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Daimler Truck recalls 54,375 trucks for possible windshield wiper defect

Just 1% expected to have issue that started with Western Star models in 2022

The Freightliner 114 SD is among six models recalled because of possibly faulty windshield wipers. (Photo: Daimler Truck North America)

A year ago, Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) recalled 689 Western Star trucks for faulty windshield wipers. That issue now has swelled to a recall of 54,375 units affecting six products covering two and three model years depending on the product.

Unlike the first recall, where 100% of the units were projected to have the problem, just 1% of 54,375 trucks in the new recall are projected to experience the defect.

The windshield wiper linkages may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail. On affected vehicles, the spline teeth in the wiper arm may wear due to a tooling issue. Faulty wipers can lead to visibility problems and a possible crash. A driver’s pre-trip inspection likely would detect the issue, DTNA told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

The company reported neither crashes nor injuries connected to the recall. The trucks involved are:


MAKEMODELYEAR
FCCCS2C2021-2022
FCCCS2G2020-2022
FCCCS2RV2020-2022
FREIGHTLINER108SD2021-2022
FREIGHTLINER114SD2021-2022
FREIGHTLINERM22020-2022

When Daimler recalled the Western Star 47X models from 2021 and 49X models from 2020-2021 in April 2022, it believed the issue was limited to the vehicles identified by its supplier. The company had two known field incidents and 35 warranty claims.

In December through March, DTNA recorded one field incident and 48 warranty claims for faulty wipers, leading to the new recall.

Dealers will inspect and replace the windshield wiper arm and linkage parts, as necessary, free of charge. Dealer and owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 23. The NHTSA recall number is 23V-237.

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Click for more FreightWaves articles by Alan Adler.

Alan Adler

Alan Adler is an award-winning journalist who worked for The Associated Press and the Detroit Free Press. He also spent two decades in domestic and international media relations and executive communications with General Motors.