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 Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday Ford Motor has agreed to a $165 million civil penalty after a government investigation found the automaker failed to recall vehicles with defective rearview cameras in a timely manner.

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.

The total penalty, including payments and spending on compliance, is the second largest in the NHTSA’s history.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fines Ford up to $165 million over recalls, the second-largest penalty in agency history.

Ford Motor Co. will pay a penalty of up to $165 million to the U.S. government for moving too slowly on a recall and failing to give accurate recall information. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in a statement Thursday that the civil penalty is the second-largest in its 54-year history.