Nearly one million Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram vehicles were recalled because a software glitch can shut off the backup camera image, raising crash risk for families and workers alike.
Story Snapshot
- Federal safety filings cite radio software blocking the rear camera feed.
- About one million vehicles across multiple brands and years are affected.
- Dealers will install a free software update to restore the image.
- The recall addresses federal “rear visibility” safety rules, not a cosmetic bug.
What triggered the recall and which vehicles are covered
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Stellantis would recall about 1 million U.S. vehicles because radio software can prevent the rear camera image from appearing when drivers shift to reverse, which can increase the odds of a crash. Federal recall documentation describes the fault in plain terms: the radio software can block the camera signal from reaching the media screen.
Trade reporting tied to the filing lists 2021-2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee models, 2021-2022 Dodge Durango, 2021-2023 Chrysler Pacifica, 2022 Ram pickups and ProMaster vans, and several 2022-2023 Jeep and Ram variants.
Regulators classify the problem under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111 on rear visibility, not under a convenience feature. That matters. Once Washington required backup cameras, a dead screen stopped being an annoyance and became a safety failure that must be repaired.
Reuters put the scope at “approximately one million” vehicles in the United States, a number large enough to reach city driveways, rural job sites, and small-business fleets alike.
Why a blank screen is more than a nuisance
Rearview cameras are now a driver’s third eye. When that eye blinks off, a driver loses a key check against pets, kids, trailers, and tight loading docks. The agency’s rule exists to prevent backover injuries and property strikes. When the camera feed does not reach the display, the car fails that rule.
That is why this recall sits under a safety standard, not a customer satisfaction campaign. The failure mode here is not a broken lens; it is software in the radio head unit blocking the signal path.
Nearly 1M Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles recalled over camera glitch https://t.co/yFOaWw1Bli
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) August 18, 2026
Stellantis and dealers plan to fix the issue with a complimentary radio software update. Reuters reported that dealers will install the update at no cost, restoring the image when the vehicle is in reverse. That tracks with how automakers now solve many visibility faults: with code, not wrenches.
Later coverage of a separate Stellantis campaign shows the company again using an over-the-air radio update to restore rear images, reinforcing this software-first pattern across model lines and years.
How this fits a larger safety pattern
Rear-visibility recalls now appear across the industry because the same technology is found in every cabin: a camera, a control module, radio software, and a screen. When any link fails, the image can vanish.
Federal records and trade reports show repeated recalls tied to rear visibility across brands and model years as software modules grow more complex and interlinked. This Stellantis case mirrors that trend, with the radio software singled out as the gatekeeper that blocked the feed to the screen.
Stellantis is recalling nearly 955,000 Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles worldwide after a radio software issue could prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. More than 848,000 affected vehicles are in the U.S. No crashes or injuries have been linked to the issue,…
— Erik Hoffmann (@TheErikHoffmann) August 18, 2026
Owners should treat this recall like a seat belt fix: schedule it and close the loop. Use your vehicle identification number on the federal recall site, call your dealer, and ask for the software update tied to the radio system. The update is free.
A five-minute screen check after the repair is smart: shift to reverse on a flat surface and confirm the live image appears with guide lines.
Sources:
foxbusiness.com, detroitnews.com, investing.com, static.nhtsa.gov
