Ford has announced recalls of the Escape SUV and the Freestar and Mercury Monterey vans, covering almost 500,00 vehicles. The Escape is affected by a brake issue, and the Freestar and Monterey have an issue with the torque converter.

Ford Escape has leaking master cylinder

The Ford Motor Company, according to the Washington Post, has announced two recalls involving three different vehicles, comprising more than 490,000 vehicles in total.

The larger recall is for the 2001 and 2002 models of the Ford Escape, Ford’s smaller crossover SUV. Ford is recalling 243,530 Escape units in the United States and a further 40,000 in other countries. The issue is with the cap of the brake master cylinder, which can leak brake fluid.

The defect can cause fluid to drip onto the wiring harness for the anti-lock brake system, which can cause wiring connections to corrode, according to AutoBlog. This can lead to a short and possibly a fire.

A similar recall was conducted in 2007, but Ford says that some repairs performed during that recall may have been insufficient.

Freestar and Mercury Monterey recall

Ford has also announced a recall of the 2004 and 2005 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans, comprising 205,896 units. The recall covers both vehicles, as they are the same cars with different badges.

The Monterey and Freestar are being recalled due to a defect in the output shaft on the torque converter. Over time, the output shaft can weaken and eventually fail, causing the vehicle to lose power while driving.

According to InsideLine, the recall was initiated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The NHTSA has been investigating the issue since 2009, when some incidents of sudden power failure were reported, and the defect was investigated. The NHTSA has determined that a parts manufacturer failed to properly condition the output shaft splines for operating at the high temperatures car parts are supposed to operate at.

Recall to begin in second quarter of the year

No accidents or injuries are known to have occurred due to the Escape defect, aside from property damage from a few fires, according to the Washington Post. Two minor accidents, one of which involved minor injuries, occurred due to the Monterey/Freestar defect.

The Montery and Freestar recall is projected to officially begin in the second fiscal quarter of the year, which begins in March. Owners will be contacted by Ford and directed to take their vehicle to the nearest Ford dealership, where the torque converter will be inspected and, if necessary, replaced.

In the case of the Escape, according to AutoBlog, Ford is going to start contacting owners on Jan. 23. Ford will replace the master cylinder cap and modify the wiring harness for the anti-lock brake system. However, parts may be in short supply, so owners may have to wait until sufficient parts are available.

Owners may contact Ford directly at 1-866-436-7332 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for more information.