In a not-so-surprising twist, Ford has recalled over 10,000 2023-2024 Model Year Ford F-150 Lightning Pickup trucks due to a significant defect in the front suspension, leading to a loss of steering. This problem originates from the factory, where improperly tightened suspension components could cause a safety issue when driving the vehicle.
This is another safety-related recall of the EV pickup, following an earlier recall due to a missing or improperly fastened nut on the battery bus bar. This issue could have led to a dangerous battery fire. The faulty fasteners could create electrical resistance, leading to overheating and potential fire hazards. Over 200 units of the F150 Lightning were affected by this issue.
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So far, only one incident has been linked to this defect—a truck decided to get up close and personal with a highway barrier at 60 mph. The investigation by Ford revealed that this truck, with fewer than 700 miles on it, was missing an upper control arm nut, which caused the steering knuckle to part ways with the truck. Leading to a prompt recall of the affected trucks.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) elaborates that the nut on the upper control arm ball joint might not have been properly torqued during assembly, all thanks to some variations in the alignment or orientation of the fastening tool. Lateral forces likely prevented the tool from securing the part as it should have. The NHTSA has also provided an online tool to check if your vehicle is a part of this recall.
Ford is calling all affected vehicle owners to visit their dealers for a free inspection. Technicians will be on hand to check the upper control arm ball joint nut and, if needed, replace the nut or the entire knuckle assembly. Ford will start sending out notification letters to customers in early February 2025.
Drivers of the 2024 F-150 Lightning might notice some tell-tale signs, like loose or imprecise steering, a shuddering through the steering column, or strange noises from the front suspension. Some owners even reported an unexplained steering judder that even tire adjustments couldn’t fix. A quick visual check for any loose parts might be your best bet, and if the nut’s not secure, Ford strongly advises you not to drive the truck until a dealer checks it out which is fair as this is a major safety concern.
Not the King of Recalls Anymore, But…
Although Tesla took the crown with over 5 million vehicles recalled in 2024, Ford still made it onto the charts with over 4.5 million vehicles recalled the same year. The news of the F-150 Lightning recall came just a couple of weeks after the recall of Ford’s diesel-powered Super Duty series trucks, which had issues with their fuel pumps. Ford had to recall nearly 300,000 F-Series trucks because the faulty fuel pumps could lead to a loss of power, increasing the risk of a crash. The problem was linked to biodiesel deposits forming on the pump drivetrain roller components, potentially causing high-pressure fuel pump failures. However, the issue was tackled with a software update rather than a replacement.
