Add my 2012 Explorer Limited at around 65k miles (no warranty coverage left) to the list of failed rear cameras. Camera had a slow death. Worked one day and not for another, worked for a week and not for another, this went on for a few months and then finally died. Spoke to dealer to have a look at it during service for unrelated work. They charged $100 to tell me the camera needs replacement. Didn't mention any corrosion, loose connections, or any other potential root cause. Just suggested to replace the camera. Waited a few months to have it replaced as it's not an essential item.
Fast forward to today. Camera was replaced this morning by Ford dealer. $225 parts, $230 labor and $30 shop materials fee (?) plus good old taxes, this is in Airdrie, Alberta, Canada. Service rep indicated that back up cameras are commonly replaced these days, he indicated that they seem to have an average life span of 3-4 years. Ford warranty covers 2 years for the replacement parts.
Didn't notice a remarkable change in video quality as others mention HD like quality, however, the screen was really dirty with lots of oily thumb prints when it came back from the shop, so a good screen cleaning is in order. Though they did wash the exterior for free, which was nice.
Don't blame the local dealer too much. They did what was requested. Though for better customer service, they could have explained the root cause of the camera failure better and cleaned the touchscreen after they tested it. I do blame Ford for installing a poor quality part and/or designing it in such a way that it is at risk of early failure. A camera should not be a disposable item, as a set of tires would be.
