Ford Recalls Trucks to Fix Parking Brakes : Autos: 893,000 vehicles are affected. Safety of seat belts in Probe cars is also under scrutiny.

Ford Motor Co. said Friday that it is recalling 893,000 Bronco, Ranger and F-series trucks and Explorer sport utility vehicles to fix a problem with the parking brakes.

The parking brakes on certain 1992-94 model F-Series and Broncos and 1993-94 model Rangers and Explorers equipped with manual transmissions may not engage when the pedals are depressed, which could allow the vehicles to roll, the company said.

Ford said it has received 44 reports alleging the condition resulted in property-damage accidents, as well as one injury report.

About 45,000 of the trucks are in Canada, the company said.

Ford said owners are being notified to return the trucks to dealers for installation of a wedge in the parking brake control at no charge.

The service takes about 30 minutes, but Ford said some dealerships may need to keep vehicles longer to accommodate service schedules.

In a related development Friday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration upgraded its investigation into the safety of motorized seat belt systems in 1990-91 model Ford Probe cars after receiving hundreds of complaints from owners.

According to the agency’s monthly vehicle defect report, the NHTSA has received 828 complaints about malfunctions of the seat belt systems.

In some cases, drivers have complained that the automatic belt guide fails to go all the way to the top of the track along the door.

NHTSA spokesman Tim Hurd said the problem has been associated with 27 crashes, 23 injuries and five fatalities. About 183,340 Probe cars use the system.

A Ford spokeswoman said the company is cooperating with the NHTSA investigation but believes there is nothing wrong with the belt system.

“We believe the vehicles are safe,” she said.