Ford Recalls Escapes to Fix Rear Gate Defect

Ford Motor Co. recalled 262,113 Ford Escape sport utility vehicles to repair a defect in the rear gate, the second recall of the vehicles in the last two weeks.

The latest recall covers 2001 through 2005 models whose rear lift gate may fly open during a crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a posting on its website.

Ford has no reports of accidents or injuries linked to the defect, which will be fixed by replacing a part in the rear lift gate, a company spokeswoman said.