Wiper Failures on Freightliners Trigger Probe

In one case a driver lost control of his truck during a storm.

A 2015 Freightliner Cascadia Evolution Truck.
A 2015 Freightliner Cascadia Evolution Truck.
AutoMotoTube, YouTube

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. safety regulators are investigating why windshield wipers can fail on almost 194,000 Freightliner big trucks.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted Friday that Freightliner maker Daimler Trucks has received four complaints, 12 reports from the field and more than 1,800 warranty claims due to the problem.

In one case a driver reported the wipers stopped working during a rain storm, causing him to lose vision and lose control of his truck.

The investigation covers Freightliner Cascadia trucks from the 2015 and 2016 model years.

The agency says it will conduct an engineering analysis on the wiper system performance. It also will study comparable vehicles.

A message was left Friday seeking comment from a Daimler Trucks spokesman.

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