Windshield wiper failure

An NHTSA Engineering Analysis into Chevrolet vehicles. Closed 10 February 2004.

Investigation
EA04002
Type
Engineering Analysis
Opened
6 January 2004
Closed
10 February 2004

What NHTSA investigated

On september 17, 2003, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (PE03-042) to investigate alleged windshield wiper failure in certain model year (my) 2002 and 2003 chevrolet trailblazer and trailblazer ext, gmc envoy and envoy xl, and oldsmobile bravada vehicles.the investigation was upgraded to an engineering analysis on january 6, 2004, and the scope was expanded to include certain my 2003 isuzu ascender vehicles.all subject vehicles are built on general motors? GMT360 and GMT370 platforms and were originally equipped with a windshield wiper assembly referred to as the family design module (p/n 15171306 base, p/n 15171307 for vehicles equipped with rainsense automatic moisture sensitive wipers).water enters the windshield wiper module causing the electrical components on the control circuit board to corrode and short out, thus rendering the wiper motor/module inoperative.in november 2002, GM introduced into vehicle production a redesigned windshield wiper assembly referred to as the ?global? Design module (p/n 15094704 base, p/n 15094705 for vehicles equipped with rainsense) to better control water intrusion.odi has received a total of 1,179 non-duplicative owner and field reports alleging windshield wiper failure on vehicles originally equipped with the ?family? Design module.by letter dated february 2, 2004, GM has notified odi that it will conduct a safety recall (NHTSA recall no. 04V-046).ACCORDINGLY, this investigation is closed.

Recalls that followed

  1. Chevrolet — Visibility: Windshield Wiper/Washer04V0460004 February 2004581,394 vehicles
  2. Isuzu — Visibility: Windshield Wiper/Washer04V0610004 February 2004439 vehicles

Vehicles covered

MakeModelModel years
ChevroletTRAILBLAZER2002–2003
GMCENVOY2002–2003
IsuzuASCENDER2003
OldsmobileBRAVADA2002–2003

Source

From NHTSA’s investigation file, rebuilt daily. To report a problem with your own vehicle, go to nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem. All open investigations.