Ford’s safety woes continue as more than 1 million vehicles are recalled for a potentially dangerous rearview camera glitch that has already caused one crash.
Key Takeaways
- Ford is recalling over 1 million vehicles spanning 2021-2025 model years due to faulty rearview camera software that can freeze, delay, or fail to display images.
- Affected models include popular vehicles like the Bronco, F-150, Mustang Mach-E, and various Lincoln models, with no warning signs before camera failure occurs.
- One minor crash has already been attributed to this defect, though fortunately, no injuries were reported.
- This recall follows other recent camera-related issues for Ford, including a $165 million penalty for a delayed recall of 620,000 vehicles with similar defects.
- Owners will be notified starting June 16, but the software fix won’t be available until the third quarter of 2025.
Another Safety Scandal for American Auto Giant
Ford Motor Company has announced a massive recall affecting more than one million vehicles due to a serious software error in their rearview camera systems. The defect can cause camera images to freeze, delay, or completely fail to display when drivers shift into reverse, creating a significant safety hazard by reducing visibility behind the vehicle. This recall encompasses a wide range of Ford and Lincoln vehicles from model years 2021 through 2025, including some of the company’s most popular models like the Bronco, F-150, Mustang, and Navigator.
“A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the car is in reverse, reducing the driver’s view behind the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash,” declared Ford in a recall notice to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday.
Ford Motor is recalling nearly 1.1 million Ford and Lincoln vehicles because of a software problem that could cause the rearview camera image to malfunction when the car is in reverse. https://t.co/39GTPPwsjC
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 28, 2025
Extensive Range of Affected Vehicles
The software error impacts Ford’s Sync infotainment system, specifically in the accessory protocol interface module (APIM). The problem affects an alarming number of models including the 2021–2024 Bronco, F-150, Edge, 2023–2024 Escape, Corsair, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022–2024 Expedition, 2022–2025 Transit, 2021–2023 Mach-E, Lincoln Nautilus, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, and 2022–2024 Navigator. What makes this defect particularly concerning is that there are no warning signs before the error occurs, leaving drivers vulnerable to sudden camera failure when backing up.
“Ford Motor is recalling more than 1 million vehicles over a glitch with the rearview camera software that could freeze or delay the image and increase the risk of a crash,” stated Ford.
The glitch was initially identified in January after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received nearly 40 complaints from vehicle owners, including four reports of persistent camera loss. Ford engineers subsequently investigated the issue and were able to reproduce the defect in April, confirming it was related to a software problem rather than hardware failure.
Remedy Timeline and Previous Camera Issues
Ford has reported one minor crash related to this defect, though thankfully no injuries have been reported. The company has already notified its dealer network about the issue, and affected vehicle owners will begin receiving notification letters starting June 16. However, the actual software fix isn’t ready yet. Ford plans to send additional notifications once the remedy is available, which isn’t expected until sometime in the third quarter of 2025. Vehicles with over-the-air update capabilities may receive the fix remotely, while others will require a dealer visit.
“In April, engineers were able to reproduce the defect and link the faulty camera back to a software glitch,” states Ford.
This isn’t Ford’s first rodeo with rearview camera problems. Just last month, the company recalled another 289,000 vehicles for similar camera issues. More troublingly, Ford was recently hit with a substantial $165 million penalty for delaying a recall of 620,000 vehicles with defective cameras. This pattern of repeated camera-related recalls raises serious questions about quality control at the American automotive giant and whether the company is prioritizing safety over profit margins.
