As is the case with anything that uses fuel or battery power, we’ve seen a small number of Ford models catch fire in recent years, and in some cases, those fires have prompted recalls to be issued. In fact, one Ford F-150 Lightning pickup caught on fire at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center back in 2023 due to a battery defect, while a rented Ford Expedition used by the Secret Service was also engulfed in flames a couple of years ago. Ford has also issued recalls for engine fires in the Police Interceptor Utility and select 2020-2023 Ford Escape, 2022-2023 Ford Maverick, and 2021-2023 Lincoln Corsair models, and now, we’re seeing a 2023 Ford F-150 hybrid suffer precisely the same fate.
According to Fox 2 Detroit, Anthony Zeni was recently towing his boat to a storage facility with his 2023 Ford F-150 hybrid in Canton, Michigan, when he noticed smoke coming from under the hood, after which the truck suddenly caught on fire. Zeni and his brother were able to get out of the pickup and remove his four-year-old daughter from the cabin before it became completely engulfed in flames, however.
“Once I came to a stop, that grey smoke turned to black smoke. The fire started coming through the hood,” he said. “I yelled to my brother get my daughter. At that point I wondered ‘Is the car going to blow? Am I going to lose my daughter?’ We ran away. As we’re running away, the entire truck was up in flames, and there’s nothing left. I was happy that my daughter, I, and my brother were safe. But I was also upset seeing it burn to the ground knowing that’s my truck. I’m losing it. It’s definitely shaken my trust, I can’t get another hybrid. I can’t.”
“I feel that Ford needs to take some responsibility in this,” Zeni added. “I wish I would get a better answer than just ‘deal with your insurance.’ I want to feel some empathy from them, see it, and hopefully, they can rectify the situation.” A Ford spokesperson responded to the incident via a statement, saying “we are aware of this incident and are working to obtain more information about the vehicle from the customer to assist in our investigation.”
Comments
Don’t put ten pounds of … stuff in a 5 pound bag. That’s what hybrids are.
You are describing yourself in a pair of size small pants!
The fire was caused by the gasoline fumes in the engine bay, not the HV battery. The battery is under the truck cabin. So the hybrid system is not to blame. I have a 2014 Fusion Hybrid which has its HV battery in the trunk, behind the rear seat.
I am sorry, where you there? Have you examined the vehicle? The hybrid wires and control module are exactly where the flames were coming from. It was an electrical burning smell. The battery itself may not have overheated and caused the fire but all signs point to hybrid components. How do I know? I was in the vehicle.
Thanks for sharing the results of your investigation.
How would you know? Where you in the vehicle? Have you examined it? I can tell you it was and electrical burning smell originating from the passenger wheel well. The hybrid battery is not located there but the high voltage hybrid wire and control module are. Don’t make comments when you have no idea what you are talking about. I know this because I was in the vehicle.
Ford owner, did you inspect the truck after the fire? Are you an Engineer with Ford? If not, I think Ford needs to be transparent on this fire.
They’res just something about Fords and fire!
Total shock value headlines. No proof the battery had anything to do with the fire. Cars and trucks burn every day. It’s a non story.