TORONTO – Ford is recalling more than 25,000 cars and SUVs in Canada, out of a total of almost 423,000 in North America, because the power-assisted steering can fail while they’re being driven.
The recall covers certain Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles, as well as the Lincoln MKS and MKT from the 2011 through 2013 model years. Also covered are the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ from 2011 through 2012 and some 2011 Mercury Milans.
There are 393,622 vehicles in the U.S. affected by the recall and 25,195 in Canada.
Certain 2011-2013 models of the Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT vehicles affected were built in the company’s Oakville, Ont. assembly plant from Sept. 7, 2010 to Feb. 28, 2012.
Ford says an intermittent electrical connection can cause the power steering to stop. That sends the steering into manual mode, making the vehicles harder to control. The company says it knows of four crashes due to the problem but no injuries.
Dealers will either update power steering control software or replace the steering gear depending on the problem with individual vehicles. A new steering gear eliminates the electrical issue.
In October, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating complaints of power-steering failures on three Ford Motor Co. midsize car models. The probe covered 938,000 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ cars from the 2010 through 2012 model years, as well as the 2010 and 2011 Mercury Milan.
According to a U.S. class-action lawsuit filed in June about the matter, the problem could affect more Ford models, including the compact Focus.
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NHTSA said at the time that it received 508 complaints alleging that the cars lost power-assisted steering, causing increased steering effort.
Ford said it was unsure if the agency would close its investigation because of the recall. A message was left Wednesday for a NHTSA spokeswoman.
The company also is recalling 19,500 2015 Mustangs with 2.3-litre engines due to high underbody temperatures that could degrade the fuel tank and fuel vapour lines, increasing the risk of a fire. No fires have been reported. The heat also can damage the parking brake cable. Dealers will replace a heat shield and add insulation.
The recall affects 19,095 vehicles in the U.S. but only 391 in Canada.
*With files from The Associated Press
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