Ford Recalls Over 1 Million Vehicles Due to Software Problem Related to Rearview Camera

Ford Motor Company is recalling a little under 1.1 million vehicles in the United States over an alleged software issue related to installed rearview cameras, as Reuters reported. Due to the potential for affected camera images to freeze or go missing entirely due to glitching, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated in its messaging surrounding the recall, collisions could occur.

A wide range of Ford and Lincoln models are included in the recall, from the Ford Bronco and Mustang to the F-series trucks, as well as recent Lincoln Nautilus, Navigator, and Corsair models.

“Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2023-2024 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse,” the NHTSA outlined.

So far, the automaker itself indicated that only a single allegation of a minor crash resulting in property damage had been linked to the issue spurring the recall.

In terms of a fix, Ford expects to utilize each vehicle’s accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software to update remotely — or, barring this, for a software update to be applied for free at the dealership or via an over-the-air update. Notification letters are slated to be mailed out on June 16 to alert owners of the recall’s particulars, with a second letter containing more specific information regarding the determined fix to be sent out later in the year, between July and September.

Those affected can contact the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 for further information or visit nhtsa.gov with the file number attached to the recall (25V-315) in hand.

Ford Recall Due to Rearview Cameras One of Many in Recent Years

As Reuters pointed out, this latest recall joins a number of similar instances involving rearview camera technology since 2020.

In April of this year, Ford issued two different recalls centered around problems with rearview cameras installed in an estimated 289,000 vehicles across its product lineup. In both cases, owners of affected vehicles were advised that the automaker would be replacing said cameras.

Last year, in November, the NHTSA indicated that Ford had “failed to recall vehicles with defective rearview cameras in a timely manner,” leading to an agreed-upon $165 million civil penalty for the automaker. The preceding investigation, launched by the NHTSA in August 2021, concerned a 2020 recall instigated by Ford related to 620,000 vehicles centered around a rearview camera fault.