Another automaker, another recall. The latest comes from Ford, which issued over 1 million SUV recalls after discovering a steering defect that puts the drivers and passengers at risk and other issues such as potential engine fire.
It is the latest debacle to hit the American auto industry. GM recalled millions of vehicles after finding a default that has led to a number of alleged deaths.
The Ford recall comes after at least 20 accidents and eight injuries have been reported as a result of the SUV power steering defects, prompting the company to act.
As a whole, Ford is recalling over 900,000 Ford Escape models. It comes as nearly all of those vehicles, over 730,000, are currently on the roads in the United States and the remainder are in Canada and Mexico. All the vehicles were manufactured at the company's Kansas City plant.
"Ford Motor Company is taking quick action on behalf of its customers by conducting a voluntary safety recall of 2013 model year Ford Escape vehicles equipped with the 1.6-liter engine, which were built through July 11, 2012; Escapes equipped with the 2.0-liter and the 2.5-liter engines are unaffected," Ford said in a statement.
A number of Ford Explorers were also recalled due to the same defect.
The problem stems from an issue in the electrical wiring of the vehicles, which could see the power steering shut down altogether at any given time, dramatically reducing the ability of the driver to maneuver the vehicle around obstacles or even stay on the road.
Karl Brauer, a senior analyst at the popular Kelley Blue Book, an automobile pricing company used by many when searching for a used vehicle to purchase, said the recalls could have been brought on partly by automakers' heightened concerns over the GM and Toyota cases.
"I do think manufacturers are more willing to issue a recall at this point because their sheer number in recent months has become a sort of background white noise for consumers," he said.
Ford has said that the recall is part of the normal process that takes place when issues with their vehicles arise and that they are maintaining as much transparency over the ordeal as possible.
But it is the latest in a string of recalls and fines for the Detroit auto industry. GM has recalled over 4 million vehicles after deaths were reported. It has been fined by top governmental agencies upward of $35 million for its failure to act in an appropriate manner. The company initially claimed ignorance of the problem when speaking in Congress, but has since changed its tune and has hired a number of legal teams to look into settlements for families who lost a loved one as a result of the faulty car.
