Most common 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning problems
Share of the 113 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F-150 Lightning complaints by model year
Best F-150 Lightning years: 2025, 2024. Compare all years →
2023 Ford F-150 Lightning recalls (11)
Power train › Automatic transmission › Internal › Park pawl
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.
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.
Exterior lighting
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.
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.
Electronic stability control (ESC)
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.
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.
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Traction battery
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.
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.
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Traction battery
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.
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.
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Upper ball joint
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.
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.
Show 5 more recalls
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Traction battery
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.
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.
Electronic stability control (ESC)
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.
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.
Visibility › Defroster/defogger/HVAC system › Windshield › Electrical heating element
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 F-150 Lightning pickup trucks. The electronic cabin coolant heater module may be missing a solder joint, which can cause intermittent or no cabin heat and result in an inoperative windshield defrosting and defogging system.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the electronic cabin coolant heater, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 3, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Exterior lighting
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.
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.
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Traction battery
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 F-150 Lightning pickup trucks. The high-voltage battery pack may experience an electrical short-circuit when the battery is fully charged or near fully charged.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the high-voltage battery pack, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
What 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning owners say
Electrical system all 61 →
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 advised that the vehicle should not be moved until further investigation. In addition, the contact stated that the fire may have started from the middle console due to an EV battery failure. …
My 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning caught fire while parked in my driveway. The vehicle was NOT charging at the time of the incident. There were no warning lights, alerts, or prior mechanical issues before the fire. At the time, I was inside my home asleep when my children alerted me that the truck was "exploding." I immediately went outside and attempted to move another vehicle and control the fire using a water hose, but the fire spread rapidly and became uncontrollable. The fire department later arrived and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was a total loss. The fire also caused: Damage to my dump trailer Damage to landscaping Damage to a wall on my property Battery-related debris and residue left on my driveway This debris is still present and I am concerned it may be hazardous, especially since I have children and a dog at home. …
Lights all 26 →
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that the rear lights on the vehicle were inoperable. The contact stated that the rear lights failed to function properly while attempting to reverse. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the rear light bar had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact discovered that the rear taillights were inoperative, and the taillight housings were full of water. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was repaired under an undisclosed recall; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 9,729.
Transmission & drivetrain
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving after a cold start or after stopping at a traffic light, whenever the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that the "Wrench Symbol" was illuminated and the message "Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power - Contact Dealer" was displayed. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, who diagnosed that the gear shift module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to Manufacturer Communications: Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) High Voltage Battery Module Replacement Program Number: 23H01 (Electrical System). The failure mileage was approximately 2,300.
I made a left-hand turn during a snow storm, and the right rear wheel slid and I made contact with the curb at a relatively low speed. The rear right wheel assembly failed and snapped, leaving the wheel assembly 90 degrees to normal. In other words, the wheel went from vertical to horizontal. Upon visual inspection, the axle snapped, and the axle's interior steel looked defective. The axle appeared very coarse, porous, and poorly consolidated. I requested to keep all the parts which are now located in storage. Both the insurance company and the Ford Motor Company dealership seemed to think the axle was defective. Nobody was injured or hurt.
2023 Ford F-150 Lightning engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | Single-speed | AWD | 78 / 63 / 70 MPGe | 320 mi |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning a good car?
There isn't enough complaint history for the F-150 Lightning to compare model years reliably. So far owners have filed 113 complaints with NHTSA.
What is the most common problem with the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning?
The electrical system — 61 complaints, 54% of all complaints for this model year, most often about instrument panel › speedometer/odometer. Next are the lights (26) and transmission & drivetrain (17).
How many recalls does the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning have?
There are 11 recalls for the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, the most recent from December 12, 2025 (park pawl). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford F-150 Lightning?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2025 and 2024. See the full Ford F-150 Lightning years comparison.
At what mileage do 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 10,000 miles; 88% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.