2023 Ford F-150

My 2023 Ford F-150 XLT (base 4×4—2H, 4H, 4L only) is experiencing a front-axle/IWE malfunction that causes the hubs to partially engage on their own in cold weather. When temperatures drop below freezing, the truck produces a very loud, physical pop when turning in 2H and a mechanical grinding/rumble noise from the front axle while driving straight. This happens even though the roads are dry and I have not engaged 4WD. The noise immediately disappears when I switch into 4H, which indicates the integrated wheel ends (IWEs) are partially engaging due to vacuum loss or actuator failure. When the hubs fully lock in 4H, the grinding stops. This confirms the IWEs are not disengaging properly in 2H. This occurs only in freezing temperatures, to date, and it feels as if the front axle is binding or locking during turns. The loud popping feels violent enough that it could lead to CV axle, differential, or IWE gear failure. My Ford dealer stated they have “not heard of this issue,” but this condition matches the symptoms described in Ford TSB 25-2513 for incomplete IWE disengagement on 2021–2025 F-150 trucks. Despite Ford saying this is not a known problem, there is significant owner evidence online showing that many 2021–2024 F-150 owners experience the exact same symptoms. Multiple threads on F150Forum, F150Gen14.com, and Reddit describe identical cold-weather popping and grinding caused by IWEs partially engaging in 2H. In many of those cases, owners report that dealers dismissed the issue or stated it was “normal,” even though the symptoms are widespread and consistent. This is a safety concern because the front axle partially engages without driver input, causing binding, loss of smooth steering, loud mechanical pops, and grinding while in 2WD. This could lead to sudden front drivetrain failure, loss of control, or damage to steering/braking components. I am submitting this complaint so NHTSA is aware that this issue is occurring F-150s and may not be isolated.

The contact's mother owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the owner received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that there was an abnormal squealing sound coming from underneath the vehicle, near the brakes upon depression of the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who advised the contact to not be concerned about the squealing sound. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 18,614.

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An unknown local dealer was contacted on several occasions and informed the contact that there were six other vehicles needing the recall repairs ahead of the contact’s vehicle. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that parts would be available by the end of 2025. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (POWER TRAIN). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that a fluid spill was found on the ground. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the hub bolt had sheared off and damaged an unknown oil component located in the rear. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact stated that the dealer deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 14,146.

On November 10, 2025, our 2023 F150 powertrain failed for the second time in about a month. I was pulling away from a curb when the truck experienced a loss of power. The Ford service center diagnosed this as a PowerTrain Control Module failure. This is dangerous because I was driving when the failure occurred and the truck lost power. This could have been catastrophic on a highway or while traveling at a higher speed. There were NO warning lamps, messages or any other symptoms prior to the failure. Ford had just serviced the truck with an oil change on October 3, 2025 and then replaced a failed auxiliary fuel pump on October 7, 2025 that also led to a failure while driving.

Our 2023 F150 has had two back-to-back powertrain failures. I was accelerating out of an intersection after the light turned green and suddenly experienced a loss of power. The Ford service center diagnosed this as a Transmission fluid auxiliary pump fault. This is dangerous because I was driving when the failure occurred and the truck lost power. This could have been catastrophic on a highway or while traveling at a higher speed. There were NO warning lamps, messages or any other symptoms prior to the failure. Ford had just serviced the truck with an oil change on October 3, 2025, four days before the failure. Then it happened again one month later. I will detail that in a second complaint.

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The transmssion is shifting by itself from from a low gear (say 1st or 2nd) directly into 8th gear which bring the truck to a complete stop. This happend on May 30th while driving up my gravel driveway and I had the vehicle towed to the Ford Dealer where they inspected it and found nothing wrong. They said they did a software update but could not guantee that this would resolve the issue. I have been driving the truck with out issue up to today (10/21/2025) when it happened again in the same location. I was able to record a video of the dash and it is clear to see that it is shiting from 1st to 8th gear which brings the truck to a complet stop as that part of the driveway is uphill. I am concerned that if I was pulling out at an intersection and this happend I could get stuck in the intersection and hit by cross-traffic.

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (Power Train). The contact was concerned about operating the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where the vehicle was inspected. The vehicle was not repaired due to parts not being available. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that her husband had taken the vehicle in for service at a local dealer. The dealer was aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (Power Train). The dealer inspected the rear hub bolt and became aware that the bolt had fractured. The contact's husband was advised to leave the vehicle at the dealer because it was not safe to drive the vehicle with the fractured bolt. The contact had been advised by the dealer that the remedy was not yet available to complete the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 29,828.