Several thousand Ford F-150 Lightning models built during the 2022 and 2023 model years need to be recalled in the United States because of a software issue that could cause the truck to get stuck in Off-Road Mode, limiting the effectiveness of the electronic stability control (ESC).
As one of the first electric pickup trucks on the market, the F-150 Lightning was always going to be under quite a lot of scrutiny. While it has proven itself to be a solid truck, it has been recalled a bunch of times since its launch, including for a rear lightbar issue, a busted cabin coolant heater system, fire risks, and an issue with the tire pressure monitoring system. This latest recall impacts a total of 5,118 units manufactured between October 14, 2021, and April 18, 2023.
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Ford’s recall notice reveals that the fault may arise after the car receives an over-the-air software update to version 6.3.0. This update may cause it to remain in Off-Road Mode with reduced ESC, even after cycling the ignition. While the truck will display a light on the instrument cluster showing that the ESC is off, some drivers may not notice it and not be aware that the ESC system has been relaxed, increasing the risk of a crash.
The carmaker’s Critical Concern Review Group became aware of the issue on November 9 when Ford personnel noticed that the last selected drive mode began to carry over between ignition cycles. While limited ESC is handy when the F-150 Lightning is driven in Off-Road mode, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards require a vehicle’s ESC system to return to the default mode on each ignition cycle.
Ford will alert owners to the recall between December 18 and December 22, 2023. The issue will be remedied by an over-the-air software update that owners can install at home or should they prefer, they can take their truck to a Ford or Lincoln dealership to have the update installed.
