Over 700,000 Ford Vehicles Recalled as Rearview Camera Goes Dark, Distorts Images

Ford Motor Company has issued a recall of more than 700,000 of its vehicles in North America following an issue with their rearview cameras, which can suddenly go dark or show distorted images.

Speaking to Newsweek, a spokesperson for Ford said: "The analog camera female terminals within the printed circuit board header inside the rearview camera move beyond their yield strength and deform when the male pins are inserted."

The affected vehicles were reported to have "insufficient electrical conductivity within the printed circuit board internal to the camera," Ford confirmed in a statement.

The recall affects 620,246 vehicles in the U.S. and federal territories, 76,566 in Canada and 4,302 in Mexico. Ford is unaware of any reports of accident or injury related to the latest issue, the company noted in the statement.

The recall applies to the following 2020 vehicles:

• Ford Explorer vehicles built at Chicago Assembly Plant from November 16, 2019, to May 18, 2020.
• Ford F-150 vehicles built at Dearborn Assembly Plant from October 26, 2019, to May 18, 2020, and Kansas City Assembly Plant from November 2, 2019, to May 18, 2020.
• Ford Mustang vehicles built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant from November 18, 2019, to May 26, 2020.
• Ford Transit vehicles built at Kansas City Assembly Plant from October 28, 2019, to May 20, 2020.
• Ford Super Duty vehicles built at Kentucky Truck Plant from November 3, 2019, to May 18, 2020, and Ohio Assembly Plant from October 30, 2019, to May 18, 2020.
• Ford Expedition vehicles built at Kentucky Truck Plant from October 30, 2019, to June 22, 2020.
• Ford Escape vehicles built at Louisville Assembly Plant from November 5, 2019, to May 18, 2020 and Lincoln Corsair vehicles built there from November 14, 2019, to May 18, 2020.
• Ford Ranger vehicles built at Michigan Assembly Plant from December 9, 2019, to May 19, 2020.
• Ford Edge vehicles built at Oakville Assembly Plant from November 13, 2019, to May 26, 2020, and Lincoln MKX and Nautilus vehicles built there from November 21, 2019, to May 26, 2020.

See the full report on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website for more information on the latest recall.

The recall will begin on November 7 and all dealers will replace the rearview cameras at no cost to car owners.

To see if your vehicle is being recalled, enter its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) at the Ford website. The 17-digit VIN is located on the lower left of the vehicle's windshield. It can also be found on your car's registration card or insurance card, the NHTSA noted.

Ford also announced a recall of more than 40,000 vehicles "equipped with a brake pedal bracket that could fracture during sudden stopping. During a sudden stop, the driver may experience a loss of primary braking capability that could increase the risk of an accident," the company confirmed in a statement Wednesday.

Ford is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to the brake pedal issue. The affected vehicles were built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant from March 4, 2019, to August 13, 2020. The recall applies to 38,005 vehicles in the U.S. and federal territories, 2,251 in Canada and 322 in Mexico, the company confirmed.

Earlier this year in February, Ford recalled nearly a quarter of a million cars and SUVs due to a suspension issue. A suspension part could fracture and increase the risk of a crash. The recall applied to the Ford Flex, Taurus police car, Taurus SHO and Lincoln MKT vehicles from 2013 to 2018.

Back in December, Ford issued a recall of over 600,000 sedans in the U.S. due to a braking issue. The problem was reported to increase the likelihood of a crash, Ford stated at the time.

The vehicles recalled included the 2006 to 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ. Ford were reported to be aware of 15 reported accidents and two injuries that might have resulted from the brake issue.

On the same day last December, Ford recalled the spare tires from a selection of 2020 Ford F-150 vehicles. The company reported that the bead area on the spare tires may have been damaged during mounting onto the wheel assembly.

"Bead-wire corrosion can cause separation of the bead wire, resulting in a rapid loss of air pressure and the tire detaching from the wheel," the recall stated.

Back in March, Toyota recalled more vehicles following its original safety announcement in January. The recalled vehicles were reported to be equipped with a fuel pump that might stop operating, increasing the risk of a crash if the vehicle stalls while driving at higher speeds.

This article has been updated with comment from Ford Motor Company.