Ford recalls nearly 275,000 Navigator and Expedition SUVs over possible brake damage

Ford Motor is recalling 273,789 Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition vehicles because of a poorly installed front brake line that may lead to reduced brake function increasing the risk of crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in recall dated May 9.

Affected vehicles may have "a bent brake line" that could come into contact with the engine air cleaner outlet pipe, which is a hose used to transfer filtered air from the car's air filter to it engine. As a result, the outlet pipe may become damaged, resulting in a brake fluid leak, causing the vehicle's front brakes to stop working, recall documents state.

"A brake line leak may cause a longer-than-expected brake pedal travel and result in a reduction in the rate of deceleration. If there is a rapid loss of brake fluid or the brake fluid is completely depleted, this can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash," the NHTSA states in its report.