The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration levied a $165 million penalty against the Ford Motor Co. for mishandling a 2020 recall of vehicles equipped with defective rear-view cameras.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Ford's inaction failed to "prioritize the safety of the American public."

Ford has agreed to pay a fine that could go up to $165 million after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found the automaker took too long to recall vehicles with faulty rearview cameras and failed to “provide accurate and complete recall information.

The regulator faulted the automaker for not recalling cars with defective rearview cameras quickly enough and for providing incomplete and inaccurate information.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday Ford Motor has agreed to a $165 million civil penalty after a government investigation found the automaker failed to recall vehicles with defective rearview cameras in a timely manner.

Ford has agreed to pay a $165 million penalty to federal regulators after moving too slowly to recall vehicles with faulty rearview cameras. This is

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has fined Ford Motor Company $165 million over issues with a reverse camera recall. It's the second-largest civil consent penalty in NHTSA history.

NHTSA is requiring Ford to review all of its recalls in the past three years to ensure they went far enough. (BLOOMBERG)