Ford will recall 18 copies of its 2023 F-150 Lightning electric pickup to correct a battery problem that led to a fire in a finished truck that had not yet been delivered to a customer. The company stopped production of the trucks while investigating the problem’s cause.
Confident it has resolved the issue, Ford says production will resume today.
In a Rare Move, Ford Disclosed This Recall Before the Government Did
The Lightning, the first electric pickup from a mainstream manufacturer, has been a sales success and a critical smash. It won our inaugural Best Buy Award in the electric truck category.
When automakers recall a vehicle, they file paperwork with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explaining the problem and the solution. NHTSA has not currently released a recall order for the Lightning. So, all we know comes from a Ford statement emailed to the media.
Ford spokesperson Emma Bergg says, “On Feb. 4, during a standard quality check, one vehicle displayed a battery issue and caught fire. The root cause identified was related to battery cell production” at a supplier’s Georgia factory.
The company “recently established that 18 vehicles containing cells from that four-week period had made it to dealers and customers,” Bergg says. So, the company plans to recall those trucks.
Unclear Whether Dealers Will Replace Entire Battery
The statement does not explain how Ford will correct the problem. Some electric vehicle batteries can be dismantled easily, allowing dealerships to replace individual cells inside. Others cannot, and dealers must replace the entire battery to correct a problem in a cell. The Lightning’s battery is nearly the length and width of the truck, riding under the cabin and bed.
The company says it is unaware of any accidents or injuries related to the problem. “Production is on track to resume Monday with clean stock of battery packs,” Bergg says.
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