Ford is no stranger to recalls. In fact, last year, the American auto giant finished the year with a record 153 recalls affecting nearly 12.93 million vehicles, earning the title of the most recalled brand for a second consecutive year. While many were software bugs, there were some worrisome events involving critical components. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) just issued another recall for the Blue Oval, this time affecting 422,613 vehicles across the Ford and Lincoln lineups. Ford Is Starting The Year With A Big Batch Of Recalls Ford Ford and Lincoln are recalling certain models from 2021 to 2023 due to failing windshield wipers whose arms can break, causing the wipers to fail. These models include Navigators and Expeditions from 2021-2023, as well as F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, and F-600 SD models from 2022-2023, which may have left the factory with incorrectly installed latch retention plates. The latch retention plate keeps the head seated on the wiper arm. When this linkage is damaged, visibility can be reduced at critical moments, which can lead to an accident.Lincoln According to the NHTSA's 573 report, drivers may experience erratic wipe speed of the driver or passenger wiper arm; the wipers may become inoperable or detach completely. This may seem like a minor issue, and compared to catastrophic failure, it is. Though small hiccups like this can lead to accidents, regardless of their scale. Furthermore, it doesn't help buyer confidence when a hefty recall like this comes down. The Investigation That Identified The Issue Ford In January 2026, the issue of stripped wiper arm splines on certain Expedition and Navigator models was brought to Ford's Critical Concern Review Group. During a review of past safety recalls for the same issue (campaign number: 22V250, which affected 652,996 vehicles), Ford observed an elevated warranty claim rate among models produced after the aforementioned recall's cutoff date of December 2022. The complaints lined up, Ford assessed field performance data from similar models, and dug more into the design and supplier of the affected equipment. They were able to reproduce the failure of the parts, and subsequently expanded the investigation to include Super Duty models produced around the same time with similar wiper assemblies.Ford In March 2026, the root cause was determined to be a combination of conditions that led to incorrect teeth engagement in the arm head-to-knurl interface, which can result in damage due to the stripping of the engagement surfaces. Luckily for models produced after December 2022, an improvement in production processes at the supplier addressed the issue that led to the incorrect installation. The Recall Affects Large SUVs And Super Duty Pickups Lincoln Another area of note is the vehicles this recall affects. Large SUVs, like the Expedition and Navigator, are primarily utilized as family vehicles, meaning the stakes are higher, considering the likelihood of affected vehicles carrying larger groups of people, often children. On the other hand, the Super Duty line of pickups is often utilized in tough work environments that require towing and demanding driving situations. This puts considerable stress on faulty components when we consider that they will be called upon in the most taxing scenarios — imagine your wipers fail in the middle of a downpour when you're towing upwards of 10,000 pounds, or have your family along for a weekend getaway. Ford's Remedy Is Simple And Straightforward Ford The remedy handed down for this recall (campaign number: 26V204000) involves bringing your vehicle in to your local Ford dealership for inspection, and if it is found to have an incorrectly installed wiper assembly, the dealership will replace it free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the risks are expected to be mailed on April 13, 2026, with additional letters sent once the remedy is available. As of writing, Ford is not aware of any accidents, injuries, or fires related to the concern.