The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 15-20 MPH in light rainfall, the windshield wipers were activated and the front driver's side windshield wiper suddenly reversed, struck the cowl, and seized. Additionally, the contact stated that there was a significant amount of smoke coming from underneath the driver's side hood, reducing the visibility of the roadway. The contact attempted to deactivate the windshield wipers using the switch; however, the wipers failed to respond as needed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact opened the hood and allowed the smoke to dissipate. The contact then drove to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the windshield wiper motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.

- Narragansett, RI, USA