Ford has announced two significant recalls affecting approximately 1.74 million vehicles across the United States, attributed to software malfunctions impacting the rearview camera displays of certain models.
Recent notifications from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlight that an internal component within the infotainment systems of specific Ford models, including the 2021-2026 Ford Broncos and 2021-2024 Ford Edges, may be prone to overheating. This fault could cause the system to shut down, thereby disabling the rearview camera image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Additionally, the recall extends to certain 2020-2022 Ford Escapes and Lincoln Corsairs, alongside 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviators and Explorers. In these models, the rearview image may appear flipped or inverted, complicating the driver’s view when reversing.
The recalls encompass 849,310 units of the Bronco and Edge models, alongside 889,950 units of the Escape, Corsair, Aviator, and Explorer models. Ford has indicated that all vehicles within these specified groups could potentially harbor these defects.
However, Ford has not reported any incidents or injuries related to these technical issues, as detailed in the NHTSA records. Despite this, the NHTSA cautions that these malfunctions could potentially elevate the risk of vehicular accidents.
Still, the NHTSA is warning drivers that both issues could increase crash risks.
For impacted Bronco and Edge owners, Ford is offering a free software update for the vehicles’ Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM). Owner-notification letters will be mailed out at the end of the month, with the fix available either at a dealer or through an “over-the-air” update.
But a remedy is still under development for the recall impacting the Escapes, Corsairs, Aviators and Explorers, this week’s recall announcement noted. In the meantime, interim letters to notify owners of the safety risks are set to be mailed out in the coming months.
The Associated Press reached out to Michigan-based Ford for further comments on Saturday.
For more information, drivers can visit the NHTSA website and Ford’s online recall lookup using their vehicle’s VIN number, or call the company’s customer service line at 1-866-436-7332.
