Your Toyota Tundra's Backup Camera Can Die Right When You Shift Into Reverse

What the Toyota Tundra Recall Covers

If you drive a Tundra, read this like a warning label. Toyota says a software issue can make the center multimedia display get stuck on a camera view or show a black image. When that happens, the rearview image may not show while you reverse. That’s the whole problem. It turns a safety feature into dead air at the exact moment you need eyes in the back.

Toyota’s notice says the Toyota Tundra recall covers certain 2024–2025 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid trucks, about 162,000 vehicles in the U.S. Toyota also says the issue means the truck may not meet a federal safety standard and that it can raise crash risk with someone behind the vehicle. The clean, official description lives on Toyota’s recall announcement.

Now the good news: Toyota says dealers will update the Parking Assist ECU software for free. No parts. No waiting for something to fail. It’s a software update, and it’s smart to get on the schedule early if your local dealer runs tight.

Do the check today. Use the NHTSA recalls lookup and plug in your VIN, or use Toyota’s recall portal if you’d rather stay inside Toyota’s system. Toyota says it plans to notify owners by late March 2026, but you don’t need to wait for the letter to find out if your truck is involved.

While you wait for the fix, back up like the camera is not there. Go slower. Use both mirrors. Keep your head on a swivel in parking lots and driveways. A full-size truck has big blind spots, and a dead screen makes them bigger.

One more practical move: if you share the truck with family, tell them what’s going on. Backup cameras train people to trust the screen. This recall is a reminder that you still need to drive like the screen can quit on you.

My Verdict

Treat this one as urgent. The Toyota Tundra recall isn’t about a squeak or a nuisance light. It’s about losing the rear view when you shift into reverse. Check your VIN today, book the free software update, and drive defensively until the dealer closes it out.