Ford Motor Company announced Tuesday that it is recalling nearly 1.9 million vehicles worldwide due to defective rearview cameras that could display distorted, inverted, or blank images. The defect raises concerns over reduced visibility while reversing and an increased risk of crashes.
The recall impacts a wide range of models from 2015 to 2019, including the Lincoln MKC, Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-Series trucks (F-250 through F-550), Edge, Ranger, Expedition, Econoline, Transit, and Transit Connect, according to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In total, around 1.45 million vehicles in the U.S. are affected, along with 122,000 in Canada and roughly 300,000 in other global markets. Ford confirmed it has received reports of 18 accidents linked to the issue, though no injuries have been documented. Globally, the company has logged more than 44,000 warranty claims related to the defect.
The problem stems from an unauthorized design change by a sub-supplier involving the printed circuit board header tooling, which reduces terminal contact force and can lead to fretting corrosion. This disruption interferes with the rearview camera’s performance, causing the image problems.
Ford said dealers will inspect affected vehicles and, if necessary, replace the rearview camera with an updated version that features an improved circuit board header. The fix will be provided free of charge to owners.
Notification letters to vehicle owners will begin going out the week of September 22, the company said.
The recall comes on the heels of other recent safety actions by the automaker. Just last month, Ford recalled over 355,000 trucks in the U.S. because of issues with dashboard displays, underscoring ongoing quality control challenges.