The Verdict
Worst problem area
Electrical
Electrical leads by volume: 61 of 113 complaints (54%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Transmission & Drivetrain include more reported injuries (2) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed rose from 92 in 2022 to 113 in 2023.
At a glance
- NHTSA complaints
- 113
- Recall campaigns
- 11
- EPA fuel cost per year
- $1,100–$1,150
- Combined MPG
- 66–70
Complaints by model year
Where owners report problems
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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | vs. 2023 electric vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 1,100–1,150 | 1,100–1,150 | 1,100–1,150 | 1,050–1,150 | |
| Combined MPGe | 66–70 | 66–70 | 66–70 | 66–72 | |
| City / Highway MPGe | 73–78 / 60–63 | 73–78 / 60–63 | 73–78 / 60–63 | 73–79 / 60–65 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Complaints filed | 92 | 113 | 31 | 9 | |
| Recalls issued | 9 | 11 | 4 | 3 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 4 | 8 | 5 | 4 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| Injuries reported | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning have?
11 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning?
Electrical: 61 of 113 NHTSA complaints (54%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning get?
EPA rates it 66–70 MPGe combined across 3 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning?
EPA estimates $1,100–$1,150 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (3)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | All-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD | 78 MPGe (high) | 63 MPGe (high) | 70 MPGe (high) | $1,100 (low) | 0 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | All-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD | 73 MPGe (low) | 60 MPGe (low) | 66 MPGe (low) | $1,150 (high) | 0 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | All-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD | 76 MPGe | 61 MPGe | 68 MPGe | $1,100 (low) | 0 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 17 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 61 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Brakes | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 31 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (11)
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:PARK PAWL
- 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."
- Consequence
- 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.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
- 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."
- Consequence
- 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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
- 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."
- Consequence
- 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.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
- 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."
- Consequence
- 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.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
Show 1 earlier campaign
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.