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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has hit Ford with their second-largest civil penalty for a drawn-out recall as well as failing to “provide accurate and complete recall information.” As part of a consent order, the automaker is on the hook for up to $165 million and will be subject to third-party monitoring.

Ford Motor Co. will be forced to pay the second largest civil penalty by an automaker after the federal government said the company did not act fast enough to issue a recall over faulty rearview cameras.

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 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)