Nissan, Ford recall hundreds of thousands of cars

WASHINGTON - Nissan and Ford issued recalls of hundreds of thousands of cars Wednesday to address problem parts that could lead to injuries.

Nissan said it was calling in around 768,000 Pathfinders, Infiniti JX35s, QX60s and Rogues around the world to repair two problems.

On Pathfinders, Infiniti JX35s and QX60s of certain model years, the hood latch might not lock, potentially allowing it to spring open while the vehicle is moving.

For 2007 to 2014 Rogues, water, snow and salt leaking into the car could cause a short at a certain point of the wiring and potentially a fire, Nissan said.

Ford recalled nearly 205,000 Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS and Ford Police Interceptor sedans from the 2010 to 2013 model years, saying the doors could open in a crash due to a problem with the handles.

In addition, Ford is recalling 16,000 2014 Transit Connect vans for incorrectly tightened seat-belt fasteners. The company said it knew of no injuries related to either problem.

source:  www.abs-cbnnews.com

Ford to recall more than 10,000 Escapes for carpet problem

Ford is recalling more than 10,000 2013 Escape crossover vehicles to fix a carpet issue that could give drivers a problem reaching the brake pedal.

The recalled vehicles, manufactured from March 8 through June 7, feature mispositioned carpet padding in the center console trim panel. That can cause the driver to hit the side of the brake pedal when moving the foot from the accelerator pedal, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That could increase stopping distances and the risk of a crash, the agency said.

Dealers will remove the carpet padding and left-side console trim panel and replace it for free. The recall is expected to begin on July 23.

NHTSA said 8,226 vehicles would be recalled in the U.S.

Ford spokeswoman Marcey Zwiebel told the Associated Press that an additional 2,000 Escape vehicles in Canada and a couple of hundred in Mexico would also be affected. She said the automaker had not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to the problem.

source: latimes.com

Ford recalls 539,000 minivans, SUVs worldwide

Ford Motor Co, the No. 2 U.S. automaker, recalled about 539,000 vehicles worldwide in two separate actions to repair flaws that may lead to fires in some SUVs and the loss of power in some Mercury and Ford minivans.

Ford will recall 286,000 Ford Escape SUVs made for the 2001 and 2002 model years. It will also recall nearly 253,000 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans for 2004 and 2005 model years, Ford spokesman Dan Pierce said on Wednesday.

Most of the affected vehicles are in the United States.

The Escape recall follows a similar action in 2007 to fix a flaw in the antilock brake system, according to a Ford filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

But some SUVs may not have been completely inspected or received a proper fix, Ford said in Wednesday's filing.

Some of those SUVs were outfitted with a faulty brake master cylinder reservoir cap that could leak brake fluid. That could cause an electrical short in the antilock brake system leading to smoking or fire.

"There are reports of property damage as a result of fire beyond vehicle-only damage," Ford said in its report. There have been no reports of injuries due to the problem.

The defective part was built from October 1999 to July 2002 in a factory that is now closed. In some cases, parts shortages could delay the necessary repair.

"While the potential for fire is low, it is recommended that a customer park their vehicle outdoors away from structures until this recall repair is performed," Pierce told Reuters in an email.

In a separate recall, Ford told U.S. safety regulators that it would recall the Ford and Mercury minivans due to a defective torque converter. Ford discontinued the Mercury brand in 2010.

If the converter malfunctions, the vehicle could lose "motive" power, or the ability to move forward and reverse, without warning.

When a vehicle loses motive power, it can still be steered and stopped because the engine continues to run, Ford said. But the condition increases the risk of a crash.

Ford shares closed 2.3 percent higher at $12.07 on the New York Stock Exchange.

source: abs-cbnnews.com