DETROIT, March 5, 2026, 06:51 (EST)
- Ford is recalling 604,533 vehicles in the U.S. due to a problem with the windshield wiper motor. Another recall, this time for a driveshaft issue, affects 11,431 vehicles.
- Ford’s February U.S. sales dropped 5.5%, and sales of electrified vehicles took an even sharper hit, sliding 37.7%.
- Ford Europe’s updated Puma Gen-E hit the market boasting increased range and BlueCruise hands-free highway driving.
Ford Motor (F.N) is recalling 604,533 vehicles in the U.S., after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration flagged a potential windshield wiper motor failure that could cut visibility and heighten crash risk. The recall targets some 2020-2022 Ford Explorer and Escape SUVs, plus Lincoln Aviator and Corsair models. Dealers will check and, if needed, swap out front wiper motors free of charge, the agency said. Separately, Ford has another recall affecting 11,431 vehicles due to a driveshaft friction weld problem that might cause rear driveshaft separation and sudden loss of drive power, according to NHTSA.
The wiper recall is about one thing: visibility. If wipers quit at the wrong time, what was a normal drive can abruptly turn dangerous.
Ford posted a weaker U.S. performance to kick off the year. For February, sales slipped 5.5% to 149,962 vehicles. Electrified models were hit even harder, with a 37.7% decline to 14,132 units, and electric vehicle deliveries tumbled 71% to 2,122. Explorer moved higher—up 33.4% to 20,100—while Escape skidded 71.2% to 4,025. Mustang Mach-E sales dropped 54.6% to 1,502, and the F-150 Lightning plummeted 76.3% to 522.
Ford’s recall stretches across its core range and hits Lincoln’s luxury SUVs, too. Owners are looking at an inspection, with parts swapped out if needed—meaning some trips to the service center could take longer, all depending on what turns up.
Ford’s updated Puma is getting some attention in Europe, where the company claims it will be the continent’s top seller in 2025. The new all-electric Puma Gen-E now boasts a WLTP range of 417 km (259 miles), and Ford plans to roll out its BlueCruise “hands-off, eyes-on” driver-assist tech across the Puma lineup. According to the company, BlueCruise is now cleared for use in 16 European markets. “We are making our advanced technologies more accessible,” said Christian Weingaertner, general manager for Ford Europe’s passenger vehicles. Ford From the Road
BlueCruise isn’t self-driving—it’s driver-assist. The tech takes over speed and steering on select highways, though the driver needs to stay alert. General Motors and Tesla offer comparable features, and the way these systems are marketed often blurs the distinction.
The immediate threat comes from the U.S. recalls. If the defect crops up beyond current estimates, or if regulators ultimately tie it to accidents, what began as a wiper motor recall could quickly snowball into a costlier, larger-scale quality headache.
NHTSA urges owners to run their VINs through its lookup tool to spot any open recalls. The agency also points out that newly announced recalls might not show up for every vehicle right away.
The timing isn’t great for Ford. Calling cars back to dealerships is a headache, especially when sales are bumpy and new models haven’t caught on yet. For drivers, it’s a familiar story: something as minor as a wiper blade or a sensor can bring a giant like Ford back to the basics—fixing each car, one by one.
