Volkswagen, Honda, GM, Ford, and others recall hundreds of thousands of vehicles in North America Major global automotive brands, including Volkswagen, Honda,…
Volkswagen, Honda, GM, Ford, and others recall hundreds of thousands of vehicles in North America
Major global automotive brands, including Volkswagen, Honda, GM, and Ford, are conducting large-scale recalls across North America due to software errors and screen freezing issues with vehicle rear cameras.
In the United States, approximately 21 million vehicles have been recalled over the past eight years since the legislation was enacted due to defects in rearview cameras, which are mandatory to prevent reversing accidents. Transport Canada's automotive safety recall database also shows that 847 recalls related to vision systems have been registered since 2018.
Looking at the scale of recalls by manufacturer, Volkswagen recalled over 17,000 vehicles due to a software issue where video does not appear on the screen even when reverse gear is engaged. Honda Canada initiated corrective measures for tens of thousands of vehicles, including 32,289 units of the popular family minivan, the Odyssey, while General Motors recalled over 250,000 units in North America and 10,098 units in Canada of the Chevrolet Malibu due to defects involving screen distortion and failure to display video. Toyota is also currently conducting a recall targeting 12,179 Tundra pickup trucks and 32,733 other models.
In addition, Volvo carried out software reworks on more than 40,000 major passenger car and SUV models, including previously addressed vehicles. Ford included approximately 120,000 Canadian-registered vehicles in its global recall of 1.9 million vehicles, and Stellantis also recalled 126,530 vehicles in Canada due to display defects.
Major defect symptoms include screen blackouts when reversing, video flickering and severe distortion, failure to display parking guidelines, and degraded nighttime image quality. These are attributed primarily to camera lens aging or wiring damage, as well as conflicts and freezing issues between the infotainment system and rear camera software in the latest vehicles.
Rearview cameras are a key safety device that prevents personal injury accidents, such as collisions with pedestrians, by checking blind spots behind the vehicle in real time. Since a lack of visibility due to screen errors can lead to major accidents, prompt inspection and action by the driver are essential.
Under the Canadian Motor Safety Act, manufacturers are required to notify vehicle owners of safety defects; however, notifications may not be received if contact information has changed due to an address change or if a used car has been purchased. Drivers can check their vehicle registration or the 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) located on the lower left side of the windshield, verify eligibility through the official lookup page below, and receive free repairs at a service center.
Reporter Jung Ji-woo
