25 of the
394 complaints filed about the Ford F-150 Lightning BEV
are about the braking system —
6% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2023.
Following a software update by Ford in the past 6-8 months, upon start-up my vehicle asks me which drive mode I wish to be in but then after 15-45 seconds "forgets" my answer and changes drive modes. This results in regenerative braking being disabled, at random, in the middle of a drive. This is a major safety issue, as I will expect braking to applying while easing up on the accelerator but that simply doesn't happen. This could cause an accident, injury or worse.
NHTSA complaint #11750676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ford provides various driving modes for this truck, by their own description this setting changes the responsiveness of the steering, acceleration, and regenerative braking. This mode defaults to "Normal" at startup, with a short on-screen prompt to return to the previous mode. While this is incredibly frustrating, on its own probably doesn't rise to the level of a reportable issue. However sometime in November the truck received an OTA update that has introduced a bug that causes the truck to make an uncommanded return to the Normal drive mode. Regardless of how the truck is put into Sport or another mode (either the "return to mode" prompt, or going into the vehicle menu and selecting another mode) after a few minutes of driving the truck will return to Normal mode. This causes a change in steering responsiveness, and since I usually drive in Sport mode, also reduced the regenerative braking, meaning letting off the accelerator doesn't slow the truck as much as expected. A for representative mentioned on the FordLighting forums that Ford engineers were aware of the problem and looking for a solution back in January, but we haven't seen anything more from them since.
NHTSA complaint #11750342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am writing to report a serious safety issue introduced by a recent firmware update regarding the Sport mode and 1-pedal driving behavior. After driving the vehicle in Sport mode, parking, and restarting, the dashboard prompts me to return to Sport mode. When I select "Yes," the dashboard indicates that the vehicle has switched to Sport mode. However, the vehicle silently reverts to Normal mode, which has a much more relaxed braking pattern for 1-pedal driving than the expected, shorter braking path of Sport mode. Compounding the danger, this issue occurs inconsistently. Sport mode occasionally does stick upon restart, which creates a false and dangerous level of confidence in the system. The unexpected drop in braking responsiveness has already caused multiple near-miss collisions.
NHTSA complaint #11750302 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am writing to formally report a concern regarding excessive rear brake wear on my 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning. My vehicle currently has approximately 21,000 miles, and I have been informed that the rear brake pads and/or rotors require replacement significantly earlier than would be expected under normal driving conditions. Given that the F-150 Lightning utilizes regenerative braking technology, I expected brake component wear to be substantially reduced compared to conventional vehicles. Vehicle Information: Owner: [XXX] Model: 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning VIN: [XXX] Current Mileage: 21,000 miles Selling/Servicing Dealer: Shultz Ford Date of Purchase: December 2023 I am concerned that the level of rear brake wear may indicate a defect, design issue, or improper brake system operation. I respectfully request that Ford review this matter and determine whether this condition is covered under warranty, subject to a Technical Service Bulletin, or associated with any known issues affecting this model. Please advise what diagnostic steps Ford recommends and whether assistance with repair costs may be available. I would also appreciate information regarding any similar complaints, investigations, or known issues related to excessive rear brake wear on the 2023 F-150 Lightning. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response and a timely resolution of this concern. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11745190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ford Motor Company has failed to remedy NHTSA Safety Recall 25V863 (Ford recall number 25C69, Integrated Park Module / Park Pawl Engagement) on my vehicle within the timely manner required, and the recall remains in "Recall Incomplete" status more than four months past Ford's own stated remedy availability deadline. The recall was announced on January 26, 2026. The defect — the Integrated Park Module (IPM) failing to properly engage the Park Pawl when "P" is selected — creates a documented safety risk of roll-in-park and increased crash risk, per Ford's own filing summary as displayed on NHTSA's VIN-lookup result. At the time of the January 26, 2026 announcement, Ford stated that no remedy software was yet available and committed to a Q1 2026 remedy-availability deadline. That deadline (March 31, 2026) elapsed without a remedy being authorized. As of NHTSA's recall-data refresh on April 7, 2026, the recall remained "Recall Incomplete" on my vehicle with no remedy available. As of NHTSA's recall-data refresh on June 2, 2026 — 137 days after the original announcement and 63 days after Ford's own Q1 deadline — the recall still shows "Recall Incomplete" on my vehicle, although Ford has now (very late) authorized dealers to perform the SOBDMC (Secondary Onboard Diagnostic Module C) software update as the remedy. I am filing this complaint under the criterion explicitly published on NHTSA's VIN-lookup recall-result page: "If the manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy this safety recall for your vehicle in a timely manner, please contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline." The substantive concern is not that the remedy will never arrive. It is that a remedy for a documented roll-in-park crash-risk defect was not delivered within the timeline the manufacturer itself committed to, leaving my vehicle and similarly affected vehicles in an unrepaired safety-defect state through the Q2 2026 window. This is exactly the manufacturer-timeliness failure per NHTSA's guidelines
NHTSA complaint #11741722 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHAT FAILED: Ford-shipped OTA software (update ID OBCC-AS.AU, "Plug & Charge Improvements," delivered May 10, 2026) generates an admitted false-positive instrument-cluster wrench-light and Ford App service-needed notification. The OTA is installed; vehicle available for inspection on request. FORD'S OWN ADMISSION (verbatim, from Ford's published OTA release note): "In some instances after this update, a 'Service vehicle soon' wrench icon may appear in your instrument cluster... You may also receive a Ford App notification indicating service is needed on the vehicle, which you can disregard. Please be assured this is a visual notification only..." SAFETY RISK: The same wrench-light is the documented symptom of NHTSA Safety Recall 25V863 / Ford 25C69 (Park Pawl engagement failure) - active and unrepaired on this VIN per NHTSA's June 2, 2026 refresh (see complaint 11741722). Ford's 25V863 NHTSA filing states a Park Pawl failure displays "A WRENCH LIGHT AND SHIFT SYSTEM FAULT MESSAGE... IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER" with automatic EPB application and roll-in-park crash risk. Ford has instructed me in writing to disregard the same notification surface that would warn of a genuine 25C69 failure. The two are visually indistinguishable without dealer diagnosis. REPRODUCED/CONFIRMED: Ford itself confirms the defect in its written release note. INSPECTED: No dealer or independent inspection of this OTA-induced false-positive has occurred; Ford preemptively instructed disregard. WARNING LAMPS / FIRST APPEARANCE: The wrench-light icon and Ford App service-needed notification ARE the symptoms. They began with the May 10, 2026 OTA install per Ford's published note. Both are also the warning channels for the unrepaired 25C69 safety condition. I request ODI review of whether OBCC-AS.AU constitutes a defect under 49 U.S.C. 30102(a)(11) when it masks an active federal-recall warning channel on the same VIN.
NHTSA complaint #11741725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving by and received multiple warnings about brakes. Brake assist, one pedal driving, reverse brake assist, general brake warning. After the came on the brake were spongy with a hard brake after applying more pressure to the pedal. I needed to apply more pressure because the car was not stopping. I almost hit various cars on the way home because there is certainly an adjustment needed to my braking habits. Very dangerous and unsafe. I took the truck to the dealership and quoted me around $2,500. This is something I have no control over and see that there is a recall on this issue for a 2025 model, but my vehicle does not fall under this recall.
NHTSA complaint #11740632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
About 30 mins prior to the incident,the accelaration was vey slow getting upto only 30/35MPH Message appeared in Dash Board instructing to SCHEDULE MAITANANCE SERVICE SOON. My last service was done only 2 months ago. anyhow i decided to drive the nearest Ford Dealer. On exiting the Freeway,the ramp was downhill and the Braking System completely failed and I crashed into the pavement. All the AirBags came on. I have Sternal Contusion.
NHTSA complaint #11739960 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving at 45 miles an hour. With no warning, the car had 28 warnings pop up and it just died with no warning. No power steering, no brake assist at all, no lights (not even emergency light would turn on). I was not able to put it into neutral so I was just stuck. Ford roadside was not able to get moving so I was just stuck. I called a tow and it was dragged up. The dealer determined it was a faulty 12v battery.
NHTSA complaint #11708989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hi There, i wanted to report a situation with my Ford F150 Lightning I brought this monster truck last December'24 and everything worked until today when i hit a issue with the break Me and my wife went to Costco for weekend Shopping, i was trying to park to a very comfortable parking position; after getting in, I reversed the car to make it align with the parking line. Right after that i changed the position to drive slowly role it forward to adjust my parking, the truck started accelerating forward. I pressed the break hard and hard it would not stop. Imagine its Costco, lot of people around me, luckily it was trees and mulch area Infront, and Imagine its Costco, lot of people around me, luckily it was trees and mulch area Infront, and there was a traffic board. The Truck hit the traffic pole and stopped hanging over the mulch area. Everyone around me was screaming and looking at me. Through traffic stopped and took diversion, i pulled back slowly, guess what, the car would not come back to the parking lot again. I press the reverse and accelerate to get back to the parking space, but car is still going forward, scary. I stopped the engine and again tried to reverse; it worked. I swear to God that i never hit the acceleration since it's a parking spot, why would i do that... Car still went forward, so it's a genuine bug in the Ford 150 which needs to be fixed, otherwise its going to hurt or kill people I still have loan to pay for this car, but after todays incident i will not take his car out again , Unless Ford give me proper explanation and fixes. I read many similar stories in Rediit, so i think this is real issue. Other wise why the car wont stop even i press th break pedal, remember i configure this car with one pedal, but still nothing worked. Any help in sorting this out is higly appreciated, i am more worried about the risk of the public's life with this kind of issues where i cannot stop the car even after pressing the break, its really scary
NHTSA complaint #11691319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When the Ford Lightning is in reverse and the 1-pedal braking system is applied, the brakes don't engage when switching to drive causing the car to roll back an additional 3-5 feet depending on speed. In the situation that caused the fender bender, the Ford lightning was reversing in a street at approx. 5 MPH then the driver released the pedal for the brakes and switched to drive. The car rolled back 5 feet into a parked car during this transition.
NHTSA complaint #11672527 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving down the interstate and the vehicle was struck by lightning. The vehicle lost all electrical power. As a result, the brakes did not work. Luckily, I was able to safely coast to a stop in the median. If the brakes can be more than 90% compromised during complete electrical failure, the vehicle should have a mechanical emergency brake.
NHTSA complaint #11654071 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Had truck in Park brake light was on. Rolled out of my driveway into the street when I was walking back to my house alarm went off that is when I turned around and saw my truck part way in the road. Called dealership they called back right away they set up an appointment for March 13
NHTSA complaint #11641838 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ford issued a recall for Ford Lightnings produced from November 2023 to February 2024, for the front ball joint nut falling off. Causing a loss of control, suspension and all steering input, later crashing. New truck with 700 miles. Fords guesstimate of 12000 trucks, going by the month math is more likely than not well over 24000 affected vehicles. MY TRUCK WAS MANUFACTURED JUNE 2024. My husband MOVED/unscrewed the aforementioned nut, off the left upper ball joint WITH THE FINGERS ON HIS HAND. The nut was loose. The upper ball joint appeared hand tight. FORD NEARLY KILLED US. I advised william at NHTSA and he hung the phone up on me. William needs to be terminated. William is apparently biased against gay men and/or retired law enforcement officers.
NHTSA complaint #11633994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact rented a 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH and attempting to slow the vehicle, the RPMs suddenly increased, after which the contact became aware that the vehicle was accelerating independently. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard however, the vehicle failed to stop as needed. The contact shifted to park(P) to bring the vehicle to a stop. The vehicle then returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The contact requested a replacement vehicle from the rental company. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact was unaware if the vehicle was taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The contact was unaware if the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 28,000. The VIN was not available.
NHTSA complaint #11632132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bought an electric truck in May of 2023 that is frequently malfunctioning while on the road. Turn signals and hazard lights becoming unusable. Gauges w/ speed are turning off and on while driving. All safety features become disabled. Video of multiple occurrences are available and have been submitted to ford. Would someone please help me and atleast reach out to see the videos of what this truck is doing. I have extensive documentation of my attempts to get this vehicle repaired or off the roads through the BEV specialist. My emails are ignored and my phone calls are put in endless loops before being hung up on. I have been trying for 6 months to get them to make my truck safe. I’m scared me and my family or possibly other motorist are going to be hurt if this situation is not fixed. I know I shouldn’t keep driving it but I have to get to work. Purchased an extended warranty for thousands of dollars but after taking to 3 dealerships multiple times a piece no repairs to the computer have been made and they literally have documented they are trying a temporary method for “testing” out unproven “wire overlayment” to bypass an issue with a harness bc they dont want to “condemn” an expensive module on the truck. The computers that control this electric vehicle are failing and I’m scared what is going to happen when if completely goes out while I’m driving at 70 on the interstate. If someone would please look at the service transcripts, my emails to ford, and videos of this vehicle malfunctioning I would be sincerely grateful and appreciate any guidance.
NHTSA complaint #11623043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving in sport mode multiple times, received "drive mode not available" message. Vehicle reverted to normal mode changing expected regeneration braking force. No other issues with the vehicle noted or stored in CAN. Seems to be a software glitch but arrives randomly and unexpectedly changes expected regenerative braking force requiring more driver input.
NHTSA complaint #11613375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
At 65mph driving in sport mode which has increased regeneration during deceleration which provides substantial braking, I was approaching stopped traffic. I let off the throttle pedal anticipating the braking effect and regeneration but the truck instaneously switched driving modes to normal without my input. It took me a second to realize I was not slowing and had to manually activate the brake pedal in order to stop in time. I tried to reselect sport mode after stopping and it was greyed out with a message saying some features are disabled while driving. Normally you can switch drove modes while driving. After restart truck returned to normal operation. The danger was the unantisipated change to braking effect during a critical time before a high speed stop.
NHTSA complaint #11595325 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The parking brake engages randomly when the 2023 F150 Lightning Lariat ER comes to a stop while driving, thus increasing the risk of a crash. Dealership is "unable" to replicate the issue which currently occurs several times per day. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11589768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.