Summary
The Ford F-150 has 241 recalls spanning the 1978–2026 model years, with the most serious recent issue being a 2022 F-150 Lightning high-voltage battery that can overheat and short-circuit internally, creating a fire risk.
On the current and most recent generation (2021–2026), recalls cover nearly every major system. The 2025 model has a coolant hose that can chafe and pull out wiring at the powertrain control module, stalling the engine, and a lower steering shaft fastener that can loosen and cause a complete loss of steering control. A separate 2025 recall affects full hybrid models, where an incorrect fuse in the high-voltage battery junction box can fail and cut drive power suddenly. Also on 2025 trucks, the electronic brake booster can malfunction and eliminate power brake assist, lengthening stopping distances. The 2024 model has two steering concerns: an incorrect steering rack that can fracture and lock the wheel, and a lower shaft fastener that can separate and eliminate steering input. The 2024–2025 transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, allowing the transmission to slip unexpectedly into forward gear while in reverse or neutral. On 2023–2025 trucks equipped with the Trailer Tow Max Duty package, rear axle hub bolts can fatigue and break, wearing the axle splines and potentially causing loss of drive or a rollaway when parked. A separate 2023 front axle pinion can fracture and lock the front wheels. The 2023 F-150 Lightning has loose or missing nuts in the high-voltage battery pack that can cause electrical arcing or cut drive power, and the front upper control arm ball joints on 2023 Lightning models may not have been properly tightened, allowing the control arm to separate from the steering knuckle and eliminate steering control. On 2021–2023 trucks with a single exhaust, the electric parking brake wiring can chafe against the rear axle housing and trigger the parking brake unexpectedly while driving. The 2021–2022 model years share a driveshaft issue where underbody insulators can loosen, contact the aluminum driveshaft, and fracture it, causing either a loss of drive power or the broken shaft contacting the ground. The 2021 model year carries an unusually heavy recall load: the steering gear can develop internal damage that makes the wheel suddenly stiff or locked, multiple transmission software errors can cause unexpected shifts to neutral or first gear, and two-piece driveshafts on certain engine configurations can separate. On 2022 trucks, the Raptor's wheel lug nuts may not have been properly tightened, risking wheel separation, and a faulty instrument panel cover can prevent the passenger airbag from deploying correctly or can send plastic fragments into the cabin. The 2022 model also has repeated parking lamp flickering issues that required multiple repair attempts. Also on 2022 F-150 Lightning models, the tire pressure monitoring system may not warn the driver until pressure is critically low.
Stepping back to 2018–2020, the 2019–2020 battery positive terminal fastener can loosen and cut instrument cluster displays, brake assist, and steering assist, or generate enough heat to start a fire. The 2020 model's starter motor attachment nut can cause electrical arcing and fire risk. The 2018 model has two significant issues: 3.5L engines were built without lubrication holes in the cylinder heads, causing the engine to seize and stall, and a high-
