2013 Chevrolet Equinox

I HAVE A NEWLY PURCHASED 2013 EQUINOX WHICH MY WIFE DRIVES AND THE WIPERS BROKE ON IT WHILE DRIVING ON THE NJ PARKWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF A RAINSTORM AND WAS LUCKY SHE DID NOT GET INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH OUR DAUGHTER. APPARENTLY THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON MANY OTHER EQUINOX'S AROUND THE SAME AGE WITH A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH. I SEE THIS AS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BEING IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY WIFE PUT HER WIPERS ON HIGH SINCE IT WAS RAINING SO HARD AND SCARED TO DEATH WHEN IT HAPPENED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE WIPERS FAILED TO WORK. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE OWNER WAS ABLE TO REPLACE THE BUSHINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WIPER TRANSMISSION THAT CONNECTED TO THE MOTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

I WENT OUT TO START MY CAR MONDAY MORNING MARCH 21,2016. I TURNED ON THE WIPERS TO BECAUSE MY WINDOWS WAS FOGGY..AS I WAITED FOR THE WINDOWS TO CLEAR ..I NOTICED THAT MY WIPERS WOULD NOT COME ON. I TRYED ALL SETTING FROM LOW-HIGH AND EVEN MIST SETTING. THEY STILL WOULD NOT WORK. I GOT OUT OF MY CAR AND HEARD A WHINING NOISE LIKE THE MOTOR WAS RUNNING IN WIPER BLADE.I THEN TRIED THE WIPERS AGAIN AND THEY WOULDN'T MOVE...I GOT A ESTIMATE FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I GOT MY CAR FROM...THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $202 TO FIX.. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE WIPER TRANSMISSION LINKAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.THIS WIPER ISSUE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE A RECALL..IS A SAFETY HAZARD...I'M GLAD I WAS AT HOME AND MY CAR WAS SITTING STILL AND IT WASN'T RAINING..BUT IF IT HAD BEEN RAINING THAT WOULD HAVE A BEEN A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD..A RECALL DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE CALLED IMMEDIATELY..

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S WIPER TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIPER TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ON A RAINY DAY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND WAITED UNTIL IT STOPPED RAINING TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIPER LINKAGE BUSHING ASSORTMENT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

DRIVING IN LEFT LANE ON I75 AT 70 MPH IN MODERATE TRAFFIC. STARTED TO RAIN AND WITHIN SECONDS TURNED TO A DOWNPOUR. I SWITCHED MY WIPERS FROM REGULAR TO HIGH SPEED, THEY MADE 2 OR 3 STROKES AND THEN QUIT. I COULDN'T SEE A THING. MOST SCARED I'VE EVER BEEN IN A VEHICLE. LUCKILY, NO ONE IN FRONT OF ME BRAKED SUDDENLY, SO I FLIPPED ON MY FLASHERS AND GRADUALLY SLOWED AND EDGED ACROSS THE RIGHT LANE ONTO THE SHOULDER. TURNS OUT THE WIPER TRANSMISSION HAS SEVERAL PLASTIC BALL/SOCKET PIECES, AND ONE FAILED, SEPARATING THE MOTOR FROM THE LINKAGE. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A TERRIBLE MULTICAR WRECK. I WORK IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, AND AM AN ASE MASTER TECH. I KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT CARS. IN A SAFETY-CRITICAL SYSTEM LIKE WIPERS, WHY, OTHER THAN A SMALL COST, WHY COULDN'T THE LINKAGE BE DESIGNED NOT TO SEPARATE WHEN THE BALL/SOCKET FAILS? A SECONDARY CONNECTION OR IMPROVED DESIGN THAT WOULD ALLOW THE WIPERS TO OPERATE, EVEN POORLY, UNTIL A VEHICLE CAN GET OFF THE ROAD. I COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED (ALONG WITH OTHERS) BY THE FAILURE OF A SMALL PIECE OF PLASTIC THAT IS NEVER INSPECTED WHEN AN AUTO IS SERVICED.