Car Defect Radar
Get the report
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 8 recalls before you buy.

Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.

Recalls

9 total · 8 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Transmission recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 25V863000 · Dec 2025

A loss of park function can allow the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
The park module software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C69. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning January 26, 2026.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Exterior lighting recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 25V731000 · Oct 2025

Inoperative or flickering reverse lights may not alert other driver's that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the rear lightbar and fasteners as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SB6. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 29, 2025.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 25V313000 · May 2025

Failure to reset the ESC to active may result in the driver unknowingly operating the vehicle without electronic stability control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will update the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C15.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Electrical system recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 25V272000 · Apr 2025

Electrical arcing increases the risk of a fire. In addition, a loss of drive power may occur, which can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect and repair the busbar fasteners and replace any damaged components as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 21, 2025. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S11. This recall expands previous recall number 24V-144.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Electrical system recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 25V131000 · Feb 2025

A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy
Owners are advised to only charge their vehicles to a maximum of 80% battery capacity until the repair has been completed. Dealers will inspect and replace the high voltage battery array as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S18.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Suspension recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 24V949000 · Dec 2024

A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle steering and control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect the upper control arm ball joint nut, and replace the nut and/or knuckle assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S76.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Electrical system recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 24V144000 · Feb 2024

Electrical arcing increases the risk of a fire. In addition, a loss of drive power may occur, which can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect and repair the busbar fasteners and replace any damaged components as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 31, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S11.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Exterior lighting recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 23V418000 · Jun 2023

Inoperative or flickering reverse lights may not alert other driver's that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy
Dealers will replace the rear lightbar, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 9, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S30.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Safety recall

Fixed over the airRecall 23V801000 · Nov 2023

Failure to reset the ESC to active may result in the driver unknowingly operating the vehicle without electronic stability control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
The Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C38.
Status
Corrected automatically through an over-the-air software update.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

106 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
18

Most reports here involve unintended acceleration. Of these, 3 mention a crash, 2 mention an injury.

unintended acceleration 5sudden stalling 3
A recent report: While maneuvering the vehicle to park near a building, the truck unexpectedly accelerated forward and crashed into the building. I did not intend for the vehicle to accelerate into the structure…
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While maneuvering the vehicle to park near a building, the truck unexpectedly accelerated forward and crashed into the building. I did not intend for the vehicle to accelerate into the structure. During the incident, I did not receive the expected assistance from the vehicle’s front sensing/collision-warning systems before impact. The vehicle struck the building, and no airbags deployed. Because of the nature of the incident, I am concerned about a possible malfunction involving the accelerator, braking system, electronic controls, driver-assistance systems, front sensors, or associated vehicle software. I am also aware that Ford previously issued Customer Satisfaction Program 24B56 and related Special Service Messages concerning inoperative front parking sensors on certain 2022–2024 F-150 Lightning vehicles

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11760024 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Worth reading
69

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention an injury.

software faults 39electrical shorts 9
A recent report: On August 20, 2026, while driving my 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, the vehicle suffered a sudden, complete, and catastrophic loss of propulsion. The truck stopped abruptly while in motion on an active…
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On August 20, 2026, while driving my 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, the vehicle suffered a sudden, complete, and catastrophic loss of propulsion. The truck stopped abruptly while in motion on an active roadway. This immediate loss of power created an extremely hazardous situation, exposing myself, my passengers, and oncoming traffic to an immediate risk of a collision. The vehicle was towed directly to Williams Ford of Binghamton (Vestal, NY), where technicians diagnosed the issue as a major component failure tied to an outstanding manufacturer safety recall. Ford recall 24S12 Positive HV battery junction box. The vehicle has been grounded at the dealership for over a week awaiting replacement safety parts from the manufacturer. This unexpected, abrupt stop constitutes a severe safety risk that renders the vehicle dangerous to operate on public roads.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11761161 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
9

Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 4 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

loss of braking 3unintended acceleration 2software faults 1
A recent report: This vehicle is a BEV with regenerative braking. At various times while driving, when the regenerative braking is engaged, the brake lights illuminate to indicate to other drivers that the vehicle is…
Read full complaint

This vehicle is a BEV with regenerative braking. At various times while driving, when the regenerative braking is engaged, the brake lights illuminate to indicate to other drivers that the vehicle is slowing down. The problem is there is no indication inside the vehicle for the driver to know when the brake lights are on. This seems like a potential safety hazard. The driver can feel the effects of the regenerative braking and knows the vehicle is slowing but does not know when the slowing is enough to illuminate the brake lights.The driver's only option to ensure the brake lights are activated is to apply additional braking via the brake pedal but additional braking may not be the safest action to take in some situations. Depending on traffic, weather, and road conditions it would be safer for the driver to know when their brake lights are illuminated.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11748873 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
2

Most reports here involve loss of steering.

loss of steering 1
A recent report: The turn signal stalk on the steering column will stick after being activated. It requires a sizable amount of force to disable and turn off the turn signal, enough that there is concern of damaging…
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The turn signal stalk on the steering column will stick after being activated. It requires a sizable amount of force to disable and turn off the turn signal, enough that there is concern of damaging the mechanism.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11744202 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
2

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 2
A recent report: My vehicle is a Ford F150 Lightning, a battery electric vehicle. As this is an electric vehicle, the vehicle has a large frunk available for cargo storage. Within the frunk there is an emergency hood…
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My vehicle is a Ford F150 Lightning, a battery electric vehicle. As this is an electric vehicle, the vehicle has a large frunk available for cargo storage. Within the frunk there is an emergency hood release button that can be activated if a person became trapped inside the frunk. This button is located on the side of the cargo compartment and is in a position that makes it very easy to be activated while driving by shifting cargo within the frunk. On at least three occasions, I personally have experienced cargo shifting inside my frunk and activating the emergency hood release while driving. This results in the hood unlatching and multiple alarms going off inside the vehicle. Ford has evidently realized this design flaw, because mid-way through the 2023 model year they revised emergency release button to have a protective shield that prevents accidental presses from cargo. However, trucks built before then still have the flawed button.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11614662 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Worth reading
6

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

software faults 1
A recent report: The front traction motor on my 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning failed without warning, causing the vehicle to lose all-wheel drive capability. The truck automatically limited available power to about 67%…
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The front traction motor on my 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning failed without warning, causing the vehicle to lose all-wheel drive capability. The truck automatically limited available power to about 67%, which I later learned indicates the front motor was disabled and the vehicle was operating in rear-wheel drive only. The failure occurred with no warning lamps, messages, or prior symptoms on the dashboard or in the FordPass app. I assumed AWD was functioning, which could have caused a serious accident in snow, ice, or gravel conditions because the loss of front-wheel traction significantly reduces vehicle stability. The component/system is still available for inspection. At this time, the issue has NOT been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer, and the vehicle has NOT yet been inspected by the manufacturer or any other party. Cause of failure is UNKNOWN. This lack of a warning or alert to the driver represents a major safety hazard because it changes how the vehicle handles without the driver’s knowledge.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11682304 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 106 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2023 and 2026, roughly 30 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2023 has 106 complaints on file, more than the 2022 (91) and more than the 2024 (29). That is the most of the 3 model years of the Ford F-150 Lightning Bev we cover. Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.