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2021 Ford Explorer: windshield wiper failure

12 of the 456 complaints about the 2021 Ford Explorer describe windshield wiper failure.

owner complaints
12
of this car's complaints
3%
typical mileage
45,000
recalls
1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 3 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Windshield wiper failure by model year

What owners say

Filed Nov 2, 2026 · Seats, Transmission · AR

Here's the updated submission, without the engine paragraph. **Form fields** - **VIN:** 1FM5K8GC7MGA77908 - **Incident date:** today's date - **Crash / fire / injury:** No - **Components:** Visibility (Windshield Wiper/Washer), Power Train (Automatic Transmission), Seats **Narrative** ``` I am filing because my 2021 Ford Explorer (VIN 1FM5K8GC7MGA77908) has three open safety recalls with no remedy available, and Ford has already missed its own remedy date on at least one. 1. the federal safety agency 26V117 / Ford 26S14 (filed Mar 3, 2026) – Front windshield wiper motor may become inoperative or operate intermittently, causing loss of visibility. Ford stated the remedy was anticipated in Q2 2026. As of November 2, 2026, the remedy is still listed as not available. 2. the federal safety agency 26V402 / Ford 26S48 (filed Jun 24, 2026) – Transmission may engage Park while the vehicle is moving, damaging the parking system so the vehicle could roll away while in Park. Ford's interim instruction is to always set the parking brake. The remedy is not anticipated until Q2 2027, leaving a roll-away risk unaddressed for roughly a year. 3. the federal safety agency 26V451 / Ford 26S52 (filed Jul 14, 2026) – Second-row easy-entry seat switch may stick, allowing the seat to tip or slide while driving. Remedy is listed as not yet available. I request that the federal safety agency require Ford to provide interim remedies or loaner vehicles for these open recalls and to commit to firm remedy dates. ENGINE: My vehicle has the 3.0L engine and was built in Chicago on January 16, 2021, before the June 7, 2021 start of the recall 24S55 (the federal safety agency 24V635) build range. I request that the federal safety agency confirm Ford's analysis supports excluding earlier 3.0L builds from the valve fracture population. ``` If you'd rather keep the engine question in, paste the short "ENGINE:" paragraph from my last message above the final request line. Save the confirmation number when you submit.

Filed Oct 19, 2026 · Engine, Visibility · TN

They have fixed zero recalls. I have no wipers at all. I’ve attempted to get a resolution multiple times with no care or concern nor resolution. This is ridiculous. A recall almost 8 months and people have zero wipers!!! And the engine recall. It’s going to blow up before it’s fixed!

Filed Oct 13, 2026 · Visibility · 83,000 miles · NY

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving in rainy conditions, windshield visibility remained poor despite replacing the wiper blades multiple times. The contact received notification for the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V117000 (Visibility); however, the part required to perform the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time to provide the recall remedy. The failure mileage was 83,000.

Filed Oct 3, 2026 · Visibility · TN

Since buying the vehicle the front windshield wipers will intermittently stop working during a rainstorm causing me to have pull over and either wait out the rain or getting out in the rain to wipe the windshield. Sometimes if I turn the vehicle off for a few minutes the windshield wipers will start working again. If I had not pulled over during these times I could have been in a severe accident. Yes the vehicle has been inspected and they said there was no remedy for it as of now. No warning lights have came on.

Filed Aug 12, 2026 · Visibility · 43,000 miles · MO

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the front windshield wipers were inoperable. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V117000 (Visibility). The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that a remedy was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.

Filed Jul 18, 2026 · Visibility · MI

Rear wiper motor stopped working completely. Fuses are good, wires are good, motor is good, it just doesn't work. Water pump works.

Filed Apr 23, 2026 · Visibility · NJ

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V117000 (VISIBILITY); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds in the rain, the windshield wipers intermittently failed to operate as needed. Additionally, the windshield wiper fluid system failed to spray washer fluid while activating the button, even though the windshield washer fluid bottle was full. The local dealer was contacted and stated that the part for the recall would not be available until August 2026. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Apr 22, 2026 · Visibility · 42,508 miles · OH

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in heavy rain, the windshield wiper motor started to operate at an excessively high speed. The contact attempted to change the setting; however, the wipers continued to operate very quickly. The following day, the contact discovered a significant amount of spider cracks on the windshield, specifically where the wiper blades operated. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V117000 (VISIBILITY); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 42,508.

Filed Apr 14, 2026 · Fuel system, Visibility · 45,000 miles · IL

The contact 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of the federal safety agency Campaign Numbers: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 26V117000 (Visibility); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH in inclement weather, the windshield wipers were activated, and the driver’s side windshield was not cleared, causing limited visibility. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

Filed Mar 24, 2026 · Visibility · 90,000 miles · MD

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V117000 (VISIBILITY); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in the rain, the windshield wiper motor failed to function as intended and prevented the windshield wipers from operating properly. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Filed Sep 27, 2022 · Visibility · 5,000 miles · MN

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while it was raining, the windshield wipers were activated but failed to clear the windshield as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the wipers were replaced, but the failure continued. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the windshield arm were replaced, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle operated as designed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 5,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed Jun 22, 2022 · Driver assistance · TX

All of the sensors are out. Nothing is working. They were working fine then one day I noticed the lane keeping sensors were not working. Today I noticed the side sensors are not working which they were this morning. The middle row seat gets stuck if moved forward, it will not stay back. The button is always stuck so while on the road the seat randomly pops out of place. The wipers do not work properly, only on high speed. I have already called McCombs Ford West in San Antonio, Tx as I purchased the vehicle there in October of 2021 but they are not worried about it. They said I can go drop it off but they will check it when they get a chance and will not provide a loan car which I cannot do that as I have kids. All the safety features that it should have are not working. They told me it would be weeks before they even look at the vehicle.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motorReported March 3, 2026 · 604,533 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Aviator, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may fail and prevent the windshield wipers from operating properly.
Risk
Windshield wipers that fail to operate properly can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the front wiper motors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed April 2, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S14. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on March 4, 2026.

Recall number 26V117000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2021 Ford Explorer wipers

Is windshield wiper failure a common problem on the 2021 Ford Explorer?

12 of 456 owner complaints about the 2021 Ford Explorer (3%) mention windshield wiper failure. The model year with the most reports is 1999.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2021 Ford Explorer?

There is 1 recall and 3 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2021 Ford Explorer

Backup camera 27Jerking 19Loss of power 19Stalling 19Engine failure 15Check engine light 13Fire or smoke 9Rollaway 9Transmission failure 9Won't start 9Adaptive cruise 8Hesitation 8Headlights 7Sunroof shattered 7Grinding brakes 6Knocking 6Fuel pump 6Slipping 6Sudden acceleration 6ABS 5Collision warning 5Fuel smell 5Harsh shifting 5Screen failure 5Overheating 5Won't shift 5

All model years of the Ford Explorer

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