Ford · NHTSA safety record

2023 Ford F-150 Lightning BEV

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

105

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Owners of the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning BEV have filed 105 safety complaints with NHTSA between February 2023 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 59 of them (56%). The typical failure was reported at 9,865 miles, the median across the 8 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 9 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (9)

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:PARK PAWL

25V863000 · December 12, 2025

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2026 F-150 Lightning BEV, 2024-2026 Mustang Mach-E, and 2025-2026 Maverick vehicles. The integrated park module may fail to lock into the park position when the driver shifts into park. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
The risk: A loss of park function can allow the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 272,645 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

25V731000 · October 24, 2025

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150 Lightning BEV vehicles previously repaired under recall number 23V418. The rear lightbar may have microcracks in the outer lens that allows moisture to accumulate, which can result in inoperative or flickering reverse lights.
The risk: Inoperative or flickering reverse lights may not alert other driver's that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 14,843 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

25V313000 · May 9, 2025

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150 Lightning vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 23V801. The SYNC software may fail to activate the electronic stability control (ESC) system at the beginning of each ignition cycle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
The risk: 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.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 6 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

25V272000 · April 23, 2025

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 F-150 Lightning vehicles. The fasteners that secure the junction box bus bars inside the high-voltage battery pack may not have been tightened securely, which can cause electrical arcing at the busbars.
The risk: 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.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 3 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

25V131000 · February 28, 2025

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2024 F-150 Lightning battery electric vehicles. A manufacturing defect in the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit.
The risk: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 950 vehicles across all model years covered

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT

24V949000 · December 19, 2024

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023-2024 F-150 Lightning BEV vehicles. The front upper control arm ball joint nut may not have been tightened properly, allowing the front upper control arm to detach from the knuckle assembly.
The risk: A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle steering and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 11,922 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

24V144000 · February 23, 2024

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 F-150 Lightning vehicles. The fasteners that secure the junction box bus bars inside the high-voltage battery pack may not have been tightened securely, which can cause electrical arcing at the busbars.
The risk: 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.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 216 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

23V801000 · November 28, 2023

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150 Lightning vehicles. The SYNC software may fail to activate the electronic stability control (ESC) system at the beginning of each ignition cycle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
The risk: 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.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 5,118 vehicles across all model years covered · fixed by software update

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

23V418000 · June 9, 2023

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150 BEV vehicles. The rear lightbar may have microcracks in the outer lens that allows moisture to accumulate, which can result in inoperative or flickering reverse lights.
The risk: Inoperative or flickering reverse lights may not alert other driver's that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 16,375 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 105.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 59 56%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 24 23%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 17 16%

POWER TRAIN 15 14%

SERVICE BRAKES 14 13%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12 11%

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 9 9%

BACK OVER PREVENTION 5 5%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5 5%

STEERING 4 4%

ENGINE 3 3%

LANE DEPARTURE 3 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2024 at 49.

2023 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

POWER TRAIN Filed March 18, 2025

2 injured · crash · towed

I was leaving my storage unit on Sunday October 6, 2024 at around 7 pm. I was traveling at 5 mph as I approached the exit gate code box. I stopped at the top of the steep hill by depressing the brake. I rolled down the window so I could put the code in that opens the rolling gate below. As I took my foot slowly off the brake, suddenly the vehicle rapidly accelerated, veering slightly left, the steering wheel locked as I pressed the brake pedal twice more it was unresponsive. We flew like a rocket ship knocking down small trees, 2 light posts with 1 light coming down and breaking passenger side windshield. Continuing crashing through 2 iron water main fixtures and through an iron gate. At

NHTSA complaint 11649009, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL Filed March 1, 2024

1 injured · crash · towed · 2,100 miles

The contact owned a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds and attempting to slow the vehicle with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own. The contact veered into the shoulder of the roadway to avoid a collision, coming to a complete stop after colliding with heavy shrubs. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact was transported to an area hospital by EMT and treated for abdominal contusions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who declined to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. After that, the vehicle was towed to a tow

NHTSA complaint 11574895, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed August 14, 2026

1 injured

When i had the radio paused and not playing anything in my 2023 f150 lightning it made a loud auditory pop and one of my ears hearing got "muffled"

NHTSA complaint 11756934. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed October 28, 2024

fire · 20,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked near the side of the residence and unoccupied as he was inside the home asleep, the vehicle caught on fire. The contact stated that the dogs alarmed them of the failure and the contact could hear the tires possibly popping/exploding due to the fire. The exterior and interior walls, attic, and electrical box were all burned. The Ford app indicated a "Faulty Connection" warning message as he attempted to dial 911. The local fire department arrived to extinguish the flames and filed a report but was unavailable. A police report was not filed. No injuries were sustained. The contact stated the fire marshal

NHTSA complaint 11622269, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Filed July 10, 2026

Dealer identified Water intrusion into the rear wiring, harnesses is causing corrosion in the PIN connectors, which therefore leads to flickering tail lights which could be mis interpreted as braking or a turning. I also experienced random acceleration from slow speeds and a failure to decelerate. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint 11749547. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER Filed July 7, 2026

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

NHTSA complaint 11748873, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed July 4, 2026

2023 Ford F-150 Lightning ER Platinum Ford Case Number: [XXX] VIN: [XXX] Failed: Battery overheated far beyond safety limits. No indication on dash. Safety: When it was finally checked, 3 sensors reported temps of 399, 419, and 419F. The service manager verified the temps. A photo of the diagnostic screen is available. These temps made a battery fire a significant possibility putting myself and others on the road around me in danger. The car is at the dealer in Hays, KS being looked at. There was no indication on the dashboard that there was any problem. According to information I have uncovered, these temperatures are over 3x the safety limits specified by FORD. INFORMATION REDACTED

NHTSA complaint 11748315, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES Filed June 19, 2026

I am writing to formally report a concern regarding excessive rear brake wear on my 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning. My vehicle currently has approximately 21,000 miles, and I have been informed that the rear brake pads and/or rotors require replacement significantly earlier than would be expected under normal driving conditions. Given that the F-150 Lightning utilizes regenerative braking technology, I expected brake component wear to be substantially reduced compared to conventional vehicles. Vehicle Information: Owner: [XXX] Model: 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning VIN: [XXX] Current Mileage: 21,000 miles Selling/Servicing Dealer: Shultz Ford Date of Purchase: December 2023 I am concerned that the

NHTSA complaint 11745190, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING Filed June 18, 2026

2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, VIN [XXX], 42,370 mi. The rear light bar has microcracks allowing moisture intrusion. Water droplets are visible inside the red lens across the tailgate and inside the white reverse lamp (photos attached, taken 5/30/2026). This is the warning condition named in recall 25SB6 (NHTSA 25V731) and predecessor 23S30 (NHTSA 23V418): water droplets in the lightbar outer lens, which can cause inoperative or flickering reverse lamps. On 6/15/2026 I took the truck to Koons Baltimore Ford, 6970 Security Blvd, Baltimore MD 21244, Advisor Rahim King, RO [XXX]. The dealer's own repair order Line B states: RECALL 25SB6 REVERSING LAMP INSPECTION, VERIFIED OPEN RECALL, at $0

NHTSA complaint 11745066, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford F-150 Lightning BEV

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Deaths
2024	27	4	—
2022	88	9	—

Other 2023 Ford models

F-150 397 Maverick Hybrid 259 Bronco 216 Bronco Sport 151 Mustang Mach E 115 Explorer 103 Escape 94 F-150 Hybrid 93

Every Ford on this site — 348 vehicles, 1210 recall campaigns and 10 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file , published August 20, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API , most recent campaign filed August 12, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file , published 2026-08-19.

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst