Ford recalls nearly 2 million vehicles over faulty rearview cameras
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says defect can show inverted, distorted or blank images; repairs to be made free at dealers
Ford is recalling about 1.9 million vehicles worldwide because a rearview camera defect can reduce a driver’s view and increase the risk of a crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday.
The recall covers roughly 1.45 million vehicles in the United States, 122,000 in Canada and about 300,000 in other markets. NHTSA said the rearview camera, which is activated on the dashboard display when a vehicle is put in reverse, may display an inverted, distorted or blank image.
Affected models include a range of Ford and Lincoln vehicles from model years 2015 through 2019, among them the Lincoln MKC (2015-2019), Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, Lincoln Navigator (2015-2017), Expedition (2015-2017), Edge (2015-2018), Transit Connect, F-550 SD (2016-2019), Transit (2016-2019), Econoline (2017-2019) and the 2019 Ranger. NHTSA said an estimated 2.7% of the recalled U.S. vehicles — about 39,323 cars — have the defect.
Ford told owners to bring their vehicles to a Ford dealer, where the cameras will be inspected and replaced as needed at no charge. Letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed by Sept. 22, with additional notices to follow when the remedy becomes available.
NHTSA said Ford is aware of 44,123 global warranty claims and 18 accidents tied to the faulty cameras. The agency added that Ford is not aware of any injuries related to the defect. The cameras at the center of the recall were manufactured by Magna International, a major auto parts supplier that has issued its own recall notice covering more than 250,000 rearview cameras used in some Ford and Stellantis vehicles.
The latest action follows previous rearview camera recalls by Ford. In April, the automaker recalled about 166,000 vehicles for camera failures, and earlier recalls in 2020 totaled more than 620,000 vehicles for similar issues. NHTSA opened a probe in August 2021 into the timeliness of Ford’s responses to camera defects; in November, Ford agreed to pay a $165 million civil penalty after the agency found it had failed to recall vehicles with defective rearview cameras promptly.
Magna’s recall and Ford’s ongoing actions underscore the role of suppliers in safety-related component failures and the potential regulatory and financial consequences for automakers when defects reappear. Dealers will perform inspections and replacements as the remedy becomes available; owners with immediate concerns are advised to contact their local Ford dealer or NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline.
The recall adds to operational and reputational challenges for automakers as advanced camera and driver-assistance systems become more central to vehicle safety. Regulators and industry participants continue to monitor how manufacturers and suppliers identify, report and remedy defects in such systems.