Ford F-150 Lightning Battery Problems: Should Existing Owners Be Concerned?

Ford announced that production and shipments of the F-150 Lightning will be suspended due to battery issues. Does it affect existing users?

Ford announced it is suspending production and shipments of the F-150 Lightning due to battery issues, but will this affect current owners of the electric truck? The F-150 is one of the company's most popular gasoline-powered models, but the Lightning Edition, with an entirely different powertrain, is one of the best-selling trucks in the EV segment. Real-world testing shows that the electric F-150 is also the most efficient pickup. It faces tough competition, though, from the likes of the Rivian R1T, the Chevrolet Esverrado EV, and GMC's Hummer pickup.

Ford detected a potential battery problem with the F-150 Lightning during a pre-delivery quality assessment. In response to the situation, the company stopped production of more products and asked carriers not to deliver assembled models, even if there were people in the pre-order queue. Those who haven't received the truck have a long wait, but does this issue also affect existing customers who recently received the electric pickup? The good news is that the answer is no. According to Electrek, the company has not seen any existing users facing the same issue. Dealers can also continue to sell F-150 Lightning units already sold reached their territory.

What This Battery Fault Means For Sales

A battery failure that does not affect the current owner saves Ford the hassle of a recall, which is usually a lengthy and expensive process. The company said it had identified the cause of the failure, but did not provide further explanation. However, Ford revealed that it will suspend production and shipments of the F-150 Lightning until the investigation is completed and the issue is resolved. This development likely won't affect current owners, but they may want to be more vigilant until Ford provides more details about the issue and its cause.

However, the delay in production and shipment is not good news for those who have pre-ordered. While Ford promises a quick turnaround, the shutdown will undoubtedly increase wait times and reduce potential sales if some customers reconsider buying the F-150 Lightning. Ford has struggled to meet demand for its electric pickup due to supply chain issues, and further delays will disappoint some customers.

The electric F-150 Lightning was well-received, building on the success of its gasoline-powered models to give customers the opportunity to transition to electric vehicles with familiar vehicles. While various challenges have forced automakers to repeatedly raise truck asking prices, demand for the vehicles hasn't waned. The production delay is disappointing, but battery issues can be dangerous, so it's good to see Ford actively working to fix the issue before shipping more vehicles to customers, which should help avoid battery and charging issues with the F-150 Lightning in the future.

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