What 73 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Ford Maverick Hev Early Release

The Ford Maverick has a known issue with "grabby brakes." I recently took my vehicle in for service and was advised the vehicle had an outstanding service bulletin to solve this problem. The repair given by Ford is ineffectual. There is a potential problems, even at low speeds, for sudden braking and collisions. This is ongoing at every stop and experienced by other Maverick owners.

NHTSA ODI 11745827

12 volt electrical system no power. Dealer changed battery cable wiring harness. Received vehicle back. One week later vehicle exhibited no 12 volt power. Informed that it could be the Thinkware dash cam. Which was purchased from Ford and Ford dealer installed. Now informed that it could be the dash cam itself. The dash cam was installed via the OBD port which is always powered. This will drain the 12 volt battery unless vehicle is driven for extended periods. Ford is aware of the issue but no remedy for over 3 weeks. I have told the Ford dealer to have the dash cam installed so that when the ignition is on the dash cam is also powered on and off when the ignition switch is turned off. Using this method negates the parking mode on the dash cam. Another issue is when the drivers side door is opened the interior lights do not activate. Ford notified. Problem not resolved. Low 12 volt battery issue?

NHTSA ODI 11745446

12-Volt battery gets extremely hot and gives off invisible fumes. Model number is BAGM-H14. Vehicle was towed to dealership for diagnostic evaluation. Also, dashboard shows various warning messages. Battery could not be charged, plus does not maintain charge.

NHTSA ODI 11745184

This vehicle has chronic clicking when turning , when taken to a mechnanic i was informed the CV Axles both were torn and that it was a common issue for the 22 ford mavericks and they issue replacements for free. However when it comes to this they don’t cover it. The issue is still present and left untreated could be a dangerous issue.

NHTSA ODI 11742428

Receiving daily Battery Saver Mode notices telling me some remote features including lock/unlock may temporarily be unavailable. Not to use my AC and go for longer rides, which I have done with no change. My interior lights are not coming on. My radio powers off and on while driving. Constant clicking and noises come from the vehicle when turned off. Difficulties starting the vehicle at times. Feel power losses when driving and accelerating, feel like I could be rear ended when this happens. In doing some online research, I am clearly not alone in this issue, when I contacted Ford and the dealership they both acted as if this is not a current issue and I would have to it inspected by a Ford dealership with no guarantee that the inspection would be covered. I found a recall 24S24 that sounds like my exact issue, yet they say it's not been authorized for my vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11741803

Eninge started knocking, flashed warnings to pull over immediately. I did and had the vehicle towed to Westway Ford in Irving. Their investigation showed the engine needs a full rebuild and they are claiming it is not covered under warranty. They shared pictures & a written repair estimate. Doing an analysis of the pictures they took and their description of what happened, combined with what I experienced and observed, this appears to be a textbook case of the behavior and outcome of the mechanical failure described in recall 23S27.

NHTSA ODI 11741298

Recall 24S51 from Ford says that 87,000 Maverick trucks have had the wiper motor fail due to moisture getting into the housing due to a sealant problem with the supplier. The recalled VINs can have a free inspection and replacement. I believe my VIN is also impacted by this problem because 37 months and 31,000 miles into my car, my wipers failed. I was driving in light rain and the wipers would only go up about 6" from their resting position before returning to the resting position, then repeat the same thing. Thankfully the rain wasn't so heavy that I had to stop and could continue driving home (very carefully!). We've had a very dry winter, so I haven't used my wipers in months. The prior week before the failure, we had a big snow/rain storm spanning two days with about 1.5" of moisture coming down. Hence, I think this storm precipitated, literally, my issue. I took my Maverick to the Ford dealership for a hitch recall, asking about this wiper motor recall problem at the same time. I picked up my truck today and after it's been sitting in the sun, my wipers work again. It sure seems that when moisture is getting into the housing, the wipers fail, then the sun dries it out, then the wipers work. Note, my truck is not garaged. I believe my VIN should be part of the 24S51 or 24-594 recall. Since in my almost 60 years of driving, I've never had a failure of a windshield wiper motor in this way, it seems to be a very rare thing to occur. With a recall of this part in other Mavericks similar to mine, I think mine is actually affected as well.

NHTSA ODI 11739600

While driving the vehicle at low speed (roughy 25mph) a loud sqeek was heard. This occured a few more times so I stopped to inspect. I countinued my trip after not finding the source of the noise. When it occured again, I pulled into a parts store and had them run codes. After finding none I purchased a code scanner so that I could monitor while under way. Once on the highway the sound became more frequent, after just a few miles warning lights appeared on my dash and the vehicle had a complete loss of power. I was able to coast to the side of the road. At that time the vehicle did have code P1061. Dealer diagnosted the truck with a failed transmission. I removed the trasmission and disassembled it. The main shaft had been stripped of it's splines on the gear that connects to the engine. I have a video of the gears and shaft here: [XXX] I saved the parts and will be happy to provide them for investigation if needed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11738381

CV axles bad, intense shuddering during acceleration and between 25-55mph. Severe enough to shake side to side in my lane on occasion. Serious safety concern and seems to be a ubiquitous issue.

NHTSA ODI 11736632

Both front CV axles on my 2023 Ford Maverick Hybrid are failing at approximately 60,000 miles. The vehicle experiences violent shaking and vibration during acceleration, most noticeably at speeds above 30 mph and on inclines. The shaking is severe enough to affect steering control and reduce driver confidence, particularly during highway merging and uphill acceleration. The problem was diagnosed and confirmed by San Leandro Ford dealership, which identified both front CV axles as defective and in need of replacement. No warning lamps or message appeared prior to or during the issue. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This appears to be a widespread manufacturing defect. Numerous owners of 2022-2023 Ford Mavericks have reported identical premature CV axle failures at mileages ranging from 10,000 to 60,000 miles, as documented in online forums and prior NHTSA complaints. Some owners have had axles replaced multiple times. The defective CV axles pose a safety risk as the severe vibration compromises vehicle control during normal driving conditions.

NHTSA ODI 11732289

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Maverick. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH and making a right turn, the vehicle lost power, and the transmission slipped into neutral(N). While driving 25 - 30 MPH and approaching a red light, the transmission slipped into neutral. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V330000 (Power Train) and 25V133000 (Power Train). The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was included in the recalls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000.

NHTSA ODI 11725852

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Maverick. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. There was a fuel odor on the exterior and interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a fractured fuel seal. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that a diagnostic test was needed to determine the cause of the failure. The dealer declined to provide a free diagnostic test. The contact referenced the notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V380000 (Engine); however, the VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 45,300.

NHTSA ODI 11725203

Per the dealership my vehicle is throwing the same codes P1061 and P032F as the recall that is less than a month from when my vehicle was built. My vehicle knocks and then the speed drops to less than 35 miles and it happened to me in traffic. It is very dangerous and again this is the same issue as the recall for my 2023 that is for other 2023 vehicles. I have called Ford to get help and file a complaint but am getting zero help. Again this is a very dangerous event that is happening and could cause damage not only to my vehicle but to others. I have to work so driving the vehicle is my only option right now and I can't afford the 9,000 to fix something that is a Ford issue. Please review and have Ford pay for the safety issue they already know they have. Thanks

NHTSA ODI 11724855

While driving highway speeds the vehicle suddenly lost power. Had to immediately pull to the shoulder of the highway with heavy traffic that got very close to my rear bumper due to the sudden decrease in speed. There was no advance warning of power loss. Upon stopping on the shoulder the vehicle was put in park and the key turned to the off position. After a short wait the ignition key was turned to the on position and was able to resume trip at highway speeds. Notified Ford close to my location and it was checked for fault codes and road tested with no defect found., Now concerned that the vehicle might fail again day or night leaving us stranded or causing a vehicle accident due to the sudden reduction in speed.

NHTSA ODI 11717948

I am reporting a premature and dangerous failure of the front CV (Constant Velocity) axle assembly on my 2023 Ford Maverick. While driving at 50 mph the vehicle began experiencing violent, uncontrollable shaking and shuddering in the front end, particularly under acceleration. This is an issue which affects all Mavericks for this model year. Ford has recalled/reimbursed replacements for the 2022 model year but not other ones yet. This failure causes significant instability and compromises steering control, creating a high risk of a crash when merging into traffic or maintaining highway speeds. The vibration is severe enough to distract the driver and could lead to a total loss of motive power if the axle snaps or the joint fully separates.

NHTSA ODI 11708934

When driving at higher speeds (60-70mph) and needing to pass another vehicle the clutch slips which triggers the accelerator to shut down. Leaving you helpless in the passing lane. All you can do is hope there is space to safely pull off the road and shut the engine off. This puts it in limp mode.

NHTSA ODI 11706253

AUTOMATIC REVVING INCIDENT 1 DATE: November 25, 2025 TIME: about 4:05pm LOCATION: [XXX] WEATHER: Slight rain, around 37º F VEHICLE STATUS: In Park, heat dial turned on. DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE: Turned key to on position while in park. ICE engine immediately turned on and revved all the way, as if the accelerator pedal was pressed down all the way. Pedal was NOT under floor mats. Immediately turned key to off position, let sit for a moment. Turned key to on position again and issue seemed to be resolved. No check engine lights or other codes were showing on the dash cluster. AUTOMATIC REVVING INCIDENT 2 & 3 DATE: December 2, 2025 TIME: about 4:05pm LOCATION: [XXX] WEATHER: Clear, around 27º F VEHICLE STATUS: In drive, heat dial turned on. DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE: Turned key to on position while in park. Heat was on. Immediately turned dial to “D,” and engine proceeded to again rev all the way up. However, this time, full power was transferred to wheels, causing vehicle to attempt to lunge forward. Luckily, I was on an icy patch of the road, and the tires spun instead of gaining traction. I immediately slammed the brakes and turned the car off. Waited about 2 minutes and then turned key to on position, and the exact same thing happened again. No check engine lights or other codes were showing on the dash cluster. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11702611

The 2023 Ford Maverick Hybrid is experiencing a recurring safety failure of the Front CV Axle Shafts. The vehicle exhibits violent, uncontrollable shaking of the front end during acceleration at highway speeds (40–65 MPH). This severe vibration compromises vehicle stability and steering control, creating a significant safety risk during merging or overtaking maneuvers. The vehicle was previously repaired for this exact issue by an authorized Ford dealer on May 30, 2024 (at ~32,000 miles). However, the failure has recurred 18 months and 33,000 miles later. Inspection of the current failed parts reveals that during the 2024 warranty repair, the dealership installed obsolete, superseded part numbers (Series "NZ", specifically NZ67-3B436) instead of the updated, corrected design (Series "SZ") released by Ford to fix this known defect. Because the dealership replaced defective parts with the same defective/superseded design, the safety hazard has returned prematurely. The defect was previously confirmed by a dealer technician. The current failure is confirmed by visual inspection of the part labels showing the obsolete "NZ" code. No warning lights appeared prior to failure; the symptom is immediate mechanical vibration under load.

NHTSA ODI 11702163

This exact situation has occurred twice in the past 6000 miles driven. Both occurred while driving at highway speeds, once on I85N and once on I75N in GA. Our 2023 Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid suddenly and unexpectedly loss power and shutdown. This forced us to make an emergency stop and attempt to pull over in high speed, heavy traffic in both instances. The vehicle eventually restarted and was drivable with a check engine light illuminated. The DTCs were read with an OBDII scanner and were recorded as P0811, P0E71 and P1920. The first time this occur the vehicle was taken back to Ford under warranty and they said they reprogrammed the PCM and another control module and assured us it was repaired. Obviously that is not the case. The vehicle is currently with Ford being diagnosed. Please follow up on this one. We're not the only Maverick Hybrid owners to have this unfortunate and very unsafe experience. This situation of a vehicle suddenly dying in heavy traffic is going to get someone killed. Thanks in advance for your consideration in this matter. We would like a better explanation from Ford besides "We reprogrammed a computer".

NHTSA ODI 11697663

I had been driving for 2 hours on the interstate when the truck starts losing power and warning lights start flashing. I got the truck to the shoulder before it slammed to a stop. I turned the engine off and waited until all the power turned off before restarting. The truck would only run in limp mode at 35 mph. I drove on the shoulder of the interstate to the next exit. I disconnected the battery and reconnected which allowed me to drive it normally to the dealership. After two days the dealer called to say they didn’t see any codes and there wasn’t anything wrong with it even after I sent pictures of the warning messages. This is the 5th time this has happened under similar circumstances.

NHTSA ODI 11697800

The car have a Big vibration when speed up over 45 MPH

NHTSA ODI 11696731

PREMATURE CV axle failure due to regenerative braking. This cause violent wobble leading to the death wobble

NHTSA ODI 11696527

At 20k miles the vehicle starts shaking back and forth and rattling while accelerating and I brought it to the dealership and its being serviced under warranty to get both front CV axels replaced. It was shaking so badly and vibrating the whole vehicle, the dealership told me it was unsafe to drive when they saw how badly the axels failed. There were no warnings or check engine lights. Especially dangerous because it doesn't shake at low speeds only when accelerating and at high speeds.

NHTSA ODI 11695713

Vehicle stopped accelerating while doing an U turn with oncoming traffic. Had to pull over because the vehicle would not move.

NHTSA ODI 11692037

Truck shakes when accelerating and limits acceleration and safety. Belief is the CV axles failing.

NHTSA ODI 11691167