DETROIT (AP) - Ford Motor Co. is recalling more than 10,000 redesigned 2013 Escape SUVs to fix carpet padding that could get in the way of braking.
Ford says that wrongly positioned carpet padding could reduce space around the pedals and cause drivers to hit the side of the brake pedal when switching from the accelerator.
The auto maker told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that dealers will remove the carpet padding and replace a console trim panel at no charge.
Ford said the recall covered 8,266 vehicles in the U.S. Ford spokeswoman Marcey Zwiebel said it also affected about 2,000 vehicles in Canada and a couple hundred in Mexico.
Zwiebel said Ford had not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to the problem, which she said was discovered "through internal evaluations." The vehicles were built between March 8 and June 7 at Ford's assembly plant in Louisville, Ky.
The recall is expected to begin July 23. Owners may call the automaker at 866-436-7332.
Ford sold 28,500 Escapes last month, up 28 percent from June 2011.
The Ford Escape recall is not the first to involve floor mats. Starting in 2009, Toyota underwent a massive recall that ultimately involved more than 14 million vehicles in order to fix a similar issue. The saga began when a California Highway Patrol officer and his family were killed in a brutal accident in San Diego. The officer was unable to stop the Lexus he was driving when the gas pedal became stuck on the mat.
Toyota is still fixing the problem, issuing recalls for floor mat problems as recently as late June.
The recall is not a good start for the new generation of the Escape CUV, one of the most popular vehicles in the segment. Such early problems are sure to affect consumer mindset regarding the safety and reliability of the vehicle even after the particular issue has been fixed.
AOL Autos Consumer Editor Michael Zak contributed to this story.
Ford says that wrongly positioned carpet padding could reduce space around the pedals and cause drivers to hit the side of the brake pedal when switching from the accelerator.
The auto maker told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that dealers will remove the carpet padding and replace a console trim panel at no charge.
Ford said the recall covered 8,266 vehicles in the U.S. Ford spokeswoman Marcey Zwiebel said it also affected about 2,000 vehicles in Canada and a couple hundred in Mexico.
Zwiebel said Ford had not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to the problem, which she said was discovered "through internal evaluations." The vehicles were built between March 8 and June 7 at Ford's assembly plant in Louisville, Ky.
The recall is expected to begin July 23. Owners may call the automaker at 866-436-7332.
Ford sold 28,500 Escapes last month, up 28 percent from June 2011.
The Ford Escape recall is not the first to involve floor mats. Starting in 2009, Toyota underwent a massive recall that ultimately involved more than 14 million vehicles in order to fix a similar issue. The saga began when a California Highway Patrol officer and his family were killed in a brutal accident in San Diego. The officer was unable to stop the Lexus he was driving when the gas pedal became stuck on the mat.
Toyota is still fixing the problem, issuing recalls for floor mat problems as recently as late June.
The recall is not a good start for the new generation of the Escape CUV, one of the most popular vehicles in the segment. Such early problems are sure to affect consumer mindset regarding the safety and reliability of the vehicle even after the particular issue has been fixed.
AOL Autos Consumer Editor Michael Zak contributed to this story.
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