2023 Ford F-150 Brakes Problems

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while reversing, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the brake system malfunction message displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle drove onto a hilly grass embankment before coming to a complete stop. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while loading the vehicle with motorcycles for an event. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but a diagnostic test was not performed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,500.

NHTSA ID

11755948

Incident

Aug 8, 2026

Mileage

46,500 mi

While towing a 6000 pound travel trailer 6/21/26, the brakes on the trailer failed. A trailer wiring fault message came up on the dash each time I braked. It is available for inspection. How was our safety put at risk??? Stopping distance was increased substantually. When you need to stop, you need to stop! The truck has been brought to the dealer 4 times prior to this for the same problem. One of those times was for the recall on the trailer brake, May of 2026. The first time the truck was taken to the dealer for the warning message was April of 2025. The trailer was taken to the RV dealer after the incident (on my Oct 2025 visit, the dealer told me the problem was with the trailer. I wanted to rule that out). The RV dealer found no problem with the trailer brakes, and determined the problem is with the truck. The truck was then taken to the dealer July 23 with "Trailer Brake Module Fault" message every time it is started. It remains at the dealer now. They believe it is the trailer brake control module. The module is on backorder with no estimated time for repair.

NHTSA ID

11755242

Incident

Jun 21, 2026

Since shortly after buying my F-150 truck, I have had an ongoing issue with the Brake problem notification light coming on. I have spoken to the local Ford Dealership about this issue several times and had no resolution. They told me they could do an inspection, but it would cost me over $500, and only if they found a warranty issue that they were responsible for would they reimburse me the cost of the inspection. They also said that if the notification light was not on when they did the inspection, they would be unlikely to find an issue even if one existed. The warning light can go days or weeks without appearing and can stay on anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or so. I have tried to get the truck to the dealership several times, but it always goes off before I can get there (the dealership is about 40 minutes drive from my house). I am concerned because the warning light comes on more often these days but I still can not get the truck to the dealership with the light on. As the issue appears to be increasing in frequency, I am getting more concerned. The first time this appeared was approximately August 2024.

NHTSA ID

11752520

Incident

Aug 10, 2024

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger's tire was flat. The vehicle was driven to a nearby church parking lot. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an abnormal speed, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while making a right turn. The vehicle was driven to the residence and inspected. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side tire had been rubbing against the brake line bracket. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 49,270.

NHTSA ID

11751549

Incident

Jul 19, 2026

Mileage

49,270 mi

driving approximately 20 miles an hour, gently applying the brake as I was approaching a stoplight when the brake suddenly engaged forcefully causing the car to jerk to a stop unexpectedly. There was a warning across the dash that said " forward collision is not available" and that disappeared. A local dealership said this was an ABS issue and reprogrammed it.

NHTSA ID

11749360

Incident

Jul 7, 2026

Tried to turn on vehicle one morning and it would not start due a parking brake error message & a warning light on the dashboard. The message on the screen behind the steering wheel stated “park brake fault service now” and there was a clicking noise heard coming from underneath the truck. I tried to reset the parking brake by pressing and holding the button as indicated online but it didn’t work. The brake also physically revolted at me pressing down on it and would stutter/thump and not let me press it down fully without heavy resistance. The clicking noise continued randomly even when I was not in the vehicle. Then the door locks stopped working with my car keys, I could only open the drive door manually. I had no means to jumpstart my battery. I called Ford local dealership to come check the issue incase it was a recall issue that had not been reported for my vehicle yet. They are scheduled to come Monday 6/1/26.

NHTSA ID

11740500

Incident

May 26, 2026

The EPB system has a fault and service now code. This puts a risk on safety of me, passengers and others on the road. this make and model is a single exhaust unit and i believe it has to do with an open recall. July 21, 2023 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 23V509000 Unexpected Activation of Electric Parking Brake Unexpected activation of the electric parking brake while driving increases the risk of a crash. NHTSA ID Number: 23V509000 Manufacturer Ford Motor Company Components PARKING BRAKE Potential Number of Units Affected: 870701 Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 F-150 vehicles equipped with a single exhaust system. Contact with the rear axle housing may damage the wiring harness, causing the electric parking brake to activate unexpectedly.

NHTSA ID

11738990

Incident

May 18, 2026

I was on the highway doing 70mph and went to break and I had no brakes. I was terrified. I kept trying and I got it to break and pressed again and lost them again. Eventually the pressure on the breaks returned. The remaining ride home was just scarey.

NHTSA ID

11738411

Incident

May 16, 2026

While driving up to 40 mph, the emergency brake will randomly come on causing me to skid and stop suddenly. I manually have to turn back off the emergency brake to drive again. This incident has occurred in traffic multiple times. The truck has been at the dealership service center four times and they cannot replicate, diagnose, or repair the issue. The dealership states they have looked at the electrical components and replaced the battery, which did not solve the issue. There are no warnings prior to the emergency brake coming on. A collision is not about to happen that causes it to come on.

NHTSA ID

11733375

Incident

Aug 26, 2024

Electronic parking brake warning was coming on and parking brake was inoperative during this period of time. Vehicle is at the dealership now and diagnosed with corroded and broken wires in the left rear harness for the parking brake. Ford will not assist with this repair even though it is very similar to the problem involving recall 23S35 which inspects and replaces this same harness due shorting out wires which could cause the parking brake to lock up while driving

NHTSA ID

11726693

Incident

Mar 23, 2026

The electronic brake booster system failed while driving the vehicle causing the brakes to lock up and almost caused a collision with a tree putting me and my family in danger. Car was towed to the dealer and confirmed electronic brake booster failure. There were no prior warning lamps, messages or symptoms prior to the failure during the operation of the vehicle. All warning first appeared after the failure.

NHTSA ID

11725804

Incident

Mar 9, 2026

I’ve been advised by McGovern Ford in Massachusetts that I need ABS Module and an Electronic Brake Booster and it isn’t covered by any warranty. Yet it’s a safety hazard and the truck is only 2 1/2 years old. Why would those 2 items need to be replaced on a newer truck.

NHTSA ID

11720837

Incident

Feb 18, 2026

Complete electrical shut down driving on the highway on two separate occasions. While driving engine shuts off, dash board goes black, infotainment center goes black. Required to shift vehicle into park to restart after occurrence. Huge safety risk! When taken to Ford service; unable to find any issues and was told “vehicle is safe to drive”

NHTSA ID

11714037

Incident

Jan 22, 2026

After the vehicle sat parked for 12 days, upon initial startup, the vehicle experienced a total failure of the Electronic Brake Booster (EBB). The dashboard displayed multiple critical fault codes including "Brake System Failure," "Service AdvanceTrac," and "Check Brake System." The vehicle software triggered a safety interlock, refusing to shift out of Park, rendering the vehicle completely disabled. This failure is a direct match to the defect described in NHTSA Campaign 25V488 (Ford Recall 25S77). Ford’s official filing for that recall admits the EBB module is "susceptible to normal but infrequent voltage disturbances" which causes the EBB motor to enter a "faulted state" or shut down. My 2023 Lightning is currently excluded from this recall despite experiencing the exact same "voltage disturbance" failure mode upon waking from a sleep cycle. This is a critical safety defect that resulted in a total loss of power braking assist and vehicle immobilization. Ford is currently refusing to cover the $2,800 repair cost under the recall, despite the identical nature of the failure

NHTSA ID

11708834

Incident

Dec 29, 2025

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact inspected the vehicle and became aware that the brake light located near the rear window was inoperable and the brake light had melted. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 33,321.

NHTSA ID

11702937

Incident

Dec 4, 2025

Mileage

33,221 mi

The contact's mother owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the owner received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that there was an abnormal squealing sound coming from underneath the vehicle, near the brakes upon depression of the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who advised the contact to not be concerned about the squealing sound. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 18,614.

NHTSA ID

11701847

Incident

Aug 11, 2025

Mileage

18,614 mi

When pressing on the break to come to a stop pulling in parking space, my F150 quickly accelerated cause a crash into a building my 2 year old truck has been declared a total loss from insurance.

NHTSA ID

11680994

Incident

Jul 8, 2025

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH and hauling a horse trailer with several horses inside, the automatic headlights activated, and the trailer brake erroneously activated, causing the vehicle to abruptly stop in the middle of the road. During the failure, no injuries were reported to the vehicle occupants or the horses inside the trailer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 45,000.

NHTSA ID

11674479

Incident

Jul 12, 2025

Mileage

45,000 mi

While slowing down the vehicle on a downward slop, vehicle applied Parking Break by itself and stopped the vehicle suddenly with Parking Break sign on the odometer. There was no object or anything in the front of the vehicle and it was being driven on forward direction. So, this abruptly applying of Parking Break by itself created a confusion and unsafe situation.

NHTSA ID

11674184

Incident

Jul 9, 2025

I was parking my car and pressed down on the brake. The car continued to roll forward so I pressed down farther. The car kept rolling forward. I took my foot off the brake and then pressed down hard and came to a stop. The brake fluid is clean and at max levels. The brake pads are relatively new. No visible signs of damage or leaking.

NHTSA ID

11672524

Incident

Jul 8, 2025

On [XXX] at [XXX] I dropped my wife and 2 children off at the Funland Arcade in Deep Creek, Maryland. The parking lot was full from the holiday weekend and I was planning on taking the Lightning to a nearby charger while the family gamed so I double parked perpendicular to the arcade entrance, put the hazards on, and let them out. After the 3 of them got out, I placed the Lightning in reverse to back up 5-10 feet so that I could exit the parking lot through the same way I came in. Once I had enough space from reversing so I could make the turn to exit I placed the Lighting in drive. The moment the Lightning switched to drive it accelerated at a very high speed as if I was flooring the gas pedal, which I was not. The lightning was in one-petal mode which I always use unless I’m on a highway. I immediately began pumping the brakes but the truck would not stop, I probably slammed on the brake petal 4-5 times to no avail. I even tried shifting the truck back into park but it would not shift out of drive. I was able to luckily steer the truck into a hillside approximately 150 feet away. The truck ran over numerous small trees and shrubs before crashing to a stop approximately 16 feet up the hill. Shortly after the shock wore off, I slowly reversed the truck down the hill, exited the truck, and informed dozens of onlookers who came out of the arcade to see what the noise in the parking lot was from, that the truck just took off on its own but that I was fine. I called 911 and the police came. Luckily no people or vehicles were between the arcade entrance and the hillside or the outcome would have been significantly worse. This crash was witnessed first hand by wife and 2 children. I have grave safety concerns about this truck now and will not put my family or self back in it until Ford fixes this problem. I am making this complaint in case this information can help prevent future crashes of this vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11671486

Incident

Jul 5, 2025

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds or while in stop-and-go traffic, while depressing the accelerator pedal, there was an abnormally loud plastic-on-plastic sound. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a brake booster failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred two months later. The contact stated that there was popping and clicking sound in the brake pedal. The contact stated that it felt as if the brake pedal was cracking. The failure was more prevalent after being parked or while driving for long distances. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who determined that the vehicle was working as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

NHTSA ID

11670862

Incident

Jun 1, 2024

Mileage

10,000 mi

While driving my 2023 Ford F-150 XLT through a parking lot at low speed, I attempted to stop and shift into reverse to avoid a tight turn between parked vehicles. With my foot firmly on the brake, I shifted into reverse—though the gear shift was abnormally resistant. The system indicated the vehicle was in reverse. Despite keeping my foot on the brake, the truck suddenly and forcefully accelerated on its own, overriding my braking input. It collided with two parked vehicles before I was able to bring it to a stop by turning off the engine. The vehicle continued to accelerate even while I applied firm pressure to the brake pedal, which depressed all the way to the floor and failed to stop the truck. At no point did I press the gas pedal. After impact, the gear shift remained in reverse with a blinking red light. No airbags deployed. This was an extremely dangerous situation that could have seriously injured someone had they been standing nearby. Additionally, for some time leading up to the incident, I noticed increasing difficulty shifting gears even with the brake fully depressed. At times when in park the light for other gear modes would turn on.  Indicating the vehicle may be in another mode other than park.  The brake pedal has also felt inconsistent, often requiring unusually deep and forceful pressure to stop, whether on highways, city streets, or in parking lots. This appears to be a critical failure of both the braking and transmission systems. I am extremely concerned for my safety and that of other Ford drivers. I am requesting a formal investigation into this matter

NHTSA ID

11669609

Incident

Jun 26, 2025

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at slower speeds, the vehicle would immediately brake independently without depressing the brake pedal. The Brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed at the owner’s expense; however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V509000 (Parking Brake); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

NHTSA ID

11666130

Incident

Jun 5, 2025

Mileage

46,000 mi

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V509000 (Parking Brake); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11665320

Incident

Jun 6, 2025