NEW YORK: US auto-safety regulators on Thursday hit Ford Motor with a hefty civil fine of US$165 million for delaying the recall of more than 600,000 vehicles with defective rearview cameras, reported Xinhua.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the penalty is the second largest in its history and is part of a consent order that will also require Ford to review all recalls it has issued over the past three years to ensure they have been adequate.

The action, announced on Thursday by NHTSA, followed a multiyear investigation into the faulty rearview cameras, which the regulator found were prone to an electrical glitch that caused them to fail intermittently. The agency linked the defect to 15 complaints but no injuries.

"NHTSA said that Ford has disputed its findings but agreed to the consent order to administratively settle the issue. The Dearborn, Michigan, automaker said it appreciates the opportunity to resolve the matter and remains committed to improving safety and compliance," reported The Wall Street Journal about the move.

The consent order is the latest setback for Ford, which has been trying to turn around its subpar quality record and reduce the number of vehicles it has had to recall in recent years, it added.

--BERNAMA-XINHUA