2023 Ford Maverick Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
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What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2023 Ford Maverick, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Powertrain (other)1818.4%
- Electrical1414.3%
- Driver assistance1212.2%
- Suspension1010.2%
- Body & structure88.2%
- Engine66.1%
- Visibility66.1%
- Brakes55.1%
- Interior & seats44.1%
- Steering44.1%
- Exterior lighting33.1%
- Other / unspecified33.1%
- Fuel system22.0%
- Airbags22.0%
- Seat belts11.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
When throttling or under load, significant vibration of the car. Possibly CV axle problem.
During acceleration from 40-60 miles per hour, there was a pronounced vibration/shudder through the front end of the vehicle. After taking it to the dealership, they advised both front axles would need to be replaced. The catastrophic failure of an axle is likely to cause a car crash. The problem has been identified by Ford Motor Company and also confirmed by the Ford Dealership where I got it fixed. Ford Motor Company issued Customer Satisfaction Program 25N09 On September 17, 2025. My vehicle is a 2023 model year, but produced at the same plant and in the same time frame as the the ones mentioned in 25N09. There were no warning lamps or messages about the problem. The only indication was the heavy vibration a few thousand miles prior to getting it looked at.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
My 2023 Ford Maverick Hybrid experienced repeated 12V battery discharge and “Deep Sleep” events associated with Recall 24C01 and SSM 53801. The vehicle repeatedly discharged the 12V battery while parked under normal conditions. In January 2026, after approximately two weeks parked in freezing temperatures, the battery experienced a complete discharge and the vehicle required multiple jump-starts to remain operational. Ford dealer records later confirmed that the corrective action associated with SSM 53801 had not been applied prior to the failure event despite prior complaints and service visits. The repeated discharge events resulted in failure of both: the original factory battery, and a replacement AGM battery installed at owner expense. This condition created repeated stranded events and loss of vehicle reliability. I am submitting this complaint because the issue appears directly related to documented parasitic drain conditions already acknowledged by Ford in Recall 24C01 and SSM 53801, and because the failure condition persisted before corrective action was finally applied.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Maverick. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake lights and turn signals failed to function as intended. In addition, the message “Brake Light Failure” was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure, and the contact was informed that the parts were not available to repair the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V104000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting); however, parts were unavailable for the recall repair. The contact's husband purchased and replaced the light bulbs lights. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that there was no assistance available. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
infotainment center and modules related to the front-facing display have malfunctions 5x since 9/2024 and have been in the shop 5 times for the same issue, 4 downloads and updates, 3 recalls, and 2 battery and a front-facing module replacement in the last 15 months of issue stsrting
I took my vehicle in to have the transmission looked at. The dealership told me that the problem was resolved. While driving down the road the transmission went into park in the middle of a two lane road. When the vehicle came to a complete stop I was stopped in the middle of the lane and the vehicle transmission would not shift out of park. After getting it to another shop where it is currently located I was informed that the transmission needs to be replaced and that this is a problem that they are seeing in several Ford vehicles. I contacted Ford who stated that there are no current recalls for this problem. Obvious safety concerns are not being able to control the vehicle when it shifts to park while driving as well as being stopped in the middle of the roadway where a collision is likely.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
During acceleration from 40-60 miles per hour, there was a pronounced vibration/shudder through the front end of the vehicle. After taking it to the dealership, they advised both front axles would need to be replaced. The catastrophic failure of an axle is likely to cause a car crash. The problem has been identified by Ford Motor Company and also confirmed by the Ford Dealership where I got it fixed. Ford Motor Company issued Customer Satisfaction Program 25N09 On September 17, 2025. My vehicle is a 2023 model year, but produced at the same plant and in the same time frame as the the ones mentioned in 25N09. There were no warning lamps or messages about the problem. The only indication was the heavy vibration a few thousand miles prior to getting it looked at.
Vehicle "shakes and vibrates" when accelerating along with odd clicking noises when turning. The sunroof also leaks during car washes.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
Driver side door check hinge, rivets that hold the door hinge will break off. Door rivet panel will prevent the window to go down or up. The check hinge will break off during normal closing and opening of door.
The contact owns a 2023 FORD Maverick. The contact stated he noticed a odd sound from the driver side door when closing and opening, the winch on the driver side door is loose and scraping the inside of the door frame. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed it to need a new driver side door. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 83,000.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
During acceleration from 40-60 miles per hour, there was a pronounced vibration/shudder through the front end of the vehicle. After taking it to the dealership, they advised both front axles would need to be replaced. The catastrophic failure of an axle is likely to cause a car crash. The problem has been identified by Ford Motor Company and also confirmed by the Ford Dealership where I got it fixed. Ford Motor Company issued Customer Satisfaction Program 25N09 On September 17, 2025. My vehicle is a 2023 model year, but produced at the same plant and in the same time frame as the the ones mentioned in 25N09. There were no warning lamps or messages about the problem. The only indication was the heavy vibration a few thousand miles prior to getting it looked at.
The throttle body component of the vehicle failed at approximately 40,000 miles. While this is an engine component that experiences normal wear and tear, throttle body valves fail anywhere between 75,000 and 100,000 miles. I have owned previous vehicles, each crossing the 100,000-mile mark, with no replacement or concern with the throttle body. My concern with this vehicle's throttle body relates to the outdoor weather conditions when the vehicle reported an issue. The outside air temperature was 3 degrees Fahrenheit with moderate winds and a wind chill of approximately -10 degrees Fahrenheit. Researching online, this appears to be a recurrent issue among other owners of this particular vehicle. When started, the vehicle appeared to misfire, potentially entering limp mode. An amber wrench light illuminated, indicating to have the vehicle serviced, and the engine light illuminated, indicating a problem with the emissions system. Additionally, the vehicle pushed a notification to my smartphone that stated the following: "The engine control system has detected the electronic throttle body is not responding as commanded and requires service." The vehicle was turned off and sat for 15 minutes. When the vehicle was restarted, the wrench light turned off, but the engine light remained on, not flashing. The vehicle operated normally, with no misfire. The failure of the throttle body in adversely cold conditions may cause the engine to stall or misfire, decreasing driver control and increasing the potential of a crash. It is of concern that this component seems to have failed early compared to other vehicles currently on the market. I believe the weather to be a contributing factor. The servicing dealership has confirmed that the throttle body must be replaced and has the appropriate part on back order. As this vehicle was not involved in an accident, no police reports or insurance claims have been filed. I plan on reaching out to the manufacturer to address these concerns.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Maverick. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed an abnormal sound coming through the back windshield. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, the abnormal sound was confirmed. The contact was informed that there was nothing that can be done to remedy the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50.
Vehicle "shakes and vibrates" when accelerating along with odd clicking noises when turning. The sunroof also leaks during car washes.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Maverick. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the brake warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to depress the brake pedal; however, the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. The contact shifted into neutral and coasted to a patch of grass where the vehicle came to a stop. The vehicle was turned off and after a while and shifted into park and restarted. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and became aware that the lights were no longer illuminated and continued driving. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed there were no recalls on the VIN. The contact stated that approximately 3 months after the first failure, the failure reoccurred while driving approximately 45 MPH, causing the contact to coast onto the off-ramp and a curb while in neutral to stop the vehicle. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to restart and drive the vehicle to the dealer with the hazard lights activated. The dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Maverick. The contact stated while driving at slow speeds, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to stop immediately. The contact firmly depressed the brake pedal and was able to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Maverick. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the Lane Departure feature malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to erroneously steer outside the driving lane and lines. Additionally, after locking the vehicle, it was discovered that only the front driver’s side door had locked, and other doors remained unlocked. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 100.
My wife and I were involved in an accident where we were stopped and a vehicle rear-ended us at approximately 45mph, centered on the rear of the truck. My wife was in the passenger seat and I was driving. My seat collapsed backwards completely, and my wife's seat collapsed within about 2 inches of the rear seat. When mine collapsed, the headrest came out most of the way, and I slid backwards, hitting the top, back of my head on the rear seat just below the head rest, breaking the skin and leaving a mark of blood visible in the photos.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Maverick. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and upon attempting to make a left turn, the steering wheel seized with the “Power Steering Assist Fault” message displayed. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the steering column was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure had also occurred while driving 20 MPH and making a left turn. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer where it was diagnosed again, and the contact was informed that the steering column was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 13,600.
I purchased the 2023 ford maverick xlt with about 12,000 miles in may, right from the start I started having problems with the steering freezing up, almost hit a wall exiting the freeway, a few times it happened close to my house, it happens without warning, the warning "steering assist fault service required"comes up on dashboard , I have gone to the dealer a few times, the first time they said they had taken care of it, but I drove the truck after and later the steering froze up again, I took it in again and they said it was the steering column, it had a internal fault, so I left the vehicle there and next day they called me that the vehicle was ready, so I drove it home which is about eight miles from the dealer, no sooner had I was about to turn in the driveway that the steering froze on me, I borrowed my wife's car and went to the dealer told them what happened and the manager said to take it in again so they could check it , but I told the manager that I couldn't because iam afraid to drive the truck for my safety and other innocent people, so my truck sits in my driveway unable to drive it.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Maverick. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake lights and turn signals failed to function as intended. In addition, the message “Brake Light Failure” was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure, and the contact was informed that the parts were not available to repair the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V104000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting); however, parts were unavailable for the recall repair. The contact's husband purchased and replaced the light bulbs lights. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that there was no assistance available. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Battery is constantly in battery saving mode. It use to do it only when I was on vacation for a week or so. Now it has been doing this every single day for about the last two month.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
Dealership confirms CV joints on my new 2023 Maverick are spewing out grease with violent vibration while driving. Was able to safely pull over before vibration became worse. No prior warning prior to or during axle failure. Vehicle is still at the dealership awaiting parts that are apparently on backlog. Upon further research I found that I am one of many Maverick owners experiencing premature failure of CV joints.
When turning the vehicle on one morning the the speakers started to emit an ear-piercing sound. This sound continued even after turning the vehicle off, it would not go away. We had to hastly remove the battery to stop the ear-piercing sound. This seems to be an ongoing problem that Ford refuses to fix with other models. I have had to make an appointment with an ENT specialist because of the ringing sound it has caused in my ears.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
Two problems 1. Auto Start/Stop feature 2. Pre-Collision Assist (1) Auto Start/Stop feature- unpredictable.. 1. My engine turns off at busy intersection for red light with a vehicle coming in fast from behind, I hit gas to move forward . My truck revs hard from starting with foot on gas and darts forward. Almost went into cross traffic. 2. There is a current recall on Maverick batteries. Numerous complaints on the Facebook Ford Maverick of vehicle shutting off for auto-stop, but not starting in traffic conditions due to the battery. Fact - any electrical or computer problem and your vehicle is now stranded in an intersection. The Maverick has several electrical recalls. 3. I have timed my Vehicle Restart response on camera. It takes approx 1 more second for my vehicle engine to re-start and advance forward. For many accidents 1 second is the difference of life and death. 4. When I stop to put the vehicle in reverse, it will auto-stop while I am shifting. My vehicle is now sitting in the road, until I hit reverse and no brake, then "jumps" backwards in reverse. 5. The feature cannot be turned off permanently- it must be turned off manually for every trip. Summary - I have sent these concerns to Ford. They will not provide a way to turn off this feature. Only option is to pay a mechanic to disable it with an aftermarket product, which could of course, damage something else. (2) Front Collision Warning System - Has gone off three times for no valid reason. One time simply passing an oncoming vehicle 2 times passing police vehicles on the side of the road with flashing lights. I have lowered it's alert level to low and seems to help. But clearly, Emergency lights setting off a system that takes some control of stirring and braking is a concern.
This vehicle will reduce or cut throttle application/response relative to how many degrees the steering wheel is turning. When trying to pull out in traffic if you have the wheel turned beyond a set angle the throttle doesn't respond as expected and acceleration is greatly reduced. It will also cut the throttle if you pull out and then turn only to fully accelerate as the wheel is straightened out again. Two very dangerous examples I've experienced are 1: pulling onto a "freeway" that has a few side roads with perpendicular access. With the wheel turned the truck is very slow to accelerate when first pulling onto the expressway but suddenly will as the wheel is straightened. 2: When going across 2 lanes of traffic and making a turn to join traffic the truck will accelerate as expected across the first lanes, loose power as you turn, and then accelerate fully again as the wheel is straightened. While an argument could be made to just sit and wait until there is more time to join traffic, there are moments when being able to accelerate hard are necessary. This vehicle will either not accelerate or will reduce acceleration based on angles of steering. I believe this is a dangerous situation that most experienced drivers are not going to be expecting when they have to join fast moving traffic. Following web forums this is an issue other owners have experienced.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
The seat belt system is faulted and is showing the airbag light is on, when started it shows a red question mark on the drivers seat. Also shows a rear seat fault.
I was the driver in a 30 MPH collision. The driver's knee airbag deployed but the main passenger and driver airbags did not function.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
The seat belt system is faulted and is showing the airbag light is on, when started it shows a red question mark on the drivers seat. Also shows a rear seat fault.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .