Ford recalls more than 254,000 SUVs due to rearview camera software problem

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a Ford $F recall of 254,640 Lincoln and Explorer SUVs in the U.S. — Reuters reported the recall covers four SUV lines — over a software flaw that can knock out rearview cameras and key safety systems, heightening the risk of a crash.

At fault is image processing software that can fail and reboot on its own, NHTSA said, taking down the rearview camera feed along with driver assistance features such as pre-collision assist, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Without those systems active, a driver's capacity to identify road hazards in time is compromised, the agency said.

Affected vehicles span four model lines, according to CBS News: Lincoln Navigator from model years 2022 through 2025, Lincoln Nautilus from 2024 to 2025, the 2025 Lincoln Aviator, and the 2025 Ford Explorer.

Drivers experiencing a reset may see dashboard alerts such as "Front Camera Fault," "Pre-Collision Assist Not Available," or "Lane-Keeping System Off" appear on screen. Blind-spot alert lights on the dashboard are also listed among the possible symptoms, NHTSA said.

Ford will address the defect at no cost to owners through either a dealership software update or an over-the-air update. Ford has said it will notify affected owners by mail by March 30. NHTSA has assigned the recall the identifier 26V165.