The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·23V801000·Announced 2023-11-28

Ford Recalls 2022-2023 F-150 Lightning for Electronic Stability Control Software Defect

Ford is recalling 2022-2023 F-150 Lightning vehicles because software may fail to activate electronic stability control, increasing crash risk.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect (failure of Electronic Stability Control) that increases the risk of a crash, meeting the criteria for a Severe rating.

Plain-English summary

Ford Motor Company is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150 Lightning vehicles. The recall addresses a defect in the SYNC software that may fail to activate the electronic stability control (ESC) system at the beginning of each ignition cycle. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."

The failure to reset the ESC to active may result in the driver unknowingly operating the vehicle without electronic stability control, which increases the risk of a crash. The affected vehicles are 2022 and 2023 model year F-150 Lightning BEVs.

Ford will update the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) software by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C38. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

The recalled product

Product
FORD F-150 LIGHTNING BEV
Brand
FORD
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Category
Vehicle — Pickup Truck
Hazard
Affected units
5,118

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (1)

  • F-150 LIGHTNING BEV

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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