Ford F-150 Lightning problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 4 model years (2022–2025), NHTSA has logged 536 owner complaints and 2 safety recalls for the Ford F-150 Lightning. That averages 33.4 complaints per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (index 0.79 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Electric vehicles segment it ranks #5 of 10 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 56.4.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
Across four model years (2022–2025), the Ford F-150 Lightning has logged 536 owner complaints and 2 safety recalls, averaging 33.4 complaints per year which is fewer than typical at an index of 0.79. While the 2022 model year shows the highest rate at 64.4 complaints per year with 157 early complaints compared to only 19 for 2024 models, recent data indicates the pace is falling with 81 complaints in the last 12 months versus 145 previously. The most common problem area is Electrical (31.3% of complaints), occurring 2.0 times as often as across all tracked vehicles, followed by Transmission / powertrain (23.3%) and Interior & equipment (11.6%). Owners report recurring terms such as "light bar", "axle", "static", "bolt" and "rear", with 30 complaints (5.6%) describing a crash or fire resulting in 16 injuries and 0 deaths.
Summary drafted by an AI model running on our own server from the figures on this page, and checked number by number against the data before publishing. The statistics and the analysis above come from our fixed methodology, not from the model.The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2024 models run 87% below the 2022 models (19 early complaints per model year versus 157).
The 2022 model year has the highest rate (64.4 complaints per year) and the 2025 model year the lowest (3.6). Model years 2022 and 2023 run at least 50% above the model's own average — the ones to research most carefully. The 2024 model year sits well below the model's average.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Electrical (31.3% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (23.3%) and Interior & equipment (11.6%). Electrical complaints are 2.0 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Recurring terms in owner reports: “light bar”, “axle”, “static”, “bolt” and “rear”. 30 complaints (5.6%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 16 injuries and 0 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 81 complaints versus 145 in the previous 12 months — the pace is falling. The 2023 model year generated the most recent reports (36). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 20 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 2 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2023 (2). 1 NHTSA defect investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Tesla Model S, Chevrolet Bolt EV, Tesla Model X and Ford Mustang Mach-E; Kia EV6, Volkswagen ID.4, Tesla Model 3 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 have more.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Complaints in first 2 years on the road | vs. same-year average | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Years to research carefully | 301 | 64.4 | 1.53 | 157 | 2.12 | 27 | 0 | Electrical | View › |
| 2023 Years to research carefully | 199 | 54.2 | 1.29 | 129 | 1.55 | 36 | 2 | Electrical | View › |
| 2024 | 30 | 11.2 | 0.27 | 19 | 0.27 | 13 | 0 | Interior & equipment | View › |
| 2025 Fewest complaints | 6 | 3.6 | 0.09 | — | — | 5 | 0 | Engine | View › |
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 81 · Previous 12 months: 145 Falling
Problem areas
Transmission / powertrain ›
125 · 23.3% · 2.0 vs. all vehicles · Falling
- axle38
- bolt32
- sheared15
- train23
Lighting ›
46 · 8.6% · 5.49 vs. all vehicles · Falling
- light bar25
- rear light13
- water21
- tailgate light8
Engine
37 · 6.9% · 0.31 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- powerboost7
- safely8
- light15
- accessory3
Brakes
23 · 4.3% · 0.71 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- braking11
- pedal10
- brake11
- sport mode3
Body & structure
22 · 4.1% · 0.45 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- wiper motor3
- visibility5
- wipers4
- windshield6
Driver-assist systems
20 · 3.7% · 0.65 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- bluecruise3
- collision9
- adaptive6
- control9
Wheels, tires & suspension
11 · 2.1% · 0.82 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- bolt9
- axle7
- sheared4
- rear8
Other
10 · 1.9% · 1.03 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- brake pedal5
- accelerated4
- lights illuminated4
- depressed3
Fuel system
6 · 1.1% · 0.26 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
5 · 0.9% · 0.14 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Airbags & seat belts
1 · 0.2% · 0.05 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Common terms in reports
- light bar33
- axle51
- static33
- bolt44
- rear116
- ears26
- speakers32
- loud67
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 20 months
What owners report
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.
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"
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.
The factory Pedestrian Alert System on my 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning produces an exterior warning sound at low speeds that is insufficiently audible to pedestrians in normal parking-lot conditions.
We were driving down the road, hit a normal bump outside our neighborhood (one we go over all the time) and the rear window glass went bang. Looking through the rear view mirror, I saw that the entire window was cracked (like a spider web).
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Electric vehicles
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Model S | 708 | 17.4 | 0.41 | Worsening | Falling | 31 | Interior & equipment |
| 2 | Chevrolet Bolt EV | 532 | 17.8 | 0.42 | Stable | Steady | 13 | Electrical |
| 3 | Tesla Model X | 736 | 18.6 | 0.44 | Worsening | Falling | 33 | Interior & equipment |
| 4 | Ford Mustang Mach-E | 650 | 28.9 | 0.69 | Improving | Steady | 0 | Electrical |
| 5 | Ford F-150 Lightning | 536 | 33.4 | 0.79 | Improving | Falling | 2 | Electrical |
| 6 | Kia EV6 | 535 | 38.5 | 0.91 | Improving | Rising | 5 | Electrical |
| 7 | Volkswagen ID.4 | 991 | 48.7 | 1.16 | Worsening | Steady | 24 | Electrical |
| 8 | Tesla Model 3 | 4,228 | 100.4 | 2.39 | Worsening | Steady | 35 | Driver-assist systems |
| 9 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 1,319 | 114.8 | 2.73 | Improving | Rising | 14 | Electrical |
| 10 | Tesla Model Y | 3,749 | 128.3 | 3.05 | Stable | Steady | 36 | Driver-assist systems |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 2
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 0
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford F-150 Lightning model year has the most complaints?
The 2022 model year has the highest rate (64.4 complaints per year) and the 2025 model year the lowest (3.6).
Is the Ford F-150 Lightning getting better or worse?
The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2024 models run 87% below the 2022 models (19 early complaints per model year versus 157). In the last 12 months owners filed 81 complaints versus 145 in the previous 12 months — the pace is falling.
What are the most common Ford F-150 Lightning problems?
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Electrical (31.3% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (23.3%) and Interior & equipment (11.6%). Recurring terms in owner reports: “light bar”, “axle”, “static”, “bolt” and “rear”.
How does the Ford F-150 Lightning compare with other Electric vehicles?
Within the Electric vehicles segment it ranks #5 of 10 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 56.4. Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Tesla Model S, Chevrolet Bolt EV, Tesla Model X and Ford Mustang Mach-E; Kia EV6, Volkswagen ID.4, Tesla Model 3 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 have more.
Does the Ford F-150 Lightning have recalls or open investigations?
Recalls: 2 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2023 (2). 1 NHTSA defect investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).