2023 Ford F-150 Lightning

Family: F-150 Lightning · filed with NHTSA as F-150 LIGHTNING BEV

Summary

Of the 106 complaints that name a component, 58% concern Electrical System (61).
These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
Not enough history to compare this year with the rest of its generation.
11 recalls filed for this model year.
No federal defect investigations cover this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints: 113
Recalls: 11
Investigations: 0
NCAP overall: Not rated
Combined MPGe (electric): 66–70
Annual fuel cost: $1,100–$1,150
Median mileage at complaint: 10,000 mi (n = 8)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 8 / 2 / 4 / 0

What owners report

Electrical System

61 complaints · 58% of complaints that name a component · median 10,000 mi (n = 5)

Owner report 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"

Owner report WHAT FAILED: Ford's recall-tracking and consumer-information system. Ford has internally inconsistent records re: Safety Recall 25V315 / 25S49 (Rear Camera Screen Software Update) on my VIN [XXX] . Vehicle and Ford-account portal available for inspection. STATUS SUBSYSTEM SAYS CLOSED: (1) Mailed "Successful OTA Update…

Lighting

26 complaints · 25% of complaints that name a component · median 70,000 mi (n = 2)

Owner report 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning with 42,220 mi. The rear light bar has formed a crack which will allow moisture intrusion (photo attached). This is the same 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…

Owner report The rear tail lights do not function. The vehicle cannot be driven at night because it has no rear illumination. It puts both the operator and other vehicles at risk of collision. I took the vehicle to a Ford dealer for repair. They reported the tail lights failed due to corrosion of the wiring harness pin connectors d…

Powertrain

17 complaints · 16% of complaints that name a component · median 2,300 mi (n = 1)

Owner report 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…

Owner report While driving at high way speeds, a fault in the drive train was detected and reduced power to the electric motors, reducing our speed to only 5 MPH.

6% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2022–2025)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints.

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Note
2022	92	63
2023	113	89
2024	31	31	not compared
2025	9	9	not compared

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

25V863000 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:PARK PAWL

Filed 2025-12-12 · 272,645 vehicles

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."

Risk: 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.

25V731000 · EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Filed 2025-10-24 · 14,843 vehicles

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.

Risk: 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.

25V313000 · ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

Filed 2025-05-09 · 6 vehicles

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."

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.

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.

25V272000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

Filed 2025-04-23 · 3 vehicles

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.

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.

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.

25V131000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

Filed 2025-02-28 · 950 vehicles

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.

Risk: 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.

24V949000 · SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT

Filed 2024-12-19 · 11,922 vehicles

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.

Risk: 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.

24V144000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

Filed 2024-02-23 · 216 vehicles

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.

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.

23V801000 · ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

Filed 2023-11-28 · 5,118 vehicles

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."

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.

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.

23V688000 · VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT

Filed 2023-10-13 · 931 vehicles

Defect: 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."

Risk: An inoperative windshield defrosting and defogging system may decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

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. Ford's number for this recall is 23C32.

23V418000 · EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Filed 2023-06-09 · 16,375 vehicles

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.

Risk: 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.

23V168000 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

Filed 2023-03-15 · 18 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: A battery short-circuit increases the risk of a fire.

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. Ford's number for this recall is 23S15.

Federal investigations

None on file.

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Fuel cost / yr
F-150 Lightning 4WD	Electric	Automatic (A1)	All-Wheel Drive	76	61	68 MPGe	$1100
F-150 Lightning 4WD Extended Range	Electric	Automatic (A1)	All-Wheel Drive	78	63	70 MPGe	$1100
F-150 Lightning Platinum 4WD	Electric	Automatic (A1)	All-Wheel Drive	73	60	66 MPGe	$1150

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

no NCAP model matches this name

Service bulletins

Ford issued 93 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about electrical system.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

Date	Component	Summary
2026-09-24	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Recommended Repair Prior to Sale Customer Satisfaction Program 26B07 Certain 2021-2025 Model Year F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E Vehicles Undesired Acceleration Due to Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Activation
2026-09-16	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Quality improvements include: -ePrivacy enhancements
2026-09-16	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	Quality improvements include: -Addresses a bug that may cause updates to fail
2026-08-13	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Some 2021-2023 Mustang Mach-E vehicles built on or before 25-Jun-2023, 2022-2025 E-Transit and 2022-2023 F-150 Lightning vehicles may experience a high voltage battery stop charging condition when using a direct current (DC) fast charger le…
2026-07-23	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Some 2022-2026 F-150 Lightning vehicles may exhibit a reduced distance to empty (DTE) projection, a high voltage battery pack state of charge (SOC) that drops from 100% to less than 90% within 60 seconds of being driven, and an inability to…
2026-07-06	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	Customer Satisfaction Program 26B09 Certain 2022-2023 Model Year F150 Lightning Equipped with Intelligent Backup Power Feature Update the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM), Gateway Module (GWM) and Telematics Control Unit (TCU) Sof…
2026-05-05	POWER TRAIN	Certain 2022-2023 Model Year F-150 Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) Equipped with a 3.5L PowerBoost Engine Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming/Catalytic Converter Replacement
2026-04-07	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	26C10 Recall remedy -Addresses instances where the trailer lights and trailer brakes may not function
2026-03-13	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	"26C10 Recall remedy -Addresses instances where the trailer lights and trailer brakes may not function"
2026-02-17	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	"25S49 Recall Remedy: -Infotainment software update to address frozen screens"

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this F-150 Lightning, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Ford F-150 Lightning model page.

Sources

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.