Jeep, Ram, Chrysler & Dodge Rearview Camera Recall: Your California Lemon Law Rights

On August 13, 2026, Stellantis filed NHTSA recall 26V531000 covering 844,027 vehicles in the United States — a wide slice of the 2026 Jeep, Ram and Chrysler lineups plus the 2026-2027 Chrysler Pacifica and Dodge Charger — because the rearview camera image may fail to display when the vehicle is placed in reverse. Stellantis' internal number for the campaign is 78D. The camera itself is not the defective part: the fault is in the radio software that puts the image on the center screen. This article is general information, not advice about your specific vehicle.

What the recall covers

Per NHTSA, the campaign covers certain 2026 Jeep Wrangler, Gladiator, Compass, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, Grand Cherokee L, Grand Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer L; 2026 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, ProMaster and ProMaster EV; 2026 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid and Voyager; and 2026-2027 Chrysler Pacifica and Dodge Charger vehicles. That is 844,027 vehicles in the U.S., with tens of thousands more in Canada, Mexico and export markets. VINs became searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 20, 2026, so you can confirm a specific vehicle now by entering the 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls rather than guessing from the model list.

The safety concern — and why it is a noncompliance, not just a defect

A backup camera that goes dark when you shift into reverse removes exactly the view that federal rear-visibility rules were written to guarantee: the area directly behind the vehicle, where a driver cannot see a small child or a low obstacle in the mirrors. NHTSA records these vehicles as failing to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111, "Rear Visibility." That distinction matters legally. A noncompliance recall is the manufacturer conceding the vehicle did not meet a federal safety standard when it was sold — not merely that a part can wear out.

What the fix is

Dealers will update the radio software free of charge, and Stellantis is also delivering the update over the air; a notification appears on the vehicle's center screen when it is available. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed beginning September 1, 2026. Owners with questions can contact Stellantis customer service at 800-853-1403 and reference recall 78D, or call NHTSA's vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236. Stellantis has said it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue.

The paperwork problem with over-the-air recalls

We will be straight about this one: for most owners, a single software update will fix the camera and that is the end of it. The owners who end up with a claim are the ones whose screen keeps going dark afterward — and they run into a problem specific to OTA recalls. A dealer visit generates a repair order with a date, a complaint, and a stated correction. An over-the-air update generates nothing you can hold. If your camera fails again after the update, book a dealer appointment and insist on a written repair order even though the work is software, and note the date of each failure yourself. Under California law the manufacturer gets a reasonable number of repair attempts; you cannot count attempts nobody wrote down.

A camera recall is rarely the whole story

A lemon law claim seldom rests on one recall, and it does not need to. What usually brings a 2026 Wrangler, Grand Cherokee or Ram 1500 owner to us is an accumulation: the center screen that reboots itself, Uconnect and infotainment faults, warning lights that come and go, electrical gremlins the dealer cannot reproduce, and a drivetrain or transmission complaint on top. If your vehicle has been back to the dealer repeatedly and the camera recall is simply the latest entry in that history, the recall is a data point, not the case. The repair orders are the case.

How a California buyback actually works

Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, a vehicle may qualify as a lemon if it has a warranty-covered defect that substantially impairs its use, value or safety and the manufacturer cannot repair it after a reasonable number of attempts — or if it has been out of service for warranty repairs for 30 or more cumulative days. If your vehicle qualifies, Stellantis generally must buy it back — refunding your down payment, your monthly payments and the loan payoff, minus a mileage offset for the miles you drove before the first repair attempt — or replace it. In a successful claim the manufacturer pays your attorney fees separately, so representation does not come out of your recovery. Leased vehicles are covered too. Because these are 2026 and 2027 vehicles, virtually every one of them is still squarely inside its warranty period.

When the recall becomes a claim

A recall by itself does not make a vehicle a lemon — Stellantis is providing the update at no cost, and for most owners that resolves it. The owners in the strongest position are those whose camera still fails after the update, those making repeated trips for the same blank display, and those whose Jeep, Ram, Chrysler or Dodge has other unresolved warranty defects on top of the recall. If that describes your situation, you may be entitled to a buyback, a replacement, or a cash settlement, with the manufacturer paying your attorney fees. We offer free case reviews for California owners.