Ford Backup Camera Accidents Result in Recall of Nearly 1.5M Vehicles

Problems with Ford backup cameras have resulted in more than 12,000 warranty claims and five accidents, which may pose serious risks for drivers.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced a Ford rearview camera recall (PDF) on October 21, warning that certain vehicles’ rearview camera systems may display distorted, intermittent or blank images.

A backup, or rearview, camera is an important safety feature that allows drivers to see the area directly behind their vehicles while in reverse. Federal regulations implemented in May 2018 require all new vehicles under 10,000 pounds to include this technology, which has been shown to significantly reduce back-over crashes and pedestrian injuries.

Officials warn that if the rearview image fails to appear properly, drivers may not detect vehicles, objects or people in their path. This could lead to preventable accidents, particularly in driveways, parking lots and other low-speed settings where pedestrians, especially children, are most at risk.

According to the NHTSA recall report (PDF), Ford is aware of at least 12,487 warranty claims, 339 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs), and five accidents related to the issue. No injuries have been reported.

Ford first became aware of the problem in January 2025, when the company’s Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) started receiving rearview camera failure reports for nine different vehicle models, including:

• 2015 through 2019 Ford Flex
• 2015 Ford Explorer
• 2015 and 2019 Lincoln MKT
• 2015 Lincoln MKZ
• 2015 through 2016 Ford C-Max
• 2015 through 2016 Ford Escape
• 2015 through 2016 and 2018 through 2019 Ford Taurus
• 2019 Ford Fiesta
• 2020 Ford Mustang 

Over the following months, Ford conducted an investigation into the issue, yet was unable to identify a defect affecting all vehicles. On October 6, Ford decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall of 1,448,655 vehicles.

Customers will begin receiving letters about the safety risks in October 2025, followed by additional letters anticipated in June 2026 once the solution for inspecting and replacing the rearview cameras becomes available.

The company’s number for the recall is 25SA9. Customers can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or the company’s contact for this recall, Dusty Gardner, via email at dusty.gardner@dot.gov. 

Owners with any additional questions can also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

2025 Ford Recalls  

According to NHTSA data, Ford has issued at least 126 separate recalls in 2025 alone. The automaker recalled more than 1 million vehicles in June, following a separate rearview camera defect that caused vehicles to fail to comply with federal safety standards.

More than 850,000 Ford vehicles were recalled in July, following reports of engine failures, in addition to nearly 700,000 Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs due to a risk of vehicle fires caused by gas leaks.

In August, Ford recalled certain F-150 pickup trucks after reports that axle hub bolts may break, leading to vehicle rollaway issues, as well as additional truck models, following instrument cluster failures, which could prevent drivers from seeing safety alerts. 

Ford also recalled more than 1.4 million vehicles last month, due to a separate software defect that caused distorted or blank rearview camera images, leading to nearly 20 accident reports. In total, the company has recalled more than 5 million vehicles this year alone.

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