Ford Recalls 435,000 Vehicles For Possible Steering Issues, Possibly Unsafe Seats

For much of the United States winter is in the rearview mirror. But for consumers in 20 states and the District of Columbia, winter’s effects could continue to linger if they drive a Ford. The company recently announced two new recalls affecting more than 435,000 vehicles.

The company recalled 386,000 model year 2001 to 2004 Escape SUVs that may have corrosion issues related to the vehicles’ subframe, USA Today reports.

The corrosion issue could cause the lower control arm to separate, and potentially lead to diminished steering control. Salt used on the roads during the winter is thought to increase the chance of issues.

One crash, but no injuries, have been tied to the problem, officials with Ford say.

Affected vehicles can be found in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin. About 37,000 SUVs are located in Canada.

Dealers will install a reinforcement cross brace to resolve the issue.

The second recall affects 48,960 model year 2013 and 2014 Ford Fusions, Escapes and C-Maxs, and Lincoln MKZs.

The vehicles have back seat frames that don’t conform to safety standards and could increase risk of injury. The company says no accidents or injuries have been attributed to the issue.

Ford launches recalls of 435,000 cars and SUVs [USA Today]

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