Mitsubishi and Transport Canada have recalled about 56,000 examples of the Outlander and RVR crossovers to fix wipers that -- get this -- could fail because of prolonged exposure to water.
What makes this even more ironic is that each model is covered by a separate recall because despite these vehicles' mechanical and structural similarities, two different design flaws are behind the faults.
In Outlander models sold between 2007 and 2013, water draining from the cowl at the base of the windshield can drip onto a ball joint that links two parts of the wiper mechanism. This can corrode the joint over time and cause it to break and render the wipers kaput. Mitsu is asking its dealers to install a better cover on that ball joint, and to inspect and replace wiper linkages that have already sustained corrosion damage.
And in the smaller RVR, water running off the cowl may accumulate on or near the wiper motor and wreck it, once again causing the wipers to quit working. In the 2011 and 2012 model year RVRs affected here, dealers will replace the wiper motor with a new design that resists water intrusion.