Dive Brief:
- Ford Motor Co. has recalled certain Maverick pickups for a condition where the display screen for the rearview backup camera could freeze when shifting into reverse, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- The recall potentially includes up to 144,516 model year 2022-2024 Mavericks equipped with Ford’s Connected Touch Radio unit, which powers the display screen for the backup camera.
- Maverick customers are being instructed to visit a dealer for a software update, which will be free. Owner notification letter for the latest recall are expected to be mailed from Sept. 30 through Oct. 4.
Dive Insight:
The Maverick required an extensive investigation, as Ford received the first report of a frozen rear camera image on April 4, 2022.
As a result, after Ford was contacted by the NHTSA in June 2024, it launched its own investigation into the backup camera display problem. The automaker discovered that all of the vehicles with frozen rearview camera images were equipped with its Connected Touch Radio, which processes the live video feed from the rear-view camera.
The issue was then brought to the automaker's Critical Concern Review Group for review on July 2, 2024. During the months of July and August, Ford and its display screen supplier Harman conducted stress testing using various software versions and were able to reproduce the problem in one of the software versions installed in the recalled Mavericks.
Ford’s CCRG determined that a “memory leak” caused by a software fault could result in a frozen backup camera display feed, as well as other symptoms, which were not specifically identified in the NHTSA report. Ford also identified four additional software vulnerabilities during its tests that could cause the condition, according to the NHTSA.
The suspected software was introduced into Maverick production on Feb. 3, 2021 and removed on Nov. 28, 2023.
Ford’s investigation also identified another 26 complaints associated with the rear view camera display on the truck, which could result in a collision when backing up if the image freezes.
Ford’s Field Review Committee reviewed the concerns and approved the recall on Sept. 6, 2024 to update the software, which fixes the memory leak.
To date, Ford is aware of 4 warranty claims, 7 vehicle owner's questionnaires, 22 complaints and two accidents related to the frozen rear view camera image in North America, but no injuries were reported.
The Maverick was also included in several other recalls this year. In May, Ford issued a recall for up to 242,669 Mavericks to fix a problem that could cause the rear tail lights to turn off. The recall also included 2022-2024 models.
In August, Ford recalled 18,681 model year 2023-2024 Mavericks as part of a larger recall that included the 2023 Ford Bronco Sport and Mustang Mach-E for windshield wiper motors that could fail.
Ford has now issued 50 separate recalls this year, according to the NHTSA, potentially impacting around 4 million vehicles as of Sept. 25. The automaker now has the most recalls of any other automaker this year, according to the NHTSA. The second highest number of recalls is by Stellantis, with 46 this year.
