The issue, which has led to at least 18 reported accidents, prompted a formal filing with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The safety measure involves several well-known models across multiple production years, notably the Lincoln MKC, Navigator, Mustang, and various F-Series trucks. The decision marks one of Ford’s largest camera-related recalls to date and follows a series of similar actions in recent years.
Although the company stated that no injuries have been reported, the technical malfunction represents a significant safety concern. Ford acknowledged over 44,000 warranty claims related to the issue, suggesting that drivers around the world may have unknowingly faced risks due to visibility failures when reversing. According to Detroit Free Press, about 1.45 million of the affected vehicles are located in the United States, 122,000 in Canada, and the remainder spread across global markets.
Widespread Impact Across Multiple Models
The recall affects a broad range of vehicles built between 2015 and 2019, including the F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Expedition, Edge, Transit, Transit Connect, Econoline, and Ranger. Ford stated in its NHTSA filing that the rear-view camera systems in these models may fail to provide a reliable image, a functionality that has been federally mandated for all new vehicles in the U.S. since 2018.
Owners of the affected models are being instructed to bring their vehicles to dealerships for inspection and replacement of the malfunctioning camera systems. The NHTSA emphasized that dealers will perform the repairs free of charge. The issue has persisted for years and mirrors a pattern of earlier recalls, including one in April that targeted 160,000 vehicles for the same problem.
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Previous Penalties and Ongoing Scrutiny
This latest recall adds to Ford’s growing list of compliance challenges. In November, the automaker agreed to pay a $165 million civil penalty following an investigation by NHTSA. The inquiry found that Ford had failed to recall vehicles with known rear-view camera defects in a timely manner. The original investigation began in August 2021 after a separate 2020 recall of more than 620,000 vehicles with similar defects.
According to Detroit Free Press, Ford expanded that initial recall in both 2022 and March 2024, incorporating approximately 24,000 more vehicles. Regulatory scrutiny has remained high, with the NHTSA recently forwarding seven new allegations of camera malfunctions in 2015–2018 models to Ford for further analysis. These mounting investigations have placed pressure on the company to act more swiftly in identifying and resolving safety issues tied to camera hardware.
Camera Supplier Also Under Recall Notice
The recall doesn’t stop at Ford. The Canadian auto parts manufacturer Magna International, which supplied some of the affected rear-view cameras, has also issued a separate recall. According to the agency cited by Detroit Free Press, Magna’s notice affects over 250,000 units installed in both Ford and Stellantis vehicles.
This overlap suggests that the issue may not be confined to Ford’s assembly lines but could also relate to design or manufacturing problems at the supplier level. While Ford has not explicitly blamed Magna, the supplier’s involvement signals a more complex recall landscape involving multiple stakeholders.
