Ford issues four recalls.

The Detroit Free Press (4/29, Priddle, 957K) reports Ford issued four recalls of a total of almost 600,000 vehicles in North America for issues including steering gear bolts, parking lights, fuel pumps, and heat shields. So far just one accident and no injuries have been attributed to the issues. The move comes just before National Highway Traffic Safety Administration administrator Mark Rosekind travels to Detroit “to meet with General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles officials,” including Ford CEO Mark Fields, GM CEO Mary Barra, and FCA’s head of vehicle safety and regulatory compliance, Scott Kunselman.

        The New York Times (4/30, Jensen, Subscription Publication, 12.24M) reports that Ford said the steering system’s bolts could rust and break, making the power steering give out and steering more difficult. The recall only includes cars “in states that depend heavily on road salt in the winter,” which can speed corrosion. However, consumer groups say such limited recalls “save automakers money while running the risk that, in a mobile society, some dangerous vehicles will not be fixed.”

             NHTSA urges recalled Ford owners to get fixes quickly. CNBC (4/30, Pramuk, 2.01M) reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration called for owners of recalled Fords “to get them ‘fixed as soon as possible.’”