DETRIOT, Mich. — According to Time Magazine, Mazda must recall 190,000 of the popular Mazda 3 compact sedans due to the potential for windshield wiper failure. All of the recalled vehicles were sold in the United States. The consumer advocate webpage carcomplaints.com indicated that 239,000 vehicles are subject to the recall, including 51,000 in Canada and the remainder in the U.S. Mazda issued the recall in conjunction with the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The vehicle manufacturer announced the recall campaign on Saturday, April 6, 2019, and will begin accepting vehicles for repair on June 3, 2019.
Mazda announced that it would initiate a recall campaign for its Mazda 3 compact sedans stating June 3, 2019. The recall concerns 2016 to 2018 model years. Mazda, which is based in Japan, released information suggesting that metal deposits that become lodged in the relay system of the windshield wipers can cause the electrical relay to stick. If the wiper relay sticks, then the windshield wipers will not operate correctly. In fact, the company warns that the windshield wipers could fail completely, thereby obscuring the driver’s vision. The problem is not one that the motorist could manufacture a quick fix. Instead, Mazda said it would replace the replay system in the vehicles at no cost to the consumer. Mazda said that it had not received any reports of accidents or injuries as a consequence of its failing windshield wipers.
The source of the problem relates to a defective manufacturing process for the windshield wiper relays. The process leaves metal shavings behind which become entangled in the relay. Further problems pointed to silicone infecting the relays as well.
The wiper manufacturer Bosch allegedly made the defective wiper relays. Mazda will repair the problem by removing the old relays and replacing the relays with an updated relay system.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed due to defective windshield wipers, call the Law Offices of Jason Turchin at 1-800-510-0750 for a free consultation with an experienced product liability lawsuit lawyer. We are available 24/7 to discuss your case.
