Ford adds SUVs, cars to US recall millions

FORD Australia says no models sold here are likely to be caught up in a massive recall of about 1.4 million Ford-badged cars sold in the US.

The recall, announced last night, mainly relates to power steering issues in Ford-badged SUVs, including the Escape, which was sold in Australia.

However, because the problem relates to electrically assisted steering racks, and not the hydraulic ones fitted to Escape models sold in Australia, the car-maker is limiting the recall to mainly its North American markets.

According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford is recalling 195,527 Explorer SUVs built between 2011-13 and 915,216 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner SUVs built between 2008-11.

The documents say a loss of power steering assistance had the potential to make the vehicles more difficult to manoeuvre at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

As well, a separate issue in the Ford Taurus, where salt used on snow-covered roads to help with grip, was identified where accelerated rusting of the numberplate illumination light could spark a fire.

Ford is recalling almost 200,000 late-model Tauruses as part of that service campaign.

A separate, smaller scale recall relates to replacing floormats in more than 80,000 sedans to stop them interfering with the vehicle’s accelerator pedal.

Ford’s recall pales in scale to rival General Motors, which so far this year has tallied more than 15 million vehicles as part of wide-ranging recalls – some carrying a legacy from harsh cost-cutting measures introduced to the components making up its cars over the last decade.