2020-2022 Ford F‑Series Super Duty 360-Degree Camera Defect

If you own a 2020-2022 model year Ford F-250 SD, F-350 SD or F-450 SD and your truck is equipped with the 360-degree camera system, this blog post is for you. Ford has issued a safety recall due to a camera system defect that can affect the rear-view image display in certain lighting conditions. Here’s what you need to know - why this happens, how to spot it, what you should do, and what Ford’s fixing.

Which vehicles are affected?

• Model years 2020, 2021 and 2022 of the Super Duty line (F-250 SD, F-350 SD and F-450 SD) equipped with the 360-degree view camera system.
• The production range for the recall is from October 28, 2020 through December 23, 2022.
• The recall reference: Ford number 25SA8, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) campaign number 25V-686.
• Total number of potentially involved vehicles: 291,901.

If your truck is one of these and has the 360-degree camera system, it's likely part of the recall.

What exactly is the problem?

Here’s a breakdown of the technical issue and how it affects drivers:

The camera system and exposure logic

• The system in question is a 360-degree view camera setup (i.e., multiple cameras around the vehicle forming a composite view).
• When one or more cameras see much different lighting (for example, the rear camera looks into a dark area, while other cameras look into brighter zones), the automatic exposure compensation logic tries to balance the overall scene.
• The root cause: the Image Processing Module (IPMB) software applies one single exposure-balance setting for all four cameras simultaneously. So if the rear camera is in a much darker scene than the others, it ends up under-exposed (too dark) or the opposite: over-exposed (too bright) when in certain mixed lighting conditions.

The safety risk

• If you rely on the rear-view camera image while reversing (especially in dark or high-contrast lighting conditions) you may not see clearly what’s behind the truck, because the image may be too dark or washed out.
• While the camera system is claimed to comply with the federal standard FMVSS 111 (which mandates rear-view camera requirements for vehicles ≤10,000 lbs GVWR), Ford believes that in the real-world the condition “presents an unreasonable risk to safety.”

Ford also reviewed other vehicles from the same supplier (e.g., 2021-2025 Bronco, 2017-2020 Continental, 2018-2021 Navigator) which use a similar camera system, but these use different exposure-logic software and do not exhibit this condition.

Incident data

• Ford is aware of 10 reports from the field of this condition (first report January 20, 2022).
• No accidents or injuries have been reported to date linked to this specific defect.

Why this matters for you as an owner

If you have one of these trucks, here are the practical implications:

• If you back up in a dark area (garage, poorly lit yard) or where lighting is mixed (bright light ahead, dark behind), the rear-view camera feed may go too dark or too bright and become unreliable.
• Even though this is a “camera system” issue (not the brakes or steering), having a backup camera you can’t depend on increases risk when reversing — especially in a large truck where visibility is already more limited.
• Because it’s a recall, the fix should be free — meaning you won’t pay for the software update (or any required repair) once your vehicle is identified as affected.
• Waiting or ignoring it isn’t advised — while no injuries have been reported, the situation is recognized as a safety risk by Ford.

Dealers will update the Image Processing Module software (no charge) for affected vehicles. The software will include “decoupling logic for lighting contrast between cameras” to prevent dark rear-view images under mixed lighting. Interim owner letters notifying of the safety risk are expected to begin mailing October 20, 2025. Final owner remedy letters (for when the actual update is available) are anticipated March 2026.

If your vehicle is affected, schedule the software update with your Ford dealer — mention the 360-degree camera issue. In the meantime, if you notice the rear-view camera image is too dark or bright (especially when reversing in mixed lighting), use extra caution: rely on mirrors, physically look around, and don’t depend solely on the camera feed. Keep documentation: record when you scheduled the recall service, what was done, etc. If after update you still experience issues with the camera feed, return to the dealer and report the condition.

Final thoughts

Technology like 360-degree camera systems is designed to boost safety and visibility, especially in large work trucks like the Ford Super Duty. But when the technology itself becomes a weak link — for example, when the rear-view camera fails to show a clear image — the risk shifts back onto the driver. This recall is a good reminder: even advanced systems require proper functioning to deliver the safety benefits. If your truck is in the affected list, make the recall service a priority. And until the software update is done, treat the rear-view display as a supplementary tool — don’t rely on it alone.