The all-electric F-150 Lightning was supposed to be the truck that carried Ford’s pickup dominance into the battery age, yet it is exiting production under the cloud of another safety recall. Even as remaining trucks are delivered from lots and in-transit inventory, owners are being told that some vehicles may not stay put when shifted into park. I see a flagship that is both a milestone and a cautionary tale about how quickly cutting-edge hardware can collide with the unforgiving world of safety regulation.
The latest recall lands just as Ford winds down the Lightning line and pivots to a different electric strategy, leaving customers to navigate software fixes, service appointments, and lingering questions about long-term support. The stakes are high for drivers who rely on these trucks for work and family duty, and for an automaker that has already drawn scrutiny for the sheer volume of safety campaigns tied to its modern fleet.
The rollaway risk that triggered the latest Lightning recall
At the center of the newest safety campaign is a parking system problem that can let some electric and hybrid vehicles move even when drivers believe they are safely in park. Regulators describe a scenario in which the parking function may not fully engage, creating a rollaway risk if the truck is on an incline or if the driver steps away before the system has locked the drivetrain. That concern is not theoretical, it is serious enough that federal safety officials have opened a defect file and assigned a recall number on the main recalls portal.
Ford has acknowledged that the issue is not limited to a single model, instead it is part of a broader campaign covering more than 270,000 electric and hybrid vehicles in the United States. One report notes that Ford recalls more than 270,000 such vehicles because of the parking function problem, while another describes how the recall includes some 2022 F-150 Lightning trucks alongside other electrified models and notes that the recall includes some 2022 and later pickups and crossovers. In a separate accounting, a detailed breakdown of the campaign states that Ford is recalling 272,645 vehicles, including F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and Maverick Hybrids, under a defect description that explicitly frames the problem as a Lightning Among Ford Models Recalled Due to Rollaway Risk.
How many vehicles are affected, and where the Lightning fits in
The scale of the campaign is striking even by modern recall standards. One national summary pegs the total at more than 270,000 electric and hybrid vehicles, while another specifies that Ford recalls nearly 273,000 vehicles over the rollaway risk tied to a faulty parking function. A separate analysis of the electric portfolio frames the move as part of a broader decision in which Ford is recalling nearly 300,000 electric vehicles and hybrid pickups, underscoring how widely the defect may be distributed across the lineup.
Within that total, the F-150 Lightning is one of the headline models, both because of its status as Ford’s first full-size electric pickup and because of the number of trucks on the road. A detailed breakdown of the campaign notes that Recall: Some Ford F-150 Lightnings Could Roll Away John Roe, with the same document listing a total of 272,645 vehicles covered by the defect notice. Another technical summary of the campaign repeats that figure of 272,645 vehicles and confirms that the F-150 Lightning sits alongside Maverick Hybrids and Mustang Mach-E models in the same safety action.
A recall landing just as Ford ends Lightning production
The timing of the rollaway campaign is awkward for Ford because it coincides with the end of the Lightning’s production run. Reporting on the company’s EV strategy explains that Ford Motor Company has ceased production of the all-electric F-150 Lightning as it shifts resources toward a line of smaller, cheaper EVs. A separate analysis aimed at truck shoppers is even more blunt, stating that Ford has ended production of the fully electric F-150 Lightning BEV and cancelled future BEV versions of the truck.
That means the recall is hitting just as the last units are leaving factories and storage yards, which is why some owners describe the truck as being recalled on its way out the door. The defect notice that frames the campaign as a rollaway risk for the F-150 Lightning and other electrified models makes clear that the fix is not yet available for all vehicles, even as deliveries continue. One summary of the situation notes that Ford is recalling nearly 300,000 electric vehicles and hybrid pickups while the all-electric F-150 Lightning is already being discontinued, a juxtaposition that raises understandable questions about long-term software support and parts availability for a truck that is no longer being built.
A pattern of Lightning-specific recalls: steering, suspension, and brakes
The rollaway issue is only the latest in a string of safety campaigns tied specifically to the Lightning. Earlier, regulators documented a steering defect that affected tens of thousands of trucks built between early 2024 and spring 2025. According to one technical summary, According to the documents posted to the Transport Canada (#2025-286) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) databases, Ford recalled nearly 41,000 F-150 Lightning trucks due to a steering defect tied to parts built between February 14, 2024, and April 14, 2025, with the Canadian notice carrying the identifier 286.
Suspension and braking systems have also drawn scrutiny. A detailed breakdown of another campaign explains that Knuckle DownAccording to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ford recalled F-150 Lightning trucks over a brake defect tied to improperly repaired front brake jounce hose bracket screws. A separate safety notice adds that According to a new recall document published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ford is issuing a safety recall for F-150 Lightning trucks built between March 13 and April 24, 2025, because a small number of owners could face braking issues.
Battery and hardware defects: from short circuits to loose nuts
Beyond software and control systems, the Lightning has also faced questions about its high-voltage hardware and basic fasteners. A recall covering early production trucks describes how a manufacturing defect in the battery pack can lead to an internal short circuit, which in turn increases the risk of a fire. A consumer-facing summary of that campaign spells it out plainly, listing the Consequence as a battery short circuit that increases the risk of a fire and explaining under the heading What You Should Do that Owners are advised to only charge their vehicles outdoors and away from structures until the defect is addressed.
Owners have also documented more mundane but still serious issues like loose suspension hardware. In one widely shared video, a driver explains that the Lightning has a recall for loose nuts and that they are bringing the truck down to the dealership to have the issue checked. The clip, posted in Jun, walks through how a service visit is required to inspect and tighten components, and it underscores how even a single missing or under-torqued fastener on a 150-series truck can have outsized consequences for safety. In another corner of the internet, a detailed owner discussion notes that Ford Motor Company is recalling some 2022–2024 F150 lightnings due to a battery manufacturing defect, with Ford identifying the campaign under code 25S18 and owners trading notes on how the Lightning behaves when the high-voltage system is compromised.
How Ford and regulators are handling the wave of safety campaigns
From the outside, the sheer number of Lightning-related campaigns can make it feel as if the truck is uniquely troubled, but the pattern fits into a broader picture of an automaker that has been aggressive in issuing safety alerts across its lineup. A consumer analysis of recall trends notes that Ford (Ford Motor Company) dominates the Auto Safety Recall Derby with 7 safety alerts in one week, an image that captures how the company has been willing to call back vehicles for issues ranging from rollaway risks to fire risks. In a separate corner of the portfolio, a legal advisory explains How Ford Plans to address a different defect, noting under the heading How Ford Plans to Resolve the Safety Risk First for 100,000 Ranger vehicles with side curtain airbag problems, which shows that the recall-heavy approach is not limited to EVs.
Regulators, for their part, have tried to make it easier for owners to confirm whether their specific truck is affected. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a centralized database where drivers can search by Vehicle Identification Number and see open campaigns, and the agency’s own guidance encourages people to Verify Your Vehicle Is Affected: Begin by visiting the NHTSA recall check website and entering your 17-digit VIN. Ford has layered its own tools on top of that, explaining in its support materials that The Ford app will open the Ford Recall page with information specific to your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and that it is often possible to schedule an appointment directly from within the app.
What Lightning owners should do right now
For current Lightning drivers, the most important step is to confirm whether their truck is covered by any of the open campaigns and to follow the interim safety guidance until a permanent fix is in place. That starts with checking the official recall database using the truck’s VIN and then cross-referencing that information with Ford’s own tools and dealer communications. The federal portal that aggregates defect notices and repair instructions is the same one that lists the rollaway risk, steering defect, suspension issues, and brake problems, and owners can search it directly through the main recalls portal using their 17-character identifier.
Once a recall is confirmed, owners should pay close attention to any temporary precautions, especially for high-stakes issues like rollaway risk or battery fire potential. In the battery short circuit campaign, for example, the consumer guidance under What You Should Do explicitly tells Owners to adjust their charging habits until repairs are complete, and similar language appears in the rollaway documentation that warns drivers to use the parking brake and avoid relying solely on the electronic park function. For those who prefer a brand-specific interface, Ford’s own support materials explain that The Ford app will open the Ford Recall page with information specific to your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), making it easier to track multiple campaigns and schedule service appointments without waiting for a mailed notice.
What this means for Ford’s EV ambitions and for safety culture
Stepping back, the Lightning’s recall record is a reminder that building a cutting-edge electric truck on a compressed timeline carries real engineering and reputational risks. The model arrived as a showcase for Ford’s ability to electrify its best-selling 150-series pickup, yet it now exits the stage under the weight of multiple defect campaigns that touch nearly every major system, from high-voltage batteries to steering, suspension, brakes, and the basic act of putting the truck in park. At the same time, the company’s broader EV strategy is shifting, with reports that Ford Motor Company has ceased Lightning production in order to focus on a line of smaller, cheaper EVs, and that Ford has ended production of the fully electric F-150 Lightning BEV and cancelled future BEV versions of the truck.
Yet the recall story is not purely negative. There is an argument that a company willing to issue large-scale safety campaigns, even at the cost of short-term headlines, is one that takes defect reporting seriously. The same pattern that led to 7 safety alerts in one week, as captured in the description of Ford dominating the Auto Safety Recall Derby, also means that problems are being surfaced and addressed rather than quietly ignored. For Lightning owners, the practical takeaway is clear: use the available tools to stay on top of recall notices, lean on dealers for repairs, and treat interim guidance about parking, charging, and braking as non-negotiable. For Ford, the challenge is to carry those hard lessons into its next generation of EVs so that the trucks that follow the Lightning can deliver the same ambition with fewer trips back to the service bay.
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