Ford recalls 435,000 vehicles

DETROIT, April 7 (UPI) -- Ford issued two recalls Friday on nearly 435,000 vehicles to fix rusting frames and faulty seats, according to a news release from the company.

The first and largest recall is for Ford Escapes from the 2001 to 2004 model years, totaling nearly 386,000 SUVs. Ford is recalling the Escapes because the vehicle’s subframe can rust, allowing a control arm to separate, compromising steering control.

Ford is aware of one crash due to this issue, though no injuries were sustained.

This recall applies to vehicles issued in in the following 20 states, including Washington D.C., and six Canadian provinces, where salt is used to clear ice from the roads: Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Also covered are Escapes sold or registered in Washington, D.C., as well as the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec.

Ford dealers will install a reinforcement brace to address the issue.

The second recall covers 49,000 vehicles from 2013 and 2014 and includes the models Ford Escape, Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKZ, and C-MAX. Dealers will replace seat back frames that were not properly welded.

According to Ford, no crashes or injuries have been reported due to this issue.

[New York Times]