Our analysis found that the most common problems are engine, powertrain, electrical system, and brake related issues.
The 2023 Ford Maverick, a compact truck with five-passenger seating, is the smallest truck in the Ford lineup. The company describes it as a compact pickup truck that combines the utility of a pickup with the maneuverability of a compact vehicle. However compact and maneuverable it might be, the Maverick’s appeal quickly fades for owners grappling with dangerous flaws. These include faulty batteries that cause sudden power loss and major engine issues that pose a fire risk — leaving many questioning its reliability.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2022
The most common problems aired in complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) relate to the powertrain (41.5%), engine (36%), and electrical system (28%). There are also a fairly substantial number of complaints about the brakes, forward collision avoidance, and vehicle speed control. Other component and systems that feature include airbags (a driver was injured when the main airbags didn’t deploy), backover prevention, equipment, exterior lighting, fuel/propulsion system, land departure, seats, seat belts, steering, structure, suspension, tires, trailer hitches,visibility, and wheels.
Of course, as usual, there are quite a lot of complaints filed in two or even three categories, which complicates an accurate analysis.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Power Train | |
| Engine | |
| Electrical System | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | |
| Suspension |
Powertrain issues are varied, but the most common problems relate to vibrations linked to acceleration and loss of power — which led Ford to recall 456,565 vehicles in April 2024.
While Ford recalled 456,565 vehicles due to a loss of drive power issue in April 2024, owners continue to experience problems.
On August 24, 2024, an owner from Pennsylvania attempted to accelerate while driving, but “there was no power. I looked down at my transmission dial and it was set in neutral. I rolled the dial back to drive and pushed the gas and was able to accelerate. This is the 5th time this has happened in this vehicle 3 while driving on the Interstate, 2 while accelerating after a stop.” He states that he had filed a complaint about the same problem in May 2024. Furthermore, the recall fix wasn’t working. “I have been working with a local Ford dealer to rectify the situation, but it has not been resolved. I guess they updated most of the modules in my truck hoping to unlock a TCM update to perform the correct recall. But it didn’t work, so they cannot do the correct update to fix this problem.”
On June 14, 2024, an owner from Oklahoma was driving at 60-70 mph on the highway when the Maverick lost gas power. “The electrical power in the hybrid motor continued working, but I was unable to accelerate or maintain full speed. I had this very thing repaired in accordance with a previous recall and an identical issue in January, approximately five months ago. I am reporting in case an additional recall and new software patch is needed.”
There have been numerous reports of unusual vibrations emanating from the drivetrain, particularly at certain speeds, which may indicate underlying mechanical concerns.
In September 2024, an owner from Virginia stated in an NHTSA complaint, “The vehicle shakes during acceleration, specifically in the 40 mph-65 mph range. The shaking is worst around 55-60 mph, especially — but not exclusively — when accelerating from a stop. The shaking does not occur at these speeds while coasting. Acceleration prompts the issue.” The complaint goes on to say that this is a known problem among 2022 Maverick owners. “Drivers widely report that the CV Axle is the culprit here, and state that replacing the CV Axle alleviates the shaking.”
Another owner was traveling long-distance for work when the front CV boot started spewing grease over the underside of the truck. “The truck would shake violently when accelerating to the point I had to pull over. With all the destruction on the underside of the truck, the local dealer (not preferred) informed me that ‘they didn’t know who or when’ but (there was) a missing clamp on one side and a torn boot on the other and denied me from claiming my warranty at 2,400 miles.”
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Electrical system problems are varied, with some owners experiencing multiple problems. Dealerships are also experiencing their own problems trying to identify causes of failures.
One early complaint states that a six-month old Maverick failed to start twice in three days. The dealership looked at the vehicle but didn’t isolate a problem for repair. The owner’s fear is that the electrical system will shut down while driving and he will lose control of the vehicle in traffic. Alternatively, it will stop in a dangerous situation hazardous to him or other motorists.
An owner from Texas reports that he connected his trailer electrical cable to the Maverick for towing. However, once in motion, when he signaled to turn right, the signal on the trailer didn’t work and an error message displayed. He stated that it wasn’t the trailer, because it worked perfectly with other vehicles. The dealer couldn’t identify the cause of the failure. The owner thought it might be related to the electrical system/exterior lighting turn signal recall. However, the VIN was not included.
Another owner from Texas had a completely different experience — a loud exploding noise coming from the speakers. Additionally, when the vehicle was turned off, there was a loud crackling noise emanating from the radio and several lights on the instrument panel flashed on and off. She sustained ear injuries as a result!
An owner from Illinois complains that the main infotainment screen keeps freezing, and she can’t reset or power off. Also, the back-up camera doesn’t work during this time, creating a dangerous situation while doing constant pickup and drop offs.
Others also complain about backup camera issues. An owner from California states that every time he puts the truck into reverse, it lags. “This is a safety hazard when backing up if it’s not real-time.”
Some users have experienced unexpected battery drainage, leading to difficulties in starting the vehicle after it has been parked for extended periods. Other owners are complaining about the truck battery dying prematurely.
One major issue is a “deep sleep” risk that is associated with lithium batteries used in these vehicles. When this happens, there are no interior lights. An owner from Minnesota states that the dealer undertook a repair, but all it did was remove the notification that there was a deep sleep problem. It didn’t solve the problem. Conversations in a Maverick forum suggest that it might be a poor battery connection. However, this owner had the battery tested and it was found to be fine. “OEM (original equipment manufacturer) battery replacement is a struggle at the dealership. Once deep sleep issues hit, battery issues change to not starting.” He states that, “Many owners have replaced the original battery, out of pocket, with good results.”
An owner from Washington lost power steering when the engine died while traveling at 55-60 mph. There was no throttle response, brake system failure messages every 500-1000 feet of driving at any speeds. The battery terminal melted, and the wiring harness to the junction box needed to be replaced with an upgraded part. He was driving a 2023 Lariat Maverick (luxury package.)
An owner from Minnesota states that the truck wouldn’t start and there was no electric signal. The ignition and steering were locked. Ironically, Ford did a callout and the technician was able to start it right away — and could find nothing wrong. Perhaps needless to say, the problem continues to recur. An owner from Ohio had the same problem. The dealer updated the control module software, but the problem persisted. He was advised to simply continue to jumpstart the vehicle!
The fire-related engine recall is one of the main causes of concern for owners of the 2023 Maverick. This is clearly because the recall is directly related to engine failure — and a large number of owners are finding that their engines fail!
Limp mode is another major issue, although it is not clear what is causing it. Rather than engine failure, it is a protective function that is triggered by the engine control unit (ECU) when it detects a serious issue with critical components. It restricts the vehicle’s performance, usually by limiting speed and RPMs to prevent further damage. It may be caused by the engine control module, the transmission control module, the powertrain control module, or a host of other issues. Some owners attribute engines shutting off to this limp mode.
It’s almost impossible for the average owner of a 2023 Ford Maverick to fathom the difference. Much too often, dealerships return vehicles stating that they cannot reproduce issues.
An owner from Florida tells how when driving on the highway at about 70-75 mph, the engine abruptly shut off. “I had to carefully make my way to the shoulder while cars zipped by. Scary and very unsafe. My wife was hysterical and does not want to ride in the truck anymore.” Three or four messages scrolled on the screen including “Service engine immediately” and “Pre-collision assist not available.” When he tried to turn the ignition on, the electric engine would start, but when he accelerated in Park, the gas engine did not accelerate. It didn’t work in Reverse, Neutral or Drive either.
“I was able to limp off the highway (at) about 30 miles an hour under what I presume was electric battery power, with my hazard flashers on, and park at a gas station. He had the truck towed to a dealership. Verdict? The dealership couldn’t find error codes and returned the truck as it was.
An owner from Georgia describes how a Maverick stalled while driving. It then lost motive power. He was able to restart and drive to a dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
Here are a few descriptions of what owners say happens when the Maverick goes into limp mode.
I was on a freeway cruising around 85 mph when all of a sudden my truck lost power and went into limp mode. I had 3 dash warnings about powertrain malfunction, front end collision being unavailable, and something about engaging gear at low speeds. This has happened once before. Same three messages. The vehicle loses power and speed FAST. Luckily both times I was able to pull over and turn the vehicle off and back on and it just has a check engine light and drives normally again. I have had one software recall completed on my truck and I have 17,000 miles.
An owner from Texas tells how the engine suddenly cut out. He was traveling at about 15 mph when multiple warning lights flashed. The vehicle ran on battery and he was able to go at slow velocity, but then “transitioned to accelerating when (the) pedal was not engaged.” The hazard lights would shut off suddenly after the driver turned them on. The complaint states that “limp mode” is the commonly used term for what happened!
An owner from Kentucky states that while driving at 55 mph, “the vehicle inadvertently went into LIMP Mode and the vehicle lost motive power.” He was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, however, the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated.
The 2023 Ford Maverick has experienced several brake-related issues that have raised safety concerns among owners. These include “grabby brakes” at low speeds, jerky brakes, brake noises, and a whole lot of other brake system malfunctions.
An owner from Illinois tells how brakes sporadically cause the driver to jerk to a stop when you are all almost completely stopped (under 5 mph). “This is a dangerous issue when in heavy commuter traffic as the following vehicle may not be prepared for what is a complete emergency stop while other traffic continues to flow at slow speeds. Ford has released numerous TSBs to fix this issue but none of them have truly fixed the problem.”
A truck going “bump bump bump bump bump, like a forward nudge push forward,” is the way an owner from Maine describes the brakes. The complaint states that the vehicle randomly nudges, surges, or pulses forward despite his foot being on the brake. “It occurs most often on cold mornings, when you first start the truck, have your foot on the brake and shift from park to drive, before you release the brake.” It usually happens in the early morning, but has also happened when stopped at a red light, stopped in front of a pedestrian crosswalk, and stopped in front of a school where there are children.
An owner from Idaho states, “ Whenever I press the brake pedal the brakes GRAB. It is not smooth, and is very uncomfortable, and even dangerous!”
And an owner from Texas states that the brakes are “grabby when attempting to slow down to below 6-10 mph , especially when the roads are wet.” Ironically, the Ford dealer tried to replicate the problem on a dry, sunny day. It didn’t work!
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Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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