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DETROIT -- Ford is recalling nearly a half million minivans and suvs because of mechanical issues.

The Detroit automaker is recalling more than 205,000 Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans from the 2004 and 2005 model years. Ford says there's a problem torque converter that could cause a sudden loss of power.

The car maker is also recalling more than 244,000 Escape SUVs made during the 2001 and 2002 model years.  There's an issue with the brake system.

Ford says with both recalls, it will notify the affected owners and dealers will replace the parts for free.

In the case of the Escape, Ford said it will begin notifying owners the week of Jan. 23, but because of a parts delay, Ford said it may not be able to fix some of the vehicles right away.

In those cases, Ford said it will tell owners to park their SUVs outside until the parts become available and the vehicles can be fixed.

More Information: Ford