Dive Brief:
- Ford Motor Co. has recalled nearly 255,000 SUVs for a software flaw that can cause an intermittent loss of the rearview camera image or advanced driver assist features, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- The recalled vehicles include the 2025 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator; 2022-2025 Lincoln Navigator; and 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus. All of the recalled vehicles are believed to have the defect, which can cause the “image processing module A” to become overloaded and reset under specific traffic conditions.
- The vehicles will receive an over-the-air software update to address the concern, but customers can also visit a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the update performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were sent beginning March 30 and are expected to be completed by April 6.
Dive Insight:
The image processing module A (Ford vehicles have a second “module B” for parking-assist features) is located on the windshield directly behind the rearview mirror and processes image feeds for the rearview camera and supports ADAS features, including pre-collision assist, lane-keeping assist and blindspot monitoring. A loss of the rearview camera or other ADAS safety features can inhibit a driver’s ability to detect road hazards, increasing the risk of a crash, according to the report.
The module, which integrates a five-radar-sensor configuration, may malfunction more frequently when tracking a large number of moving objects at once, which can trigger multiple resets leading to intermittent or persistent failures, according to the recall report. Drivers may also see warnings on the instrument cluster during or after a reset event, such as "front camera fault," "pre-collision assist not available" and "lane-keeping system off." The blindspot indicator lights may also illuminate.
The fault is more common in vehicles operating in dense urban environments, such as livery vehicles, where many pedestrians and other vehicles are present, according to the recall report.
Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group became aware of the problem just over a year ago on March 20, 2025, when it received reports of image processing module reset issues in 2025 Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer SUVs. The group then launched an investigation into the problem.
Ford’s ADAS engineering team also identified a problem last year affecting rearview camera operation and ADAS functionality. Its investigators also noted an increase in warranty claims for Lincoln Aviator models related to the problem.
Between March and May 2025, Ford’s CCRG conducted both simulation and real-world driving tests to try and replicate the condition while reviewing warranty and connected vehicle data. The tests revealed that the reset problem was “not consistently repeatable” and that it “required a very specific environment surrounding the vehicle,” according to the recall report.
Ford’s review of warranty and connected vehicle data confirmed that a disproportionate share of incidents occurred in urban areas and involved livery fleet vehicles.
On April 3, 2025, Ford’s CCRG received an analysis of the test and review data, which showed an occurrence rate of less than 1 in 1,000 for model year 2025 Lincoln Aviators, most of which were livery specifications or Reserve trim models.
At the time, Ford’s investigators concluded that the issue did not pose an unreasonable safety risk and therefore no recall was issued, given that specific conditions were necessary for failure, and a majority of the vehicles had “unique badging and use-case traceability,” per the recall report.
However, in a safety evaluation list meeting on June 17, 2025, the NHTSA reviewed Ford’s rationale for closing the investigation. The automaker shared with the agency that it planned to launch an over-the-air software update and instruct dealers on how to address the issue pending the software update’s availability.
Ford and NHTSA discussed the topic again during a meeting in November 2025 and met several times more in February and March of this year. With additional warranty and field data, Ford’s investigators established a clearer picture of the affected population and determined that all of the warranty claims involved vehicles equipped with five radar sensors that were predominantly used in livery service.
Ford’s CCRG reopened its investigation on March 9 and, after discussion with the NHTSA, agreed on the affected vehicle population, all of which were equipped with image processing modules with a five-radar-sensor configuration.
Ford’s Field Review Committee then approved the recall on March 13.
While the exact cause of the problem is still not fully understood, Ford believes there may be an unknown factor related to “specific vehicle configurations” that can cause the issue, according to the report.
The remedy includes more robust software designed to prevent image processing module resets when tracking a large number of objects.
Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the problem.
