Ford, Chrysler recall hundreds of thousands of vehicles

 US automakers Ford and Chrysler recalled on Friday hundreds ofthousands of vehicles, most of them in North America, to fix faulty software andmechanical problems.The two companies, in separate recall announcements, said they did not know ofany injuries or deaths linked to the defects.Ford recalled 692,500 Escape sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and C-MAX crossoversfrom model years 2013 and 2014 over a potential software problem that could delayairbag deployment in rollovers.The number-two US automaker also is recalling 692,700 of the 2013-2014 Escapesfor exterior door handles that many not latch properly.The recalls are mostly in North America: the United States (594,785), Canada (78,013)and Mexico (19,689).Chrysler, the US unit of Italy's Fiat Chrysler, is recalling 780,477 minivans to replacepower window switches that can overheat.The models affected are Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country, modelyears 2010 to 2014.The company is calling back for repairs 644,850 minivans in the US; 106,980 inCanada; 8,009 in Mexico; and 20,638 elsewhere.