Ford recalls 692K vehicles

Associated Press

DETROIT

Ford is recalling more than 692,000 Escape small SUVs and C-Max gas-electric hybrids in North America to fix two safety problems.

The recalls cover vehicles from the 2013 and 2014 model-years. Most of the Escapes have both problems.

The first case covers 692,500 Escape and C-Max vehicles. A software glitch can stop the side curtain air bags from inflating in certain types of rollover crashes. The company says it has no reports of crashes or injuries. Dealers will reprogram the air-bag control computer for free.

About 65,000 of the recalled vehicles are C-Max models, and the rest are Escapes. Roughly 591,000 are in the U.S., Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said in an email.

The affected Escapes were built from Oct. 5, 2011, through Feb. 14, 2014. The C-Max vehicles were built from Jan. 19, 2012, through Feb. 24, 2014.

The second case covers about 692,700 Escapes. Exterior door handles can bind and stop the door from latching properly. This could allow doors to open while the SUVs are in motion.

Dealers will inspect the handles and reposition them if needed. No crashes or injuries have been reported.