2023 Ford F-150 Lightning BEV Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe electrical and software behavior: infotainment and instrument-cluster screens that freeze, reboot or stay blank, water getting into the rear light bar, and occasional loss of propulsion or unexpected acceleration. Many reports come in at low mileage, in the first few thousand miles, and a recurring theme is waiting on software updates or on a recall remedy that is not yet available at the dealer.

1. 1
   Exterior lighting

   Rear light bar and taillights take on water, lamps flicker

   • 18 complaints (16%)
   • median 39,864 mi at 1.8 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2025–2026

   Complaints describe moisture visible inside the rear light bar or taillight housings, followed by reverse, brake or tail lamps that flicker, work intermittently or stop altogether. Several owners say the light bar was already replaced under a prior recall and the replacement part showed water again after rain. Others report dealers quoting a several-thousand-dollar harness or light bar replacement when the vehicle was out of the covered repair. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 70,000 miles, typically noticed after rain or a wash.

   Recall 25V731000Recall 23V4180002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect the rear light bar and both taillight housings for condensation, cracks or water droplets, and have someone watch the reverse, brake and turn signals while you operate them. Ask whether the earlier light bar recall repairs were completed and whether the current remedy is available.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I own a 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning that is subject to an active safety recall involving electrical components and exterior lighting (potential water intrusion leading to lighting failure, including rear/reverse lamps). I was notified of the recall around October/2025 and contacted a Ford dealer shortly after. The dealer confirmed the recall is active but stated that no remedy is available. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11732080, filed 2026-04

   “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 due to water intrusion. The wiring harness would have to be replaced at a cost of $4,375.32. I was unaware of the taillight failure until the power tailgate became inoperable. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11766174, filed 2026-09
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Loss of propulsion or reduced power with a powertrain

   • 14 complaints (12%)
   • median 9,150 mi at 1.6 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2023–2026

   Complaints describe a wrench or "Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power" message, with the truck dropping to very low speed or shutting down entirely, sometimes with the gear selector stuck and the vehicle refusing to take a charge. Owners report towing to a dealer, diagnosis pointing to modules or high-voltage battery components, and in some cases no repair being completed. A few describe sudden unintended forward movement at low speed after the shifter was placed in drive. Often at low mileage, in some cases within the first few thousand miles or after a cold start.

   Recall 25V272000Recall 25V131000Recall 24V144000Recall 23V168000Recall 25V8630004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for the full service history and whether any high-voltage battery, junction box or park module recalls have been completed. On a test drive, confirm the truck shifts into drive and reverse cleanly and that no warnings appear on the cluster.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On August 20, 2026, while driving my 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, the vehicle suffered a sudden, complete, and catastrophic loss of propulsion. The truck stopped abruptly while in motion on an active roadway. This immediate loss of power created an extremely hazardous situation, exposing myself, my passengers, and oncoming traffic to an immediate risk of a collision. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11761161, filed 2026-08

   “While driving on a wet road, a frunk open warning appeared to which I got out of the vehicle, opened the frunk and closed and it the warning went away. As I pulled away at about 25mph several warnings appeared and the vehicle lost power and shut off while on the road in a driving lane. Braking ability was greatly reduced and the vehicle continued to roll downhill with zero power, no lights worked, windows did not open then the vehicle suddenly shifted into park and came to a violent stop. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11569874, filed 2024-02
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Screen freezes, reboots or stays blank (cluster and center

   • 28 complaints (25%)
   • median 1,170 mi at 1.2 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 2023–2025

   Owners describe the center infotainment screen freezing or rebooting shortly after startup, sometimes leaving the backup camera unavailable while reversing. Others report the instrument cluster going completely dark, so speed, range and warning information cannot be seen until the vehicle sits and restarts. Complaints mention repeated software updates without a lasting fix, and some dealers replacing the cluster or diagnosing no fault. Reported across the first several thousand miles, often within the first minute or two after startup and when shifting into reverse.

   Recall 25V313000Recall 23V8010003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Start the truck cold and watch whether the cluster and center screen come up promptly, then shift into reverse to confirm the camera appears. Ask the dealer to confirm all available software updates have been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The Sync 4 main display reboots very often. It has occurred over 30 times in 10k miles. I am considering this a safety issue as it often happens shortly after startup of the vehicle, and prevents the backup cameras from functioning. In fact, it has rebooted the screen while I was reversing probably five times. Ford has had numerous software updates and yet this problem remains endemic across multiple owners that I have spoken to.”

   NHTSA complaint #11555221, filed 2023-11

   “We were driving down the road and the cluster screen went completely black. We couldn’t tell what speed we were going or any other information that gets displayed there. This is a very hazardous problem that should be looked into further.”

   NHTSA complaint #11562913, filed 2024-01
4. 4
   Vehicle speed control

   Unexpected acceleration or surging at low speed

   • 10 complaints (9%)
   • median 2,200 mi at 1.5 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners report the truck lurching or accelerating without throttle input, typically while maneuvering, parking, or transitioning from reverse to drive, and in a few cases while braking to slow down. Some say the vehicle struck a wall, a parked car or shrubs, and others describe forward-collision or parking sensors not responding beforehand. Complaints note the condition recurring and dealers being unable to reproduce it. Mostly at very low speeds while parking or maneuvering, often within the first few thousand miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: During a test drive, practice low-speed maneuvers and the reverse-to-drive transition in an open area and see whether the truck creeps or surges. Ask whether the adaptive cruise control and related software campaigns have been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While maneuvering the vehicle to park near a building, the truck unexpectedly accelerated forward and crashed into the building. I did not intend for the vehicle to accelerate into the structure. During the incident, I did not receive the expected assistance from the vehicle’s front sensing/collision-warning systems before impact. The vehicle struck the building, and no airbags deployed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11760024, filed 2026-08

   “While braking slowly to park at my home, my 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT suddenly accelerated forward without any throttle input. The vehicle struck a wall. My foot was on the brake and I did not touch the accelerator. There were no warning messages prior to the incident. This could have caused serious injury or worse if anyone was in front of the vehicle. I believe this may be a critical safety defect.”

   NHTSA complaint #11667203, filed 2025-06
5. 5
   Other or unknown

   Front trunk (frunk) power open and close faults

   • 6 complaints (5%)
   • typically at 1.8 yrs old
   • filed 2023–2026

   Complaints describe a "Frunk Fault Service Required" message and a front trunk that will not open or close under power, leaving owners to use a manual release that can be awkward to operate alone. One owner reports the lid stuck half-latched, and another says cargo shifting in the trunk tripped the interior emergency release while driving, popping the hood. Reported across a range of mileages, with several appearing within the first several thousand miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Cycle the frunk open and closed several times with the key fob and the screen control, and confirm the manual release works as described in the owner's manual.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The front trunk (or frunk) of the electric truck has a power lift as the primary means of opening and closing it and this has a failure warning/dash light stating it requires service. The front trunk is where the travel charger is stored by the manufacturer as well as where the positive and negative terminals for the 12 v battery are located. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11649803, filed 2025-03

   “My vehicle is a Ford F150 Lightning, a battery electric vehicle. As this is an electric vehicle, the vehicle has a large frunk available for cargo storage. Within the frunk there is an emergency hood release button that can be activated if a person became trapped inside the frunk. This button is located on the side of the cargo compartment and is in a position that makes it very easy to be activated while driving by shifting cargo within the frunk. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11614662, filed 2024-09

Buying note. Because most of these reports are electrical or software-related and several have recall or service-bulletin histories, the practical step is to check that every open recall has actually been completed on the specific truck and that its software is current. A careful look at the rear lights, screens and a low-speed test drive covers the symptoms owners most often describe.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.