Ford issues 126th recall of 2025, to fix 1.5M cars
What's the story
Ford has announced a major recall, affecting nearly 1.5 million older vehicles. The move comes after concerns were raised about defective rearview cameras in these cars. The issue could lead to distorted images or complete failure of the camera, thereby increasing the risk of accidents. The recall affects several models including 2015-2016 Ford C-Max and Escape, among others. Notably, this is Ford's 126th recall so far this year alone.
Probe details
Investigation into alleged defect
Ford launched an investigation into the alleged defect in February 2025. This was after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) alerted the automaker. The NHTSA had received Vehicle Owner Questionnaires complaining about camera issues across various models and model years. Ford reviewed supplier documents, warranty data, and owner complaints during this probe.
Recall rationale
No defect found, yet recall issued
Despite not finding a defect related to motor vehicle safety across all vehicle populations equipped with this analog camera, Ford decided to issue the recall. The affected vehicles are part of an agreement Ford made with NHTSA last month on how it would handle rearview camera claims from 2015-2025 model year vehicles.
Incident reports
Ford aware of warranty claims since 2014
In its recall report, Ford acknowledged being aware of 12,487 warranty claims related to defective rearview cameras. The company received its first such claim in July 2014. It also noted five accidents linked to this defect but clarified that no injuries have been reported so far.
Repair procedure
What about the fix?
Ford has started notifying owners about the issue by sending an interim remedy notification. Affected owners will have to take their vehicle to a Ford service center for inspection and possible repair. The automaker hopes to send the final remedy notice by mid-next year as it prepares a fix for this problem.