Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
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 that while driving approximately 50 MPH and hauling a trailer, the rear brake lights failed to illuminate. There were several messages displayed related to the trailer connection and brake lights. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the trailer was difficult to control, and the display screen inside the vehicle was flashing off and on. The vehicle was driven back to a storage facility. While reversing and attempting to park the trailer, the message that the trailer was disconnected from the vehicle was displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted and informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V104000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. …
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway turned off and unattended, the contact became aware that all the interior and exterior lights were flashing. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V682000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact called the local dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and transferred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the taillights, running lights, and indicators were inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. Upon further research, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V418000 (Exterior Lighting). The local dealer was contacted, the vehicle was visually inspected, but the vehicle was not officially diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the local dealer for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 71,842.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact inspected the vehicle and became aware that the brake light located near the rear window was inoperable and the brake light had melted. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 33,321.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and activating the passenger's side turn signal, the turn signal lever started to stick. The contact researched online and located similar failures. The contact stated that the dealer was four hours away and was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
4 or more different trailers some new some old, have been towed by our truck. With all of them the truck gave a warning that the right turn signal was out, when hooked up to a GMC Sierra the taillights all worked fine. When this happens the brake lights go out and the blinker blinks quickly. While using a trailer with its own braking system, the truck gave a fault that the trailer battery was not charging and none of the lights worked, causing a huge safety concern when coming to a stop. After turning the truck off and back on it worked fine. We took it to a Ford dealer and was first told it was the trailer, they tried it on 3 trailers the tech had and the blinker issue happened on 2 of the 3. Then they told us our trailers were too old. We refused to take it back without further diagnostics. They performed a BCM update. …
The driver side headlamp did not work. I noticed both left and right headlamps had moisture inside. I took my truck to the dealership and they told me I would have to get an appointment for them to take digital images of the headlamps to send to Ford Motor. So they sent me home with only one headlamp in working order. I made the appointment. It took 2hrs to get the digital images. A crack appeared at the bottom of each headlamp at the exact same spot. I left the dealership the second time with only one headlamp working. 24 hours later, Ford Motor told the dealership they believed it was caused by an outside collision and would not be covered by the bumper to bumper warranty. The dealership offered to replace at cost and suggested I contact the State Attorney General's office and try to mediate Ford's decision. …
Highlight Summary: My 2023 Ford F-150 (VIN: [redacted] ) has intermittent rear tail lamps, brake lights, turn signals, and backup lights failure due to water intrusion. The right side has completely failed; the left side is beginning to fail, creating a serious safety hazard at night or in low visibility. Both the dealership and Ford Customer Assistance have avoided returning calls and are denying responsibility, and this is a common problem nationwide. Complaint - 2023 Ford F-150 Rear Lighting Failure Vehicle: 2023 Ford F-150, VIN [redacted] , ~73,000 miles Issue: Intermittent rear tail lamps, brake lights, turn signals, and backup lights failure due to water intrusion Right side: completely failed; left side: starting to fail Safety Risk: Creates serious hazard at night/low visibility, increasing risk of rear-end collisions Dealership: D-Patrick Ford Superstore, Evansville, Indiana, …
The driver's side headlamp has a significant amount of shadows within the beam. This is in both the low beam and high beam modes. The shadows are highly visible on the road, and create a significant distraction while driving. This distraction is made significantly worse by the vehicles adaptive headlight system, as the shadows move on the road then you turn the steering wheel. The causes the driver's eyes to focus on the moving shadows, rather than on the road ahead. Additionally, the shadows in the headlamp significantly reduce visibility on the driver's side of the car, making it far more difficult to see animals or debris in the road. The vehicle was purchased new and the issue has been prevalent since the very beginning. Ford customer service will not help. …
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V512000 (Power Train) and 26V104000 (Exterior Lighting, Electrical System); however, the parts for the recall repairs were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for an oil change. The contact was informed by the dealer that a hub bolt had detached from the vehicle. The contact was informed by the dealer that the hub bolt had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that parts were not available and were on backorder. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Related recalls
Exterior lighting › Tail lights
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles.
Remedy: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026.
Headlight complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2023 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the lights of the 2023 Ford F-150, 6% of the model year's 415 complaints. The component named most often is headlights › daytime running lights › bulbs (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2023 Ford F-150 headlight problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 26V-104 (tail lights, Feb 20, 2026). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2023 Ford F-150 headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 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.