Ford ‘s Crown Victoria sedans and similar Lincoln and Mercury vehicles from the 1995 to 1997 model years face an upgraded US investigation of rear brake failures that may result in a recall, Bloomberg News reported.


The report said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started an engineering analysis that covers at least 785,000 cars, including the Lincoln Town Car and Mercury Grand Marquis after the agency received reports of more than 700 complaints and warranty repairs for brake-line leaks that can extend stopping distances.


Bloomberg News said the agency has also begun an investigation of the Volkswagen group’s Audi A6 sedan after three reports that the dashboard caught fire without warning, leading to a crash in each case. The inquiry involves 56,740 cars from the 1999 and 2000 model years.