Problems · by component
2023 Ford F-150 engine problems
28 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2023 Ford F-150 cite engine, 7% of all 419 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
28
7% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“While driving at speed, my vehicle experienced a severe safety hazard: the transmission jerked violently and the engine completely stalled on the road, causing an immediate loss of power. The dealership diagnosed the truck and stated that tree debris had plugged the cowl drains at the base of the windshield. Because the drains plugged, rainwater backed up and overflowed directly into the passenger cabin, soaking the Body Control Module (BCM) and crashing the central computer network. A vehicle's central computer network should not be engineered in a way that normal outdoor tree debris can completely flood an interior cabin module and cause a dangerous drivetrain shutdown while driving.”
“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…”
“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.”
“I own a 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, with 48,200 miles and 2.5 years of ownership. Recently, my truck began displaying a “Powertrain / Reduced Power” warning while driving, and the air conditioning stopped producing cold air. The dealer scanned the vehicle and found DTC P0534 – A/C System Charge Loss. Further diagnostics indicated that multiple vehicle modules may require reprogramming and software updates. The dealer stated they need to evacuate and recharge the AC system, add dye, and remove front trunk components to locate the leak. This AC system is part of the high-voltage battery and eDrive thermal management system, meaning that failure of the HVAC system affects battery cooling and powertrain performance. Loss of cabin cooling is a symptom of a thermal system malfunction, which can lead to battery overheating, powertrain derating, and reduced driving performance. The combination of unexpected reduced power and loss of cabin cooling creates a safety risk, particularly during highway driving, merging, or situations requiring acceleration. These failures occurred at relatively low mileage and are associated with the high-voltage EV system, which should be…”
“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…”
“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”
Showing 6 of 28 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.