Ford recalling more than 465,000 vehicles

Ford has issued three fresh recalls covering more than 465,000 vehicles in the United States and Canada.

The largest of the three recalls covers 465,000 Ford Explorer, Taurus, Flex, Fusion and Police Interceptor utilities and sedans, and Lincoln MKS, MKT and MKZ vehicles from the 2013 model year. Ford issued the recall after receiving more than 600 complaints involving fuel leaks.

“The condition could result in customers detecting a fuel odor, or in some cases, observe evidence of a fuel leak on the ground,” Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker told The Detroit News. “While a fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire, there have been no reports of fires. We are not aware of any accidents or injuries attributed to this condition.”

In a separate safety campaign, Ford is recalling 500 2013 Lincoln MKZ sedans equipped with engine block heaters. Ford says the wire insulation used in the heating unit isn't up to standards, which could cause wire to become exposed, increasingly the likelihood of a vehicle fire.

Lastly, Ford is recalling a small batch – just 23 units – of its 2013 Fusion sedan for a steering issue. Ford says the vehicles covered by the recall may have left the factory with faulty steering gears, which could lead to impaired steering or the total loss of vehicle control.

The latest recalls are yet another black eye for Ford's safety record. Late last year Ford was forced to recall and even stop sales of vehicles equipped with its 1.6L EcoBoost engine over fire concerns. During one week in December the 2013 Ford Fusion was recalled twice.

The news could get even worse for Ford in the coming weeks as the Feds are currently investigating 725,000 Ford vehicles for stalling issues and another 400,000 F-150 truck models for an acceleration issue.

So far this year Ford has recalled about 700,000 vehicles, putting it on pace to match the 1.4 million vehicles it recalled last year.