Ford Announces Major Recalls, Including Minivans & F-150s

(RTTNews) - Ford Motor Co (F) announced a series of recalls totaling about 380,000 vehicles, significantly widening its call backs for 2015.

A major recall pertains to 342,271 Ford Windstar minivans of model years 1998 to 2003. The minivans - already recalled in 2010 for a rear axle that could crack - are again being called back as Ford says the problem may not have been completely eliminated, despite placing brackets on the axle as a remedy.

Ford says the axle may continue to contain cracks, which can lead to failure and an increased risk of crashes. Dealers will assess the vehicles and determine if the brackets are correctly installed.

Another recall is for 36,857 Ford F-150s - model year 2015, with potential cruise control problem that could heighten the chances of a crash.

Ford said that when passing a large, reflective truck, the adaptive cruise control radar in some of the vehicles could wrongly identify the truck as being in the F-150's lane of travel when it is not.

As a result, the cruise control system might apply the brakes until the truck is no longer perceived to be in the lane of travel.

Also, the collision warning system's red warning light might flash and a tone may be heard concomitantly. Due to this, the brake lights will illuminate, enhancing the chances of a crash. The problem will be rectified by a software upgrade.

Almost all recalls are from the U.S. and Canada

Ford shares are trading at $13.54, down $0.03 or 0.22%, on the NYSE.