Ford expands August recall of older Windstars.
It has been a busy data for federal safety regulators who authorized a collection of recalls by major automakers that will impact nearly 800,000 vehicles overall.
The news impacts a variety of makers, including domestics Chrysler and Ford, as well as German automaker Volkswagen.
VW has the largest recall, a move impacting about 380,000 vehicles, overall, due to fuel leak problems that could lead to vehicle fires.
The recall involves Beetle, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Golf and Rabbit models from the 2007 through 2009 model-years.
The specific details vary between models but all involve fuel lines that could contact other parts, chafe and begin to leak.
Chrysler, meanwhile, is recalling 370,000 Town and Country and Grand Caravan minivans from the 2008 model-year. The vehicles could experience water leaks that, at a minimum might flash a warning light but which, under certain conditions, could actually trigger an airbag to fire.
The maker plans to notify owners in February and schedule no-cost repairs.
Ford’s recall news is relatively minor – for today. But the 37,000 Windstar minivans it impacts will be added to another 575,000 Windstars recalled in August, for a total of 612,000 vehicles in all.
The Windstar problem involves rear axles that can experience excess corrosion in Snowbelt states that use road salt. That can cause an axle to develop cracks, even break.
The original recall covered 21 states and Canada. But the maker added Utah to the list, today, following an inquiry about the death of a motorist there who was killed when the axle on his minivan broke, sending it careening out of control and into the side of a building.
The Ford recall involves vans produced between the 1998 and 2003 model-years.