2024 Ford F-150 Lightning BEV Problems

While driving at speed on public roads on [XXX], the primary 12-inch digital instrument cluster suffered a total blackout while the vehicle was powered and moving. The failure eliminated all speedometer readings, battery state-of-charge indicators, gear selections, and safety telltales/warning lights in violation of FMVSS 101. When previously reporting intermittent digital screen and electrical dropouts, Ford and dealership service personnel claimed this behavior is 'normal operation' and have failed to correct the underlying electrical/gateway defect across multiple service visits. The vehicle cannot be operated safely without an operational speedometer and warning cluster. Video link: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I was the only person in the truck and there was no one nearby. I was slowly backing the Ford 150 Lighting into my driveway, going straight back. I was going slow because another car was parked at the back end corner. As I was rolling slowly back, the truck started to accelerate on its own, I had not increased pressure on the pedal. The truck was not making any beeping noises or alerts on the screen indicating that there was another car parked behind it. NO safety alerts at all. The truck was completely out of my control other than my ability to turn the steering wheel. I had lifted my foot off the gas pedal entirely at one point to make sure it was not me pressing it and the car kept moving faster without my foot. I tried to steer the truck straight back but upon realizing it would not stop and was only getting faster, I veered the steering wheel to avoid hitting our other small car and turned the truck which backed up directly into the south west corner of our house. The house is what stopped the truck. Upon impact with the house- NO airbags inflated. The truck touchscreen temporarily shined red and audibly said that it would “call 911” and no call was ever made. After this, and after I had gotten out of the truck, I realized that the entire truck shut down mechanically. The turn on button did nothing, the key did nothing, the gears would not shift - it was in a locked position. The driver's seat that I was in- got dislodged and crooked by the force of the truck to the house. My right calf is still sore because my right foot was on the pedal when the truck hit the house. My left side of my neck is very sore and I have a headache around tension around my temples and top of head, my forearms, wrists, trapezius muscles, and rhomboid muscles - all were sore after the crash.

While driving at speed on public roads on [XXX], the primary 12-inch digital instrument cluster suffered a total blackout while the vehicle was powered and moving. The failure eliminated all speedometer readings, battery state-of-charge indicators, gear selections, and safety telltales/warning lights in violation of FMVSS 101. When previously reporting intermittent digital screen and electrical dropouts, Ford and dealership service personnel claimed this behavior is 'normal operation' and have failed to correct the underlying electrical/gateway defect across multiple service visits. The vehicle cannot be operated safely without an operational speedometer and warning cluster. Video link: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While driving on a surface road in Columbia, MD at approximately 40 mph, the dash display of the 2024 Ford Lightning Flash went completely blank, leaving no indication of vehicle speed, battery percentage, battery temp, motor temp, cruise control status etc. Zero information was displayed, and the dash was completely cold and dark. This failure, while traveling at speed, represents a gross safety hazard, especially because the same LCD displays automatic emergency braking informaion etc. Immediately, I was able to pull over, and establish an OBD-2 connection to the ECM, and pull error logs. I also took screenshots of critical components and voltages. I cleared the codes, re-checked for codes and saved another error log showing a couple of codes. I then cycled power to the truck several times, hoping for a reboot to clear the error. I also performed a manual reset of the Ford SYNC system. Using the OBD-2 virtual dash on my reader, I was able to safely display speed and battery data, and drive immediately to the nearest Ford Dealer (Koons Ford). On the way, I phoned Crossroads Ford (Apex, NC) who did a remote error check using the vehicle's modem. The dealer may have saved this data. Upon arrival to Koons, service writers and technicians were able to witness and verify inoperability of the dash unit, and cycle the vehicle power, whereafter the problem persisted. They then took it back for service and evaluation. After approximately 4 hours, I was told that the "dash reset itself after a couple hours" and they could not get it to repeat the error after it came back. Before this, there were no warning signs of dash failure, nor since.

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.

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.

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.

See attached document for complaint.

While driving on a surface road in Columbia, MD at approximately 40 mph, the dash display of the 2024 Ford Lightning Flash went completely blank, leaving no indication of vehicle speed, battery percentage, battery temp, motor temp, cruise control status etc. Zero information was displayed, and the dash was completely cold and dark. This failure, while traveling at speed, represents a gross safety hazard, especially because the same LCD displays automatic emergency braking informaion etc. Immediately, I was able to pull over, and establish an OBD-2 connection to the ECM, and pull error logs. I also took screenshots of critical components and voltages. I cleared the codes, re-checked for codes and saved another error log showing a couple of codes. I then cycled power to the truck several times, hoping for a reboot to clear the error. I also performed a manual reset of the Ford SYNC system. Using the OBD-2 virtual dash on my reader, I was able to safely display speed and battery data, and drive immediately to the nearest Ford Dealer (Koons Ford). On the way, I phoned Crossroads Ford (Apex, NC) who did a remote error check using the vehicle's modem. The dealer may have saved this data. Upon arrival to Koons, service writers and technicians were able to witness and verify inoperability of the dash unit, and cycle the vehicle power, whereafter the problem persisted. They then took it back for service and evaluation. After approximately 4 hours, I was told that the "dash reset itself after a couple hours" and they could not get it to repeat the error after it came back. Before this, there were no warning signs of dash failure, nor since.

Condensation in 2024 Ford Lightning Tailgate light bar consistent with 2022 and 2023 model recall. For Reference - The Ford F-150 Lightning recall related to the rear light bar is 23S30, which is also NHTSA Recall No. 23V-418.

While driving at speed on public roads on [XXX], the primary 12-inch digital instrument cluster suffered a total blackout while the vehicle was powered and moving. The failure eliminated all speedometer readings, battery state-of-charge indicators, gear selections, and safety telltales/warning lights in violation of FMVSS 101. When previously reporting intermittent digital screen and electrical dropouts, Ford and dealership service personnel claimed this behavior is 'normal operation' and have failed to correct the underlying electrical/gateway defect across multiple service visits. The vehicle cannot be operated safely without an operational speedometer and warning cluster. Video link: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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.

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.