Problems · NHTSA complaints
2024 Ford F-150 Lightning problems
Owners filed 31 complaints about the 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning with NHTSA between Oct 2024 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (8).
Complaints
31
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system8
- Service brakes7
- Vehicle speed control6
- Power train5
- Forward collision avoidance3
- Exterior lighting2
- Seats1
- Back over prevention1
- Steering1
- Suspension1
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Other / unknown14
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
4
15
12
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 15 |
| 2026 | 12 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
8 reports1 fire
“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]”
Service brakes
7 reports
“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.”
Vehicle speed control
6 reports3 crashes
“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…”
Power train
5 reports
“Folding shifter issues with many F150s. Gets stuck in park or drive. Seems to be a rampant issue. Stuck in park is one thing, stuck in drive is extremely dangerous... Also causes service lights.”
Forward collision avoidance
3 reports1 crash
“I was driving by and received multiple warnings about brakes. Brake assist, one pedal driving, reverse brake assist, general brake warning. After the came on the brake were spongy with a hard brake after applying more pressure to the pedal. I needed to apply more pressure because the car was not stopping. I almost hit various cars on the way home because there is certainly an adjustment needed to my braking habits. Very dangerous and unsafe. I took the truck to the dealership and quoted me around $2,500. This is something I have no control over and see that there is a recall on this issue for a 2025 model, but my vehicle does not fall under this recall.”
Exterior lighting
2 reports
“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…”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.