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GM Wipers

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Kevin of Toronto writes:
There is a known problem, under ongoing investigation by the NHTSA in the US and Transport Canada here in Canada, with windshield wiper motor/circuit board failures on a variety of GM vehicles. Some of these vehicles have been recalled (over 71,000 in Canada), but there are seemingly thousands of other vehicles that do not have VINs included in the recall but have the same defect.

GM recall #98043, from 1998, apparently covers 1994, 1995 and 1996 model year Chevrolet and GMC trucks and sport utility vehicles in the S/T and C/K series, but the VIN of my own vehicle, a 1996 Chevrolet K1500 pick-up, is not covered. What happens is that the windshield wipers intermittently stop working, usually in inclement weather. This is apparently due to faulty/cracked solder joints on the circuit boards of the windshield wiper motors and at the wiring harness connection, as well as problems with the covers for these circuit board boxes not sealing properly (corrosion).

Consider what happens to a vehicle if the driver is on the highway in heavy rain or sleet/snow and suddenly the wipers do not work. Visibility zero. Accident. Injury. Death?

General Motors of Canada first told me no such recall existed when I called them about this problem. Then, when I found the recall listed on the Transport Canada database and quoted the recall number, they told me that the VIN of my truck was not included in said recall so I would have to pay for the defect to be repaired myself or live with it. I talked to a investigator at Transport Canada who said that there is presently an ongoing investigation, with the hopes of making GM expand the recall ... but so far this has not happened. GM Customer Service refuses to assist in this matter, and they have been very rude and uncooperative.

My windshield wipers failed while driving in heavy rain on the 401 highway near Guelph on Saturday, November 25th, 2000. The speed limit on the 401 is 100kmh (about 60 mph). I could not see. I was able to pull off on the shoulder and finally got the wipers working again, but drove the rest of the way back to Toronto on secondary roads. I could have been in an accident. My wife and I could have been injured or killed, or injured or killed others. This is a safety problem that GM has known about for perhaps as long, if not longer, as since 1991.

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