FORD Maverick Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used FORD Maverick options? We analyzed 5 model years (2022–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the FORD Maverick has 423 owner complaints and 28 safety recalls across model years 2022–2026. The most reported issue area is POWER TRAIN. 2023 drew the most complaints; 2022 drew the fewest.
- Make
- FORD
- Model
- Maverick
- Model years analyzed
- 2022–2026 (5 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 423
- Safety recall campaigns
- 28
- Crash-related complaints
- 25
- Fire-related complaints
- 5
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2023 (262 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2022 (0 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- POWER TRAIN
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
FORD Maverick: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe FORD MAVERICK has 423 NHTSA complaints and 28 recalls on record. 25 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 423 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 28 federal recall campaigns
- 25 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
28 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCM
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCM
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:ANCHORAGE
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
ENGINE
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:BULBS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2022–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 423 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
423 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
*** VEHICLE FIRE RISK *** Drivers dash tweeter started smoking and the dash became hot to the touch near the windshield. Smelled something electrical burning. Smoke stain on LWR LH windshield corner. Removed key. Exited vehicle and heard static from drivers door speaker. Entered car, re-started vehicle and static from the one-speaker-only did not stop. Removed key, exited vehicle, and the drivers door speaker was still emitting static sound. About 15 minutes later, the static sound stops and vehicle operates "normal" except for missing/low "high-frequency" on LH side. Suspect that the tweeter was exposed to full 12 volt power unregulated. Fire risk was high. Dash made an "alarm noise" beeping loudly (when this event occurred). 2025 Maverick XL AWD Hybrid Truck has approximately 29,000 miles on odometer.
*** VEHICLE FIRE RISK *** Drivers dash tweeter started smoking and the dash became hot to the touch near the windshield. Smelled something electrical burning. Smoke stain on LWR LH windshield corner. Removed key. Exited vehicle and heard static from drivers door speaker. Entered car, re-started vehicle and static from the one-speaker-only did not stop. Removed key, exited vehicle, and the drivers door speaker was still emitting static sound. About 15 minutes later, the static sound stops and vehicle operates "normal" except for missing/low "high-frequency" on LH side. Suspect that the tweeter was exposed to full 12 volt power unregulated. Fire risk was high. Dash made an "alarm noise" beeping loudly (when this event occurred). 2025 Maverick XL AWD Hybrid Truck has approximately 29,000 miles on odometer.
I bought the vehicle new and after 15,000 miles my electric brake booster is making a noise when I depress the brake pedal. I am concerned the internal mechanism will fail and I will lose the brake booster. The dealer is dismissing it as a normal noise. I have a few friends that have had the same issue and their dealers replaced the electric brake booster and the problem went away.
I bought the vehicle new and after 15,000 miles my electric brake booster is making a noise when I depress the brake pedal. I am concerned the internal mechanism will fail and I will lose the brake booster. The dealer is dismissing it as a normal noise. I have a few friends that have had the same issue and their dealers replaced the electric brake booster and the problem went away.
The contact's employer owns a 2025 Ford Maverick. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the pre-collision warning light suddenly activated, and the vehicle abruptly stopped. After pulling over and waiting for several minutes, the contact was able to continue driving. The contact also had whiplash from the failure, and medical attention was needed. The contact mentioned completing 12 sessions of physical therapy. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure reoccurred a week later while driving approximately 30 MPH. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
The contact's employer owns a 2025 Ford Maverick. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the pre-collision warning light suddenly activated, and the vehicle abruptly stopped. After pulling over and waiting for several minutes, the contact was able to continue driving. The contact also had whiplash from the failure, and medical attention was needed. The contact mentioned completing 12 sessions of physical therapy. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure reoccurred a week later while driving approximately 30 MPH. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
Read 14 more owner reports
Structural metal had improper coating that allows for rust. As this rust continues it will weaken the structural components of the truck
Structural metal had improper coating that allows for rust. As this rust continues it will weaken the structural components of the truck
2025 Ford Maverick XL EcoBoost AWD with 2,000 lb tow package. Vehicle displays an 'Engine Coolant Over Temperature' warning recurrently at idle and upon initial startup when ambient temperature is 84°F or above. The warning has occurred multiple times under these conditions. Most recently, the warning appeared while the vehicle was stationary at 0 MPH immediately before entering a highway, creating a safety concern. Vehicle currently has 3,911 miles. No prior dealer service visits for this issue. The problem appears to be temperature-dependent and repeatable. Warning is displayed on the instrument cluster with a red coolant temperature icon and the temperature gauge needle visible in the high range
2025 Ford Maverick XL EcoBoost AWD with 2,000 lb tow package. Vehicle displays an 'Engine Coolant Over Temperature' warning recurrently at idle and upon initial startup when ambient temperature is 84°F or above. The warning has occurred multiple times under these conditions. Most recently, the warning appeared while the vehicle was stationary at 0 MPH immediately before entering a highway, creating a safety concern. Vehicle currently has 3,911 miles. No prior dealer service visits for this issue. The problem appears to be temperature-dependent and repeatable. Warning is displayed on the instrument cluster with a red coolant temperature icon and the temperature gauge needle visible in the high range
While using the Auto Hold feature and stopped at a light, the truck went forward on its own - then made a loud clunk noise. Turned Auto Hold off and brought truck to Ford Service Dept. They could not find the problem.
While using the Auto Hold feature and stopped at a light, the truck went forward on its own - then made a loud clunk noise. Turned Auto Hold off and brought truck to Ford Service Dept. They could not find the problem.
A year ago while driving on the interstate, my Ford Maverick suddenly threw a "Stop Safely Now" alert. I was able to turn the ignition off and back on to safely exit the highway. The alert came back once I made it to a parking lot and stuck around for a while. I was able to get it started and drove to a Ford dealership that told me it was just a software update. The same issue happened 2 more times before I made it to my destination after leaving the dealership, showing that it actually wasn't caused by a missed software update. Returning from my trip it happened 4th time. Afterward, the issue seemed to go away. Now a year later I got in the Maverick to leave work and the alert came back. I was not able to get it started and will attempt to get it over to a Ford dealership tomorrow to be seen for what seems to be the same issue, only worse if it still is not starting in the morning.
A year ago while driving on the interstate, my Ford Maverick suddenly threw a "Stop Safely Now" alert. I was able to turn the ignition off and back on to safely exit the highway. The alert came back once I made it to a parking lot and stuck around for a while. I was able to get it started and drove to a Ford dealership that told me it was just a software update. The same issue happened 2 more times before I made it to my destination after leaving the dealership, showing that it actually wasn't caused by a missed software update. Returning from my trip it happened 4th time. Afterward, the issue seemed to go away. Now a year later I got in the Maverick to leave work and the alert came back. I was not able to get it started and will attempt to get it over to a Ford dealership tomorrow to be seen for what seems to be the same issue, only worse if it still is not starting in the morning.
The contact called on behalf of her son who owned a 2025 Ford Maverick. The contact stated while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver and her son loss control of the vehicle causing the front passenger side corner of the vehicle to crash into another vehicle; No further information was available. It was unknown if any warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was pronounced totaled at the scene. The contact stated her son was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver of the other vehicle was in critical condition however, the injuries were unknown. A police report was filed. The contact did research and was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V340000 (Suspension) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,460.
The car has extreme vibration almost like speed wobbles when accelerating. Difficult to steer particularly if accelerating to change lanes. Appears the cv axles / have gone bad. Shocked there is not an active recall for the 2023 model year given the amount of reports of similar issue I have found online.
The contact called on behalf of her son who owned a 2025 Ford Maverick. The contact stated while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver and her son loss control of the vehicle causing the front passenger side corner of the vehicle to crash into another vehicle; No further information was available. It was unknown if any warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was pronounced totaled at the scene. The contact stated her son was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver of the other vehicle was in critical condition however, the injuries were unknown. A police report was filed. The contact did research and was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V340000 (Suspension) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,460.
The car has extreme vibration almost like speed wobbles when accelerating. Difficult to steer particularly if accelerating to change lanes. Appears the cv axles / have gone bad. Shocked there is not an active recall for the 2023 model year given the amount of reports of similar issue I have found online.
I have been having issues with the vehicles audio speakers for a few months now, having random momentary bursts of full volume static noise, as well as sometimes consistent static noise that doesn’t stop for up to 30 mins even after the vehicle is turned off. On 5/21/26 this happened once again, turning vehicle off didn’t work. The static sound stayed playing even after the truck was turned off completely. I proceeded on my route to my destination when I smelled electrical burning smell, suddenly the front left driver speaker on the dashboard sparked and saw small flash of flames and smoke started rolling from the speaker itself. The sound of static continued and the smoke kept going for about 10 mins before the speaker stopped and then the smoke stopped. I towed the vehicle to the ford dealership where I bought it brand new last year, they are currently evaluating it to see what happened and if it is a manufacture issues. None of The speakers or any other part of this vehicle has been altered in any way at all, no aftermarket parts, of anything. Original OEM. Alll prior recalls are up to date, I was not hurt thankfully. Online there is other reports of speaker and sound amp issues with this model but see no recalls on it.
I have been having issues with the vehicles audio speakers for a few months now, having random momentary bursts of full volume static noise, as well as sometimes consistent static noise that doesn’t stop for up to 30 mins even after the vehicle is turned off. On 5/21/26 this happened once again, turning vehicle off didn’t work. The static sound stayed playing even after the truck was turned off completely. I proceeded on my route to my destination when I smelled electrical burning smell, suddenly the front left driver speaker on the dashboard sparked and saw small flash of flames and smoke started rolling from the speaker itself. The sound of static continued and the smoke kept going for about 10 mins before the speaker stopped and then the smoke stopped. I towed the vehicle to the ford dealership where I bought it brand new last year, they are currently evaluating it to see what happened and if it is a manufacture issues. None of The speakers or any other part of this vehicle has been altered in any way at all, no aftermarket parts, of anything. Original OEM. Alll prior recalls are up to date, I was not hurt thankfully. Online there is other reports of speaker and sound amp issues with this model but see no recalls on it.
Showing 20 of 423 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact FORD Maverick
These pages show model-year patterns across 5 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used FORD Maverick, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The FORD Maverick has 423 complaints on record across 5 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The FORD Maverick has 28 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 25 of the FORD Maverick's 423 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all FORD Maverick vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two FORD Maverick vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The FORD Maverick has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used FORD Maverick.
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FORD Maverick reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the FORD Maverick reliable?
Poor. The FORD Maverick has 423 NHTSA owner complaints and 28 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is POWER TRAIN. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which FORD Maverick years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2023 (262 complaints), 2025 (94 complaints), 2024 (67 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common FORD Maverick problems?
Top reported issues: POWER TRAIN (125 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (113 complaints); ENGINE (93 complaints).
Does the FORD Maverick have recalls?
Yes — 28 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the FORD Maverick. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.