Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2023 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH in the rain, the contact noticed water coming through the front driver's side floor, on the left side of the brake pedal. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with his wife occupying the front passenger's side seat, the contact's wife felt air coming through the front passenger's side floor of the vehicle. The contact stated that his wife placed her hand on the floor and felt the air coming through; however, the A/C was not engaged. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where a water entry test was performed, and the dealer confirmed that water was entering underneath the brake pedal. The dealer determined that an unknown valve needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to partially cover the cost of the repair. …
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Active Air DAM System fault detected" was displayed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the driver's Side Active Air Dam Motor Actuator. The contact was informed that the part displayed signs of external damage as if the driver had struck an object. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who again diagnosed a failure with the driver's Side Active Air Dam Motor Actuator. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 4,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rubber sealant material around the hood of the vehicle had shrunken. The contact was concerned that during rainy weather; water would seep beneath the hood of the vehicle into the engine area and cause an electrical or molding failure. The vehicle was taken to a local Ford dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed; however, the dealer ordered a replacement for the vehicle, and upon attempting to install the rubber sealant, the rubber sealant failed to fit. The dealer ordered another part; however, two months later the part had not arrived, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 7,000.
Trace water accumulation routing from clogged/faulty drain plug to corroded DCN wiring connector during rainfall. Due to manufacturing design of '23 Ford F150 model windshield drain cowls, minor debris allowed for water to backflow into the Data Communication Network (DCN) wiring harness and Body Control Module (BCM) connectors, interior electrical components, and interior of the cab wetting the upholstery and flooring within the front passenger side of truck. Driver experienced electrical black outs within the dash and center screens, lighting failures, and multiple system alert misfires while driving the vehicle. Alerts consistently glitching on the dash screen included: Service Vehicle Soon, Pre-Collision Assist Not Available, Service Advance Trac, Rear Belt Monitor Fault Service Required. …
Due to cracking in the body seam towards the roof on the A-pillar on the drivers side. During moderate to heavy rain water enters the cab of the truck and soaks the floorboard and thus soaks electrical components underneath said floor board. Ford motor company refuses to fix it under warranty and I fear it could cause issues with my windshield or electric components in the pillar or floorboard and cause a wreck or in jeopardize my safety in other manners. If you look online it has been documented multiple times and yet ford still refuses to fix it under warranty. I discovered the issue after a rain storm last week when I opened my door to approximately a 3 inch puddle in my floor board, and the vehicle is just outside of fords "factory warranty" which when I talked to ford customer service they said I would be out of pocket on it still as they wouldn't cover it.
1. Issue number one parking brake engages on and applies the brakes while the vehicle is moving. I had this issue happened to me at least three times; luckily I was not going very fast when it happened. Additionally, Parking brake light will come on at random times. (is not Auto Hold) 2. Multi-functions switch that controls turning signal gets stuck in the up or down position after engaging the switch to change lanes. When attempting to flip the turning signal to off the switch will get stuck and will only go back to off or neutral position after forcing the switch up or down. Additionally, when forcing the turning switch to the off position, it causes the high beams to turn on. 3. Pre-collision assist warning will come on at random times while driving. I have had this happen to me almost daily when I'm driving into work in the morning.
There is a manufacturing defect that is causing water to to enter the vehicle when driving in the rain. Where this becomes a significant safety issue is that the water enters somewhere near the bottom of the windshield (source still not determined) and runs down the pillar over the fuse box and BCM (neither is protected from the water). This could lead to an electrical short on any of the major modules of the vehicle unpredictably. the leak is confirmed but source is still to be determined by the dealership after 2 visits. In searching the web, this seems to be a fairly common issue on this generation of F150 trucks. I'll attach the pictures I could get but can never get one with the water actually coming in live
Bought used at 10k miles less than a year ago, has a severe leak from the passenger side windshield/cowl area that pours down the body seam saturates the floor, wire channel, and bcm area. This is a safety issue as you can smell a burnt/wet wire smell and the incoming water saturates critical wiring, and is nearby airbag wiring. Vehicle in question has only been owned for a year (of 3 year warranty) but any warranty repairs are being refused as it is 4100 miles outside of comprehensive warranty. However, this is not believed to be due to a component that failed due to mileage but rather a manufacturing defect/quality control in the body adhesive not being applied properly near the firewall/cowl/inner fender frame joint.
Panoramic sunroof panel exploded while driving the vehicle. The sunroof was closed with shade extended. Less than 2 months new. No debris/ collision or object came in contact with the vehicle.No other vehicles were within either side of the road. The glass panel shattered completely with a very loud explosion noise , raining glass into the truck and onto myself(driver). There were no warning or reason or symptoms prior to the event. I drove the truck to the Ford dealership for a warranty repair after the explosion they 'inspected' and reported Ford would not cover this because the glass shattered. Dealer and manufacture are avoiding responsibility for my safety. Truck is at dealer.
During rain and snow events, water leaks into the interior of the vehicle through the roof area. The intrusion appears to occur during moderate to heavy precipitation and results in water collecting inside the cabin. This moisture has led to a persistent, moldy odor throughout the vehicle. The presence of mold poses a health concern, especially for my children and family members who ride in the truck. We are concerned about the potential inhalation of mold-contaminated air and the associated respiratory risks. This issue affects the safe and healthy use of the vehicle and requires attention, as the leak continues to worsen over time. First noticed this issue February of 2024, ongoing
Body complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2023 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the body & structure of the 2023 Ford F-150, 6% of the model year's 415 complaints. The component named most often is body (21 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2023 Ford F-150 body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2023 Ford F-150, though it has 13 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2023 Ford F-150 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 7,000 miles, and 67% before 25,000 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.