2021 Ford F-150 Visibility & Wipers Problems

Here is what happened on Feb 21st 2026 at about 8:00 AM MST. We were driving east in the mountains on I-70 in Colorado approaching the Eisenhower tunnel. The truck had been parked in a heated garage overnight. There had been some snow the night before which had been melted by sand and salt, so the road was wet and messy. The vehicles ahead and around my truck were kicking up a mist of water and sand and dirt. My windshield quickly became covered and obstructed. I attempted to apply some windshield washer fluid, but nothing came out. To make matters worse, the wipers automatically turned on turning the speckled dirt and sand to be smeared across the windshield making it almost impossible to see. The smear was too dry that any further wiper action did nothing to clear the windshield. This happened while entering the tunnel. In the dark or the tunnel I could barely see the road – only by ducking way low and peeking through a small portion of the windshield below the wiper smear. There is no place to pull over inside the tunnel. As we exited the tunnel, we were facing the east sun which lit up the smear and made the windshield completely obscured - even my last tiny piece. We were still at 50 MPH with surrounding traffic. My only option was to ease right and hope the emergency lane was clear. I had to hang my head out the side window to determine how far to ease right. It was a miracle we were able to pull off and not hit any other vehicles and come to a stop (I was completely blind). I tried the washer fluid many more times but nothing. I opened the hood and verified I had plenty of fluid and that it was liquid and not frozen. I checked the spray outlets and made sure they were not blocked in any way. Nothing. The washer spray would not work. After turning the truck off and back on - the washer/wipers worked fine. I believe this is a software issue. My family and I were quite shaken up.

Windhshield wipers suddenly stopped working.

The windshield wipers on my 2021 Ford F-150 are inoperable. The wipers suddenly stopped working with no warning. The vehicle had already received Recall 23S10, which was supposed to replace the defective wiper motor arm. However, the wipers have failed again, suggesting the recall remedy was inadequate or that defective components are still being used. Ford and the servicing dealer refuse to reopen the recall or provide coverage, even though this is clearly the same safety issue. Without functioning wipers, the vehicle is unsafe to drive in rain or snow. I request that NHTSA investigate whether Ford’s recall 23S10 remedy is effective and whether additional corrective action or a new recall should be issued to address continued wiper motor failures on these vehicles.

Rear windshield spontaneously shattered. Reduced vision of rear window. Dealer will not inspect vehicle without paying a fee. Rear window defroster was on and there was cricking sound.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that since purchasing the vehicle, there was an abnormal film-like substance visible inside the windshield. The substance obstructed the vision while driving and worsened while driving at night. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the vehicle was purchased and detailed the windshield in an effort to remove the film-like substance. Despite the independent mechanics best efforts, the film-like substance remained. The contact called a dealer and was informed that the diagnostic fee to inspect her vehicle would be $300 an hour, and the contact declined the service. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact back to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.

My Ford truck was part of Recall 22S26 / NHTSA Recall 22V250, which required the replacement of faulty windshield wiper arms. On 12/12/2023, I took my vehicle to Karl Flammer Ford for the recall service. The receipt I was given states that both wiper arms were replaced as part of the recall. In 2025, I noticed the driver-side wiper arm was loose and could potentially detach while in use. Upon closer inspection, I found the stamped date code on the wiper arm showed “2021,” the year of my truck. This indicates the part is one of the original faulty components included in the recall and was never replaced, despite the dealer’s claim that it was. A failing wiper arm poses a significant safety hazard because loss of windshield visibility during rain could easily result in a crash. I presented this evidence to Karl Flammer Ford, but they continue to insist the wiper arms were replaced. Ford Motor Company has been unresponsive and unhelpful, repeatedly transferring me between departments and promising call-backs that never come. No progress has been made toward fixing the issue. At this time, the vehicle remains equipped with the recalled part, which is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle has only been reviewed by the dealer; Ford has not conducted any proper inspection or resolution. No police or insurance inspection has taken place. There were no warning lamps or dashboard messages prior to this discovery. The only symptom was the driver-side wiper arm becoming loose, which I observed in 2025. Given Ford’s failure to properly address this recall and the ongoing safety risk, I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this matter and ensure Ford fulfills its obligation to replace the defective parts.

I was driving in a torrential rain storm in Florida. My wipers were on as I have the Platinum edition which has numerous sensors. I heard a strange sound then nothing the wipers stopped and I could not see a thing. I was in traffic so i put my hazard lights on and I indicated to the right and pulled over. I could not drive the vehicle so I had to wait the storm out before I could drive. When I got home I noted that this was a common problem with the 2021 F150 and in Particular the Platinum edition. I called Greenway Ford who told me it was covered under warranty but when I got there they advised me that my vehicle was not part of the recall. They advised that a technician could take a look at $179 to assess the damage. I said its clearly wiper motor as there is no sound at all when you try to turn on the wipers its completely dead. I wondered if any other owners had suffered the same fate. Unfortunately I cant drive the vehicle right now as we have regular storms in Orlando. I have only had the vehicle a few months and I was pretty disappointed in their response as it was really dangerous when this happened. I am not a mechanic but it appears by the VIN my vehicle was not part of the recall. I am reporting this in case there are other owners who suffered the same issue and it may warrant a recall. I thank you in advance for any help you can provide and thank you for keeping us safe.

Complaint Regarding Wiper Motor Recall – 2021 Ford F-150 VIN [XXX] I am filing this complaint regarding a serious safety issue with my 2021 Ford F-150 (VIN [XXX] ). The wipers sometimes stop mid-sweep or malfunction during operation, creating a major hazard during rain and poor visibility. This appears to be related to Ford Recall 22S12, which addresses defective wiper motors on this vehicle model. I contacted a local Ford dealership and asked if this recall had been completed. They could not confirm it. Instead, they told me that the problem might have been caused by an oil change shop replacing the wiper blades — and that I would be responsible for paying $200 for an inspection and up to $400 for repairs, even though the issue appears to be recall-related. Replacing wiper blades is routine maintenance and should not affect the motor’s function. I can find no technical data or public documentation that supports the dealership’s claim that improper blade installation causes a wiper motor to fail or stop mid-cycle. This sounds like an excuse to avoid honoring the recall. I am unsure whether the recall was ever completed on my truck. If it wasn’t, it needs to be done now. If it was, and the motor is still failing, that indicates a faulty or incomplete recall repair. Either way, Ford should not charge me for diagnosing or fixing a known recall-related defect. I am requesting: •Written confirmation of whether Recall 22S12 was completed •Immediate inspection and proper repair if the motor was not replaced •Coverage under recall or warranty if the part remains defective I’m also reporting this to the Better Business Bureau to document what I believe is an unfair attempt to shift responsibility and costs for a known safety issue. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] VIN: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

AC quits working while on the road. Air does not come out of the vents no matter how high the fan setting is. This is dangerous because it also applies to the defrost vents and becomes difficult to see out of the front windshield. Ford has issued a TSB (22-2089) so they are aware of the issue but no recall yet.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in a rainstorm, the windshield wipers suddenly stopped functioning. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V163000 (Visibility), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 39,000.

The windshield wipers stop working after 1 wipe

There has been an issue with front LED lights where they go out. It’s an electrical issue where my truck had both replaced and still in warranty this caused almost hit accidents a night. Many vehicles warned me by flashing the high beams. Also another issue is the transmission where it creates a huge jerk on the transmission causing a change in shift. Almost had an accident caused by it. No police involved and no accidents.

Windshield wiper motor failure during a heavy rain driving down [XXX] at night with children in truck on the way to a soccer tournament in Tulsa Oklahoma. Had new wiper motor replaced at dealership due to failure. No symptoms or warning prior to the failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Ford issued NHTSA recall 22V142 for my 2021 F-150 truck. The windshield wiper motors were known to fail. I was told by the Ford customer service representative on CAS-51684816 that Ford has not replaced this part with a new one, and the faulty motors are still being installed. My wiper motor was "replaced" under warranty on 5/18/2023 with 39,836 miles. The "new" motor then failed on 9/24/2024 at 69,600 miles, so the wiper motor only worked for a little over a year and 30,000 miles. The wiper motor also failed during a thunderstorm, and I had to pull over to the side of the road. My truck was then hailed on later while parked waiting for the storm to pass by. The Ford dealership charged me $382.01 for the "replacement" motor. Either the replacement part was defective, or the part was not replaced at all, and it was just listed on the paperwork.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V142000 (Visibility); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed an abnormal swishing sound in the front and rear passenger's side door panels. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered water in the front and rear passenger side door panels. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed that the water leak was coming from the roof of the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed the water entering the interior of the vehicle through the rear passenger's side seat belt. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed that the water leak was due to a failed rear exhaust panel. The contact was informed that the rear exhaust panel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that due to the failure, the carpet and the seats needed to be cleaned. The failure reoccurred. The contact stated while driving, there was an abnormal swishing sound in the front and rear passenger's side door panels again. The contact became aware of electrical switching sounds, and the horn failed to operate as intended. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with sunroof assembly failure. The contact was informed that the sunroof assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH during a severe rainstorm, the windshield wipers stopped working. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that wiper motor had failed. The contact was advised that there was a recall associated to wiper failure; NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V163000 (Visibility). The contact called the manufacturer and was notified of the open recall for the wiper arms; however, the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V842000 (Visibility) for the wiper motor repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle in the rain, the windshield wipers were activated but failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact drove to the residence at 30 MPH, while the windshield wipers remained inoperable. The contact replaced the windshield wiper fuse after reading the Owner's Manual; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the windshield wiper motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V842000 (Visibility); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

I contacted a local Ford dealership: Hempstead Ford, 301 N Franklin St, Hempstead, NY 11550, (516) 363-1579 to perform multiple safety recalls issued by NHTSA. The service department refused to schedule me for service because I did not buy the vehicle from their dealership. I reported this to Ford Customer Relations and was told that they cannot force the dealership to service my vehicle. I believe this is illegal.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed during a rainstorm, the driver’s side windshield wiper detached from the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V163000 (Visibility). The dealer confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and also confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 58,500.