1 Million Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Models Being Recalled Over Camera Glitch
A potentially failing rearview camera system prompts massive recall.
It’s no secret that Toyota is largely seen as a reliable brand, with a reputation of having few failures in its automobiles. But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t subject to its share of recalls, and the latest is a big one from a volume perspective, with little over 1 million vehicles impacted. If you happen to have a 2022 to 2026 Toyota, Lexus, or a 2023 to 2025 Subaru Solterra (the electric vehicle Subaru shares with Toyota) with a panoramic view monitor system and park assist, you might be getting a recall notice by mid-December.
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The issue at the heart of this massive recall relates to how the vehicle’s rearview monitor can turn black or freeze while the driver starts to back up. It reportedly happens as soon the shifter is put into reverse. Turning the vehicle on and off doesn’t seem to alleviate the issue and it might even exacerbate it as the problem randomly happens within the first 12.5 seconds after turning the ignition on. If within that time the parking assist computer is writing data, the panoramic view monitor is writing camera optical alignment data, or both are writing data at the same time and the park assist computer is powering off, the failure will occur.
According to the 573-report filed with the NHTSA, impacted vehicles are equipped with both a parking assist computer supplied by Denso Corporation and the automaker’s panoramic view monitor system. Toyota first discovered the issue in bench testing last year and confirmed it could happen to its vehicles by October of 2025. And while, sure, it’s easy for most people to just look over their shoulder, it’s still a violation of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) related to rule 111 on rearward visibility and specifically in the back up camera requirements in paragraph five and six. That violation is why Toyota elected to issue this voluntary recall.
Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru dealers should have the recall notice at the time of this writing, but owners won’t receive notice until next month. There is a software fix ready, so the delay in getting your vehicle fixed should only be the workload your dealer is dealing with and the time it takes to reprogram the parking assist computer. As with any recall, you shouldn’t be charged for this repair. While we have the full list below, it might not hurt to search your VIN on the NHTSA website for any recall notifications.
Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he's had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He's best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
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