluid level sensor and the front and rear wiper blades. Dealers will also inspect and repair the vehicle's paint and exterior components if affected, free of charge. The recall began March 2, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C01.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.