Ford recalls 750,000 cars

Ford Motor Co. is recalling more than 750,000 vehicles – most of them Escape sport utility vehicles – in North America to address possible problems that could delay airbag deployment and cause doors to open while cars are being driven. No accidents or injuries related to the problem have been reported, Ford said.

The recalls come amid other recent woes for car manufacturers, and safety jitters for consumers, with General Motors facing scrutiny over faulty ignition switches and Toyota agreeing to pay out more than a billion dollars for uncontrollable acceleration. Both flaws have been linked to deaths. 

Ford said it is recalling 692,487 Escape SUVs and C-Max hybrids from model years 2013 and 2014 for a potential software problem that could delay deployment of the side curtain rollover airbags in certain accidents. About 65,000 of the vehicles are the C-Max, a spokeswoman said. Dealers can reprogram the faulty car software.

Of the recalled vehicles, almost 595,000 were sold in the United States and its territories, more than 78,000 in Canada, and about 19,500 in Mexico, Ford said.

Separately, Ford is also recalling 692,744 Escape SUVs from the 2013 and 2014 model years to address potential faulty door handles that could prevent doors from latching properly. The company said doors could open while driving, increasing the risk of injury. Ford said no injuries or deaths had been reported because of the door issue. Dealers will inspect and, as needed, reposition the handles.

Most of the Escapes being recalled have both problems. The recalls are the ninth and tenth for the 2013 model of the Escape.

In both recalls, Ford said additional vehicles may be affected in other markets.

Al Jazeera and Reuters