According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford Motor Co. has issued two recalls affecting over 145,000 of its vehicles.
The first and largest recall affect the 2005 model-year Five Hundred and Mercury Montego cars and 2005-2006 model-year Freestar minivans. Defective side door latches on the vehicles may allow water in which will freeze the latch in colder climates. The now frozen latch may allow the door to open while the vehicle is in motion.
Over 139,000 vehicles are affected by the issue.
The second recall affects the 2005 model-year Ford Escape hybrid. The SUV’s driveshaft may fracture which can allow the vehicle to move even when parked. Over 6,000 Escapes are affected.
Our take? With its high-profile status, we applaud that Ford is moving promptly to resolve these issues. We recommend the automaker also check its Mercury Mariner hybrids which built on the Escape platform as well.