India, Dec. 10 -- Ford Motor Co. is recalling around 262 thousand F-Series heavy-duty pickups in the U.S. and Canada citing problem with the electric tailgates that may open unintentionally.

The recall involves F-250, F-350 and F-450 Super Duty trucks from the 2017 through 2019 model years. Of these, 231,664 vehicles are in the U.S., while 29,953 are in Canada.

These trucks' tailgate handles hold electric tailgate latch release switches. According to Ford, water may get into the electrical wiring system that can cause a short circuit. This could activate the switches and release the latches, due to which loose cargo could fall onto the road, resulting in heightened risk of injury and crash.

Meanwhile, trucks with mechanical tailgate la...