Ford recalls big vans; wiring issue could cause fires

Detroit — Ford is recalling over 73 000 full-sized vans in North America to fix a wiring problem that could cause fires and other electrical issues.

The recall announced Wednesday covers Ford Transit vans from 2015 through 2017 that have a trailer tow computer module.

Ford South Africa says no local vehicles are affected in this recall.

Here's what you need to know about the recall:

1 Ford says water can enter the module and cause corrosion. That could cause an electrical short and an increased fire risk.

2 Corrosion also can cause unexpected seat belt pretensioner activation, rapid flashing of turn signals, loss of heating and air conditioning controls and other problems.

3 Fires could happen when the ignition is off so Ford is recommending they be parked outdoors until repairs are made.

4 The company says it knows of two fires in Canadian fleet vehicles that could be related. It has no reports of injuries.

5 Owners can have dealers disable the module as a temporary fix. Dealers will add a drain hole to the driver's door step well and install a fuse in a wiring harness when parts become available at an unspecified later date.