US: Ford recalls 484600 Escape SUVs for throttle problem

Reuters - Ford Motor Co is recalling 484,600 older model Ford Escape SUVs, most of them in the United States, for a problem in which the throttle can be stuck open, U.S. safety regulators said.

Ford Escapes from the 2001-2004 model years with 3-liter, V6 engines are affected by the recall.

There are about 424,000 of the affected vehicles in the United States, 35,000 in Canada, 19,000 in Mexico, 4,500 in Europe and 4,300 in other regions, Ford said. In Europe, the model was called the Maverick.

The issue involves the cruise control cable on the Escapes, and safety regulators are investigating whether it was a factor in the death of a teenager in Arizona earlier this year.