Ford recalls 490,000 vehicles for fire, power defects

Ford Motor Co. is recalling some of its SUVs and minivans in order to fix defects that could result in fire or power loss.

About 490,000 vehicles are affected, with models and years as follows:

 

205,896 2004 and 2005 model Freestar and Monterey minivans
244,530 2001 and 2002 model Escape SUVS (plus 40,000 others outside the U.S.)

The vans have torque converter output shafts in their power trains that could fail and cause sudden loss of power, while the Escapes could have corrosion-causing brake fluid leaks that lead to fire.

Dealers will repair and replace the parts according to the timetable outlined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration