2023 Ford F-150 Lightning BEV Brakes Problems

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 ID

11745190

Incident

Jun 19, 2026

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 ID

11741725

Incident

May 10, 2026

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 ID

11741722

Incident

Mar 31, 2026

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 ID

11739960

Incident

May 14, 2026

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 ID

11708989

Incident

Jan 3, 2026

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 ID

11672527

Incident

Feb 11, 2025

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 ID

11667203

Incident

Jun 16, 2025

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 ID

11654071

Incident

Mar 15, 2025

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 ID

11623043

Incident

Oct 24, 2024

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 ID

11613375

Incident

Sep 7, 2024

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 ID

11595325

Incident

Jun 19, 2024

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 ID

11589768

Incident

May 20, 2024

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel and display screen went blank at every one and a half miles. The Parking Brake and Front Camera Malfunction, Clear Screen messages were displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the instrument panel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 1,170.

NHTSA ID

11564264

Incident

Dec 28, 2023

Mileage

1,170 mi

I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC ON THE 405 AND THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM ACTIVATED AND SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A SCREECHING HALT ON FREEWAY. I WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED. THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED "FRONT CAMERA FAULT" AND :COLLISION AVOIDANCE NO AVAILABLE" ON THE DASH FOR A FEW MINUTES. NO ERROR CODES WERE FOUND IN THE COMPUTER. I ALSO HAVE "ONE PEDAL DRIVE" FAULTS THAT CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ROLL WHEN I REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR. IT SHOULD STOP, BUT INTERMITTENTLY KEEPS GOING. THIS IS THE SECOND FORD LIGHTNING I'VE HAD WITH THAT PROBLEM AND MANY OTHERS. FORD BOUGHT THE FIRST ONE BACK UNDER THE CA LEMIN LAW. GALPIN FORD HAS FOUND NO CAUSE FOR THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE FAILURE AND NO CAUSE FOR THE ONE PEDAL DRIVE FAULTS. ERROR CODES ARE NOT BEING STORED IN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. FORDS ANSWER WAS TO TRY TO GIVE ME THE VEHICLE BACK WITHOUT REPAIRS BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AFTER THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FIRST TRUCK I PHOTOGRAPH ALL ERRORS ON DASH. DESPITE MY PICTURES THEY ARE UNABLE TO MAKE REPAIRS. I HAVE APPLIED TO GET THIS SECOND LIGHTNING BOUGH BACK UNDER THE CA LEMON LAWS AS WELL. I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER INSTANCES OF OWNERS REPORTING THESE SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN FORUMS.

NHTSA ID

11556869

Incident

Nov 5, 2023

We were in a low speed situation. A car 2 cars in front of us was signaling a right hand turn. We began to slow down from approximately 25 mph to 5-7 mph. The car turning right stop short of completing their turn, the car immediately in front of us came to a complete stop. We were only traveling 5 - 7 mph behind and had plenty of room to stop. I depressed the brake further (we were already slowing due to turning vehicle) but the truck did not slow at which point I depressed the brake pedal as hard as I could. The truck did not slow at all in this time (no brake locking, no skid marks). We only came to a stop when we hit the stopped vehicle in front of us. Additionally, this vehicle has advanced safety features (forward collision warning and active braking assist) -- none of these features triggered. I have lost all faith in this vehicles ability given the situation. I contacted Ford customer service, they referred me to their Office of General Counsel and said to expect a response in 45 - 60 days. That is unacceptable to me -- I have a very expensive vehicle that I cannot drive as I do not trust it. I want to understand why all these systems failed, have them as well as my vehicle fixed or the vehicle bought back from me. I cannot wait 60 days for resolution.

NHTSA ID

11540824

Incident

Aug 21, 2023