Half a Mill Ford SUVs and Minivans Being Recalled for Fire and Power Outage Threats

This is a rather dangerous auto news recall, so read on. And since it involves two distinct problems, let’s break them down one by one. First up, the odd case of the 2001-02 Ford Escape.

244,530 Escapes were built with a brake-system flaw; certain master cylinder reservoir caps are leaky. These caps are perched over the wiring harness connector for the ABS, and the brake fluid can corrode, melt, or ignite the connector if the liquid drips through the leaky cap on the connector. (Brake fluid can heat up to the point of combustion?!?) Ford’s concerned. So concerned that they want owners to park their vehicles outside until it’s fixed. So concerned that they’re WAITING until next week to notify owners of the recall. (If the Escape hasn’t lit up in ten years, it’s not going to in the next two weeks, so don’t freak out.)

Escape owners can call 866-436-7332 with questions, or click here for a much better alternative.

Now, number two. Back in 2004 and 2005, Ford was so busy designing the Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans to be sexy, they neglected the torque converter output. (If you’re a virile single bachelor driving around in a Freestar or Mercury today, chances are your torque converter output is being neglected, too.) Due to the “Let’s Make the Ford Minivan Sexy” design push (which proved amazingly futile), 205,896 of these minivans have potentially faulty torque converters. Those pesky faulty converters can lead to the car shutting down unannounced in the most inopportune of places. (Or…anywhere because it’s a minivan.)

The Black Keys may have made them hip again, though.