2023 Ford F-150 Engine Problems

I was practicing backing up while turning my new approximately 3,000 lb equipment trailer for safety & maneuvering skill purposes. There was no payload in my trailer that I was towing. While slowly maneuvering & turning my equipment trailer in reverse at 1–3 mph, our 2023 Ford F-150 XLT suffered a commanded, abrupt, unexpected sudden acceleration while in reverse, which was not via the gas pedal or my input. The trailer violently jackknifed, made a loud noise on impact to the truck resulting in damage to the truck bed’s right quarter panel at the rear, and a broken right tail light. It happened so fast I had to slam on the break hard, since the truck felt like it would keep backing into the jackknife position with powertrain seeming to struggle to overcome the break for a short instant. I believed at that instant that a mechanical or software or both malfunction caused this since this happened so fast and abruptly. Also to note, the parking break has often turned on or off automatically both during this incident and prior to, both while the vehicle was moving motionless. After looking at the damage, it first appeared to me to be less than a $1,000.00 repair bill, since only a small portion of the right rear corner of the fender was dented and the tail light broke. On Monday and Tuesday however I was surprised to learn after getting estimates that the damage is around $4,000 or more, since the entire quarter panel needs to be replaced - aluminum Quarter panels cannot be welded, and it’s is an 8 foot bed with a huge quarter panel and lots of painting required. I have learned Ford Motor Technical Service Bulletin’s TSB 24-2070 and TSB 24-2176, or possibly other TSB(s) could be the cause. No other vehicles were involved. I drove truck to Bill Brown Ford service department, Livonia, MI 7/29 for a diagnosis. I’m Referencing XXX report number XXX taken XXX on this situation, and [XXX]'s "Reccomended Service" write up # XXX. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 5

NHTSA ID

11753728

Incident

Jul 26, 2026

SHIFT SYS FAULT SERVICE REQUIRED

NHTSA ID

11740551

Incident

May 27, 2026

After a crash into a tree on the passenger side the airbags deployed and the truck immediately caught fire and the doors locked and would not open for any reason. The only way I was able to exit was busting through the front windshield. had I been severely injured or knocked unconscious the outcome of this would have been much different. The truck burned to the ground in 11 minutes. It has been inspected by the police and awaiting insurance representative to inspect. There were no warning no recalls regarding a crash that would lock the doors and not allow me to exit.

NHTSA ID

11728363

Incident

Mar 27, 2026

I am reporting a serious safety defect in my 2023 Ford F-150 Platinum SuperCrew (EcoBoost engine. The oil pressure warning light suddenly illuminated, indicating a loss of oil pressure. Immediately after, the engine suffered catastrophic failure (it "blew the engine"). At the same moment, with no input from me, the gear shifter automatically shifted from Drive into Park. This caused the transmission to lock up, resulting in violent skidding and the truck veering off the road. I was able to regain control and avoid a collision or rollover, but the incident created an imminent risk of serious injury or fatality, especially while towing. I have maintained it properly, never missed a payment on the $74,000 truck, and drove it cross-country from Arizona to Florida without prior issues. Ford Motor Company has claimed there were "70 warnings" prior to the failure, but I received **zero** dashboard warnings, lights, messages, or indications at any point leading up to or during the event. This is the second Ford F-150 I have owned with unexplained powertrain problems. I traded a 2018 F-150 for the platinum & it repeatedly stalled without reason & required the engine to cool before restarting; dealerships (FL & TN) could not fully diagnose it, with one suggesting an oil-pump-related overheating issue despite no warning lights. Repair estimates are extremely high: Gator Ford quoted $17,000, Brandon Ford quoted $14,000, Veterans Ford quoted $12,000, and an independent shop quoted $12,000 (notably, the independent shop knew the dealership quotes without me providing them). I believe this points to a potential defect in the EcoBoost engine's oil pump system (possibly excessive pressure or failure under load/towing) combined with an unintended shift-to-Park function in the transmission/shifter electronics, creating a dangerous loss of control at highway speeds while towing. This combination of sudden engine seizure and automatic shift to Park poses an unreasonable risk of crash.

NHTSA ID

11726223

Incident

Mar 3, 2026

Truck is burning oil. Talked to over 5 dealerships and they says it’s a problem that they know about and are waiting for ford to recall a section of the engine. Heard in Naples Fl all sheriff trucks are doing it and burning excessive amount of oil

NHTSA ID

11716018

Incident

Nov 17, 2025

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

Instrument cluster panel was rainbow now is all black unable to see how much gas in in truck tire pressure or all other important gauges.

NHTSA ID

11710204

Incident

Sep 3, 2024

WE ACCELERATING IN THIS VEHICLE AND YOU LET YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL, IT CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE FOR AT LEAST 1-2 SECONDS CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, IF THE VEHICLE DOES NOT DE-ACCELERATE IMMEDIATELY ONCE YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL, IT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN…VERY, VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID

11709733

Incident

Jan 5, 2026

Safety Defect: 4-6 second engine power loss/stalling while driving Life threating incident (recorded by Ford via phone call)Semi truck nearly collided with us as well as multiple other near misses road rage honking and obscene gestures all of which has my 13 year old son terrified to ride in the truck. First took it in 08/29/2025 @ 33,808 miles Second attempt 09/30/2025 still in shop at Gary Crossley Ford >30 days (unfixable) Ford Lemon Law Ford Case # CXHXXX 11/03/2025 Claim Manager Devin Dean Missouri Lemon Law MO AG CASE#XXX 11/04/2025 filrd today for **Mandatory Repurchase** Request: Investigate this safety defect and force immediate buy back. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11697396

Incident

Mar 6, 2025

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power, and the vehicle failed to accelerate. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the cylinder #6 port injector had failed. The dealer replaced cylinder #6 port injector, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who determined that cylinder #4 port injector had failed and replaced the port injector. The failure recurred, and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer for the third time. And it was determined that cylinder #1 port injector had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact sent the manufacturer a certified letter notifying the manufacturer of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,500.

NHTSA ID

11695821

Incident

Aug 9, 2025

Mileage

32,500 mi

Reported a burning oil/chemical smell to the Ford service center early August and was told nothing was wrong. 2 days ago same smell appeared accompanied with large amount of smoke while driving. Immediately stopped and found flames behind drivers side front tire in engine. Put out the fire ourselves with fire extinguisher and was towed to nearest Ford service center. Ford states was a mechanical issue with the front differential causing an oil to leak, cause metal shavings, and ignite in flames.

NHTSA ID

11686402

Incident

Sep 8, 2025

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine and other unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving the vehicle, the vehicle was driving rough. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where to was diagnosed and determined that rodents had eaten through the wires, and all the wiring harnessed in the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 7,400.

NHTSA ID

11664287

Incident

May 14, 2025

Mileage

7,400 mi

•Resolution Requested oFull refund for $67,227.63 - Total Money Spent Down Payment Trade In Monthly Payment Aftermarket Accessories oPremium Care Warranty for Purchase of next Ford Vehicle •Issues oEngine and Electrical Issue Electronic Gauge Screen goes black while driving resulting in a safety violation Significant latency of acceleration upon starting resulting in dangerous driving conditions Issue started Mar 2024 Remote Start Not Working Issue started Mar 2024 oSafety Failure Error Messages •6 X Anti-Lock Brake Fault •18 X Tire Pressure Monitor System •9 X Restraints Indicator Lamp •28 X Pre-Collision Assist Not Available •4 X Power Train Malfunction •Attempted Repairs – the service department has stated they do not know the issue and will need to keep the car for several more weeks to determine a fix oNumber of Times 5 Times oDuration 28 Days oDates 10 APR 2024 – 1 Day 09 May 2024 – 1 Day 09 Sep 2024 – 5 Days 07 JAN 2025 – 10 Days 14 MAY – 1 Day

NHTSA ID

11661526

Incident

May 10, 2024

This vehicle started having issues. The truck would shut off going down the highway at 60-65 mph. The radio would blink on and off. The truck would shut down and not turn back on for multiple hours. Dealer couldn't replicate the problem. Our son utilized the truck to go and pick up LP gas for us from his shop. On the way back to our home, he stopped at a stop sign and suddenly noticed smoke coming from the dash. He attempted to put out the fire which was then raging under the dashboard and hood. He got the fire out, fire department arrived, truck ignited again. The fire department put out the truck. Son was burned trying to not have the truck explode with gas tanks in the back.

NHTSA ID

11656711

Incident

Jan 19, 2025

The engine and/or power train malfunctioned, rendering the vehicle difficult to bring to a stop. The longer than normal stopping distance carried the vehicle past the stop line, crosswalk and into the intersection of a crossing roadway. Anyone in the crosswalk or vehicle in the crossing roadway in the path of the vehicle would have been impacted. By placing the gear selector into Neutral, the vehicle was finally brought to stop. It is at this point I noted the tachometer read approximately 3500 RPM then slowly reduced to normal idle RPM. These aforementioned symptoms have not recurred since. The incident was brought to the attention of the manufacturer who referred me to the service department (local Ford dealer) who, in turn, did not identify any malfunctions. Service instructed me to monitor the operation of the vehicle and advise them of any problems. No malfunction codes/warnings/lights were present immediately before or after the incident.

NHTSA ID

11653697

Incident

Nov 27, 2024

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the wiring harness had failed due to rodents chewing on the wires. The contact was informed that the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.

NHTSA ID

11649336

Incident

Mar 19, 2025

Mileage

8,000 mi

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power and independently shifted into park(P). Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart for several minutes and was unable to shift of out park(P). The vehicle was previously taken to a local dealer and the engine control module was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle remained with the dealer for additional diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

NHTSA ID

11645939

Incident

Oct 5, 2023

Mileage

125,000 mi

2.7 liter ecobost engine . Cam Phaser Failure, cam phasers control the performance, air intake and exhaust of the engine. Failure from these parts will affect engine performance and can cause engine damage. Similar recalls were issued for similar ford 3.5 liter engine in the past.

NHTSA ID

11641625

Incident

Jan 22, 2025

I was driving down the road at approximately 35mph. The vehicle began to sputter and then started loosing power. I was only able to drive approximately another 150 meters and get over to the shoulder of the road. Once stopped the vehicle stopped running all together. The vehicle did have power but only to the electronics. The engine had shut down. I shut off the vehicle all the way and then restarted. It ran fine after that. This was on 01/29/2025. The vehicle had a previous instance where it did not start. It would crank the motor for approximately 6 to 8 seconds, the engine would fire and then shut off after about 1-2 seconds. The fuse box and wiring harness have both been replaced and the vehicle still seems to be having issues that could cause major damage and or injuries/death to the occupants.

NHTSA ID

11639381

Incident

Jan 29, 2025

Stoped truck to get gas ! put in park ! When I got out of truck it went in reverse almost running me over !! Ripped my driver door all the way around to the front wheel before I could get it to stop !! It is equipped with a sensor to automatically put it in park when door opens !! But it did not happen !!!

NHTSA ID

11610897

Incident

Aug 23, 2024

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light had remained illuminated, and the speed erroneously increased and decreased while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the turbo was faulty. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact had also experienced several electrical failures, including the rear window becoming inoperable, failing to open and close as needed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 9,000.

NHTSA ID

11609589

Incident

Jul 1, 2024

Mileage

9,000 mi

Purchased the new truck 12/21/23 within a week or two all the Adas signals and chimes continued to flash. A sensor was ordered and arrived months later and was installed. The problems never stopped. Besides the signals all flashing my blind spot in my mirrors stopped working. The dangerous issue is that while I am driving all of a sudden at any given moment my vehicle loses power and it stops accelerating. I am afraid to drive my new vehicle because I am affraid of pulling out of my driveway or driving on the highway trying to change lanes I am going to lose power and get hit by someone. This truck is not safe to drive.

NHTSA ID

11606776

Incident

Jan 3, 2024

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was shuddering while idle. The contact stated that the failure consistently recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was operating as designed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.

NHTSA ID

11584061

Incident

Sep 15, 2023

Mileage

2,000 mi

On [XXX] as I was going in reverse the car started to accelerate out of control, I pumped the breaks and it increased speed, I then tried to power down truck and that did not work. My vehicle ended up going in ditch backwards and I hit a mailbox and ditch. Earlier in the week when I went to go from reverse to forward it felt like it was locked and then it would engage. I do not feel this is safe and will not ride the vehicle as I think there is something wrong mechanically with the truck. Police report will be uploaded in 1-2 days. My email address us [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11568123

Incident

Jan 26, 2024

This is my second F150 that has had severe vibration through the floorboard, steering wheel and gas pedal. The last one the torque converter and steering failed. Both trucks were brand new. This is a serious safety issue. My foot goes numb after about 15 minutes of driving from the constant vibration. Ford acts as this is normal, but this issue has been well documented in the Ford community. There have thousands of similar reports made to Ford Motor Co.

NHTSA ID

11551498

Incident

Oct 13, 2023