Ford Rearview Camera Recall: How to Check a Used Ford

If you are buying a used Ford or Lincoln built from 2015 on, check two different rearview camera recalls by VIN: 25V572 (Ford 25S89), which swaps the camera itself on about 1.46 million 2015-2019 vehicles, and 25V315 (Ford 25S49), a SYNC software fix on about 1.08 million 2021-2025 vehicles. Both are free. On the older group there is also a follow-up program, 25N15, and for many of those vehicles its one-time camera offer runs only through December 2026, which is next month.

A backup camera that freezes, flips or goes blank sounds like an annoyance until you are reversing past a kid on a bike. NHTSA's recall documents put it plainly: a frozen, inverted, distorted or blank image reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle and increases the risk of a crash. It is easy to shrug off a flickering screen during a test drive. Ford and NHTSA treat it as a safety defect, and so should you.

Recall 1: 25V572, the camera hardware (2015-2019)

Ford filed this one on September 3, 2025, and NHTSA acknowledged it on September 8. It covers 1,456,417 vehicles: 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-250, F-350 and F-450 Super Duty, 2015-2017 Navigator and Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge and Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 and Transit, 2017-2019 E-Series (listed as Econoline) and the 2019 Ranger. The camera may show a distorted, inverted or blank image in reverse. The remedy is for dealers to inspect the camera and replace it as needed, free. Ford's number is 25S89, and it expands an earlier recall, 25V270.

USA Today reported the same 1.46 million total and walked through the model list. If you see a 2017 Edge or a 2018 Super Duty for sale, assume it is on this list until the VIN search says otherwise.

The 25N15 follow-up, and why the date matters

This is the part most buyers never hear about. Ford sent owners a customer satisfaction program, 25N15, described in a 2026 document posted on NHTSA's site. It says that if a 25S89 inspection did not call for a new camera, the recall gets closed, but if a dealer later finds the camera needs replacing, Ford will do a one-time replacement free within 15 years of the warranty start date, unlimited miles. For vehicles already past that limit, the offer lasts through December 2026. Coverage transfers to later owners automatically. If the camera was already replaced under 25S89, 25N15 does not apply.

So if you are buying one of these vehicles in November 2026 and the camera flickers on the test drive, that is something to raise now, not next spring. Ask the seller for the 25S89 repair order, and if there is none, get a Ford dealer to look at the VIN before you hand over money.

Recall 2: 25V315, the SYNC software (2021-2025)

This is a different problem on newer vehicles. NHTSA's acknowledgment from May 27, 2025 lists 1,075,299 vehicles: 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150 and Edge, 2023-2024 Escape and the F-250 through F-600 Super Duty, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mustang Mach-E, 2024 Ranger and Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator and 2023-2024 Corsair. A software error can delay, freeze or blank the camera image. CBS News reported that Ford knew of one minor crash with property damage and no injuries.

The fix is a software update to the accessory protocol interface module, the SYNC box, done at a dealer or over the air. Look, over-the-air fixes are convenient, but they make paperwork murky on a used car. Ford's own release note for one 2023 Escape update says it delivers a "clear, consistent rearview camera image" and that it "completes Safety Recall 25S49." Ford's note points owners to its software update history page on ford.com, so ask the seller to pull that up on their phone, and still run the VIN yourself.

How to check a used Ford before you buy

• Run the VIN through NHTSA's free recall search. Our Ford recall check by VIN post walks through the lookup.
• If a recall shows as open, ask why. Our post on checking whether a recall was completed covers what proof to ask for.
• Shift into reverse several times during the test drive, with the engine cold and warm. Watch for a delay, a frozen frame or a "camera unavailable" message.
• On a 2015-2019 model, ask whether 25S89 was an inspection only or a replacement, since that decides whether 25N15 still applies.

Dealers selling with an open recall is its own topic; see what the rules say about used dealers and open recalls. And if you are shopping an F-150 specifically, the used F-150 buying guide has the rest of the checklist.

What a history report adds

A recall search tells you about open safety campaigns. It will not tell you about the rear-end hit that cracked the tailgate camera, a title brand or a rolled-back odometer. Edmunds notes that both CARFAX and AutoCheck reports include a recall check, and dealer service entries can help when a seller swears the work was done. CARFAX's own price for one report has been in the $39.99 to $44.99 range, and Edmunds listed $44.99 in June 2026. CarVins is a licensed reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian; guest reports have run about $5.50, members about $4.50, and a bundle about $6.75. Confirm at checkout before you count on any of those.

Sources

• NHTSA acknowledgment, recall 25V572 (Ford 25S89), September 8, 2025
• Ford 25N15 rear view camera customer satisfaction program notice (via NHTSA)
• NHTSA acknowledgment, recall 25V315 (Ford 25S49), May 27, 2025
• Ford SYNC release note for 25S49 on the 2023 Escape (via NHTSA)
• USA Today: Over 1.4 million Ford vehicles recalled
• CBS News: Ford recalls more than 1 million vehicles over rearview camera glitch
• Edmunds: CARFAX and AutoCheck pricing, June 2026