Ford said it is recalling nearly 1,45 million older vehicles in the United States over faulty rearview cameras, and will extend the warranties on millions of other vehicles.
The decision follows a series of recalls by the second-largest U.S. automaker over the same issue. Last month, Ford recalled 1,9 million vehicles worldwide over faulty rearview cameras.
The new recall comes after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) asked Ford in January for an explanation regarding complaints about camera malfunctions, prompting the company to conduct an investigation, Reuters reports.
Affected vehicles may have cameras that display distorted, intermittent, or completely blank images when reversing, increasing the risk of a traffic accident.
The recall affects models from 2015 to 2020, including the Explorer, Escape, Mustang, Flex, Fiesta, C-Max, Taurus, Fusion and Lincoln MKT and MKZ. Dealers will inspect and replace the cameras if necessary.
In September, NHTSA and Ford reached an agreement on a plan covering all vehicles manufactured between 2015 and 2025 with analog cameras, divided into two categories: some will be recalled, while the rest will be covered by a customer satisfaction program that includes an extended 15-year warranty on rear cameras.
Ford did not immediately announce the exact number of vehicles covered by the extended warranty, but it includes more than twenty different models, including F-150 trucks manufactured between 2015 and 2020.
The company told NHTSA that it is aware of about 12.500 warranty claims related to camera issues, as well as five traffic accidents, but no reported injuries.
In November 2024, Ford agreed to pay a civil penalty of $165 million, after an NHTSA investigation found that the company was late in recalling vehicles with defective cameras.
This year, the manufacturer was hit by a wave of recalls due to various technical issues, including faulty reversing cameras, faulty low-pressure fuel pumps and seat belt problems.
Earlier this month, Ford recalled about 625.000 vehicles due to another problem with the rearview camera, as well as a defect in the seat belt system.
The company said it does not plan any additional costs due to the latest withdrawal.
Bonus video:
