2021-2026 PowerBoost owners: neutral-drop recall, EGHR coolant leak, engine-stall recall. California lemon law may entitle you to a refund or replacement.
The 2021-2026 Ford F-150 PowerBoost is the hybrid version of America's best-selling truck: a 3.5L V6 paired with an electric motor for extra torque, and an onboard generator that can power job-site tools or a home during an outage. Ford sold it hard on reliability and capability. Owners of 2021-2023 models have encountered two recurring problems that undercut both promises: a transmission that can suddenly drop into Neutral while you are driving, and a hybrid-exclusive cooling system leak that quietly destroys engine coolant over tens of thousands of miles. Add a massive 870,000-unit parking-brake recall, an engine-stall recall with no fix yet available as of mid-2025, and a second-wave axle-hub bolt campaign, and the PowerBoost's early production record looks very different from the marketing. California lemon law may provide relief if your 2021-2026 PowerBoost has been through repeated dealer visits without a lasting fix.
The issues owners report most, ranked by severity — each one verified against a cited NHTSA source.
Truck suddenly loses power in Drive; wrench (powertrain malfunction) light illuminates; vehicle may automatically shift to Park once stopped
Parking brake suddenly engages at speed; vehicle decelerates sharply without driver input; brake warning light illuminates; possible loss of control
Coolant loss without obvious external puddle; white smoke or steam from exhaust; engine overheating warning; 'Motor Coolant Over Temperature' message in cluster; MIL illuminated (DTCs P237C, P2C22, P2C23, P0A2F:94)
Yellow wrench (powertrain malfunction) warning light illuminates; reduced power mode may engage; DTC P2C44:00 and/or U061E:00 stored in PCM; truck may lose hybrid assist
Dashboard message 'Pro Power Onboard Turned Off – Ground Fault Detected'; onboard AC outlets become non-functional; may recur after reset, especially in wet or cold conditions
Engine suddenly stalls at any speed; vehicle loses power; possible no-restart condition; no pre-warning dashboard indicator in many cases
A settled Margarian Law case on this exact model, published with the actual settlement math.
Open any defect for the symptoms and why it matters for a California lemon-law claim. Each is tied to a cited NHTSA source.
Truck suddenly loses power in Drive; wrench (powertrain malfunction) light illuminates; vehicle may automatically shift to Park once stopped
Sudden loss of propulsion at highway speed is a safety defect; repeat repair (two successive recalls for same neutral-drop condition) supports substantial impairment and multiple repair attempt count for CA lemon law.
PCM software update (Recall 22V188); follow-up PCM update for vehicles mis-repaired under first recall (Recall 25V169)
Parking brake suddenly engages at speed; vehicle decelerates sharply without driver input; brake warning light illuminates; possible loss of control
Unexpected brake activation while driving is a catastrophic safety hazard; 870k-unit recall signals systemic design flaw. Clients reporting repeated brake-related warning visits should log each as a repair attempt.
Install protective tape and tie strap; replace wiring harness with shielded replacement if damaged (Recall 23V509)
Coolant loss without obvious external puddle; white smoke or steam from exhaust; engine overheating warning; 'Motor Coolant Over Temperature' message in cluster; MIL illuminated (DTCs P237C, P2C22, P2C23, P0A2F:94)
PowerBoost-exclusive defect; hundreds of owner reports and multiple SSMs confirm systemic failure. Ford's 24N04 extended-coverage program (15 yr/150k mi) is an implicit admission of widespread defect. Recurring coolant loss causing overheating can constitute substantial impairment.
Replace EGHR coolant spigots (part NL3Z-18663-A × 2) per Ford CSP 24N04; replace muffler inlet pipe for DTC P237C/P2C22/P2C23 per SSM 52050
Yellow wrench (powertrain malfunction) warning light illuminates; reduced power mode may engage; DTC P2C44:00 and/or U061E:00 stored in PCM; truck may lose hybrid assist
Recurring wrench light and reduced power mode qualify as substantial impairment of use/value. Hybrid-system-specific fault not shared with non-HEV trims; documents pattern of electrical complexity in first-gen PowerBoost system.
Inspect and repair GD132 ground circuit; replace auxiliary battery isolator (causal part 14526) per SSM 50843
Dashboard message 'Pro Power Onboard Turned Off – Ground Fault Detected'; onboard AC outlets become non-functional; may recur after reset, especially in wet or cold conditions
For buyers who paid premium for Pro Power Onboard capability (a key PowerBoost selling point), repeated unavailability can support a value-impairment argument. Document each generator outage as a separate functional loss event.
Connector inspection/seal; OTA software update (released April 2022) to improve fault detection logic per SSM 50036/50270
Engine suddenly stalls at any speed; vehicle loses power; possible no-restart condition; no pre-warning dashboard indicator in many cases
Engine stall at speed is a safety defect. Remedy still under development as of July 2025 means affected owners cannot obtain a fix — a defect that cannot be repaired within a reasonable time is a strong lemon-law basis under Ca. Civ. Code § 1793.2(b).
Fuel pump replacement (remedy under development as of July 2025 recall date; Ford 25S75)
Vehicle loses drive power at rear wheels; truck rolls away when parked in Drive without parking brake; visible damage to hub splines upon inspection
Two successive recalls for the same axle hub defect across three model year cohorts (2021-2023 wave 1, 2023-2025 wave 2). Customers who tow regularly and experienced hub failure before recall repair have strong safety-defect lemon claims; vehicle becoming undriveable pending part supply documented in media.
Replace rear axle shaft assemblies (Recalls 23V896 and 25V512)
Check engine light (MIL) illuminates; scanner shows P0420 (Bank 1) and/or P0430 (Bank 2) catalyst efficiency codes; vehicle may fail emissions test
Emission recall with potential catalytic converter replacement; if a client's vehicle had MIL illuminated for extended period requiring multiple dealer visits before recall identification, each visit counts as a repair attempt. Emission defect failures also independently qualify for CA lemon law coverage.
PCM reprogramming; catalytic converter replacement if efficiency is still below new thresholds after calibration update (Emission Recall 24E04)
open
Software race condition in ITRM may cause loss of communication with vehicle, disabling trailer stop lamps, turn signals, and (High series) trailer brakes when towing
open
Same hub bolt fatigue fracture defect as 23V896, expanded to cover additional 2023-2025 F-150 units with Trailer Tow Max Duty package
open
Low-pressure fuel pump and jet pump may fail, cutting fuel supply and stalling the engine
open
Vehicles previously repaired under 22V188 may still experience false low-fluid-pressure DTC causing transmission to shift to Neutral
open
OBD calibration in PCM may falsely set catalyst efficiency DTCs P0420/P0430, causing unnecessary MIL illumination; catalytic converters may also require replacement per new thresholds
closed
Rear axle hub bolt may fatigue and break in Trailer Tow Max Duty package vehicles, enabling hub spline stripping and loss of rear drive or park retention
closed
Rear axle wiring harness may chafe against rear axle housing, damaging EPB wiring and causing unintended parking brake activation while driving
closed (superseded for some units by 25V169)
PCM software error causes transmission to falsely detect low fluid pressure and unexpectedly shift to Neutral while driving
Every item below comes from this vehicle's documented defects. The more you recognize, the more a free case review is worth your time.
California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act ('lemon law') covers new vehicles still within the manufacturer's warranty period. If Ford or its dealers cannot fix a defect that substantially impairs your PowerBoost's use, value, or safety after a reasonable number of repair attempts, you may be entitled to a replacement truck or a full purchase-price refund — including taxes, registration, and finance charges, minus a mileage offset.
For safety defects such as the Neutral-drop or the parking-brake-while-driving issue, California law presumes that two unsuccessful repair attempts are enough to trigger your lemon-law remedy. For reliability defects like the EGHR coolant leak, the general threshold is four attempts or 30 or more cumulative days out of service.
Ford's issuance of a Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP 24N04) with 15-year / 150,000-mile no-cost coverage for the EGHR system means that defect is covered even on higher-mileage or secondhand PowerBoosts — though lemon-law claims still require the vehicle to have been in warranty at the time the defect was first reported.
These rights apply to both purchases and leases. This is general information — contact a qualified attorney to evaluate your specific repair history.
“Could not duplicate” doesn't mean the defect isn't real. Here's exactly what to do to protect a potential California lemon-law claim.
Document the moment it happens. Photos, video, and screenshots of any warning lights — with the date and the mileage.
Get a repair order every visit — even “found nothing.” That paperwork is the foundation of a claim.
Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Note any recall that has no available remedy yet.
Track your out-of-service days. California law counts the cumulative days your vehicle spends in the shop.
Keep loaner & rental records. Alternate-transport paperwork during long repairs matters.
Save everything in one place. Symptoms, dates, repair orders, and every repeat visit — the intermittent ones especially.
The two most frustrating PowerBoost defects — the Neutral-drop and the EGHR coolant leak — are both intermittent enough that a short dealer test drive may produce nothing. Here is how to protect your lemon-law rights:
1. Keep a dated symptom log. For every Neutral slip or coolant warning, write down the date, mileage, speed at the time, what the dash showed, and how long it took to recover control. For the EGHR leak, track your coolant level on a set schedule (e.g., every two weeks) and photograph the reservoir at a consistent time of day before and after dealer visits.
2. Ask for a repair order even when 'no fault found.' Each documented dealer visit for a covered defect counts as a repair attempt under California lemon law — regardless of whether the dealer finds a fault code that day.
3. Reference the specific recall or SSM numbers. For the Neutral-drop: ask about NHTSA 22V188 and 25V169 (Ford 25S15, 25S24). For the EGHR leak: ask about Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 24N04 and SSMs 51485, 52050. Dealers sometimes close visits without connecting the complaint to the relevant campaign — referencing the numbers puts the issue on record.
4. Document the fuel-pump backorder (25V455). If the dealer says the remedy for the fuel-pump recall is not yet available, get that in writing with the date. An inability to obtain a recall fix within a reasonable time is an independent basis for a lemon claim under Ca. Civ. Code § 1793.2(b).
5. Request a printout of stored DTC history. Ford's FDRS system logs all historical codes. P237C, P2C22, or P0A2F:94 appearing repeatedly confirms the EGHR problem even if the light is not on at the time of the appointment.
6. Track days out of service. If the truck was left at the dealership waiting for parts — including EGHR spigots or axle shaft assemblies — those days count toward the 30-day cumulative threshold under Song-Beverly.
The PowerBoost's Neutral-drop story is a textbook lemon-law pattern: one recall failed, so Ford issued a second recall three years later for the same defect. Owners who experienced the Neutral drop between 2022 and 2025 — before the second fix existed — may have compelling claims. The EGHR coolant leak is equally telling: four separate service messages and an extended Customer Satisfaction Program covering every PowerBoost ever made is about as clear an admission of a systemic defect as Ford can make short of a formal recall. If your truck has been through multiple dealer visits for either of these issues and you are still living with warnings, coolant loss, or a power-train that cannot be trusted, a lemon-law evaluation costs you nothing.
— The Margarian Law team
If your F-150 PowerBoost has been to the dealer two or more times for a sudden Neutral drop, coolant leak, parking-brake activation, or fuel-pump stall — or if it has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days — you may already qualify for a California lemon-law claim. Contact Margarian Law for a free case review. We handle F-150 PowerBoost lemon cases on contingency — you pay nothing unless we win.
This is the subject of two separate NHTSA recall campaigns. Recall 22V188 (Ford 22S15), issued March 2022, covered 47,084 trucks — including the PowerBoost — for a PCM software error that causes the transmission to falsely detect low fluid pressure and command a shift to Neutral. Ford issued a second recall, 25V169 (Ford 25S24), in March 2025 because the first PCM update was insufficient in some units and the neutral-drop condition persisted. If your PowerBoost has ever dropped into Neutral while moving, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for open recall status and ask your dealer specifically about recalls 22V188 and 25V169.
The Exhaust Gas Heat Recovery (EGHR) system is a hybrid-exclusive component on the PowerBoost that uses exhaust heat to warm the engine coolant and improve fuel efficiency. The coolant spigots on the EGHR heat exchanger can crack or fail to seal properly, allowing engine coolant to leak into the exhaust system. Owners typically notice unexplained coolant loss, white or gray exhaust smoke, 'Motor Coolant Over Temperature' warnings, and check engine codes P237C, P2C22, or P0A2F:94. Ford issued at least four service messages and Customer Satisfaction Program 24N04, which provides no-cost EGHR spigot replacement for 15 years or 150,000 miles from warranty start — and the coverage transfers to subsequent owners. Ask your dealer about CSP 24N04 if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.
This has happened with multiple PowerBoost recalls, most notably the low-pressure fuel pump recall (NHTSA 25V455 / Ford 25S75), for which the remedy was still being developed when owner notification letters went out in July 2025. Under California's Song-Beverly Act (Ca. Civ. Code § 1793.2(b)), Ford must complete a recall repair within a reasonable time after you make the vehicle available. If months pass without a fix, keep a written record: note every date you contacted the dealer or Ford, every RO showing 'parts unavailable,' and every day the truck was at the dealer or unusable. An unreasonable delay in obtaining a remedy can itself support a lemon-law claim even before you have accumulated multiple repair attempts.
It may, depending on your specific repair history. California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act allows you to seek a refund or replacement when Ford or its dealers cannot repair a defect that substantially impairs your truck's use, value, or safety after a reasonable number of attempts. For safety defects — such as the Neutral-drop or the unintended parking-brake engagement — just two unsuccessful repair attempts may be enough under California's presumption. For reliability defects like the EGHR coolant leak, the typical threshold is four repair attempts or 30 or more cumulative days out of service. If your PowerBoost has experienced either the Neutral-drop or persistent coolant loss and has returned to the dealer multiple times without a lasting fix, a free consultation with a California lemon-law attorney can tell you exactly where you stand.
Yes. NHTSA recall 23V509 (Ford 23S34), issued July 2023, covered 870,701 F-150 trucks built January 2020 through February 2023 — including the PowerBoost. The rear axle wiring harness can chafe against the axle housing and damage the electric parking brake wiring, causing the parking brake to engage unexpectedly while the vehicle is moving. Ford documented 19 confirmed instances of activation while driving before the recall was issued. The remedy is inspection, protective harness tape and tie strap, and harness replacement if damaged — all at no charge. If you experienced this and Ford has not yet completed the recall repair on your truck, check nhtsa.gov and request the repair immediately.
The yellow wrench (powertrain malfunction) indicator on the PowerBoost most commonly lights up alongside DTC P2C44:00 and/or U061E:00, which point to a fault in the ground circuit (GD132) or the auxiliary battery isolator that links the hybrid modules. Ford addressed this with SSM 50843 in January 2022. The fix involves inspecting and repairing the GD132 ground circuit and replacing the auxiliary battery isolator if the ground checks out fine. However, owners report that the wrench light can return even after the first repair — each recurrence is a separate dealer visit that counts toward your lemon-law repair-attempt total. If the wrench light has come back more than once, document every visit carefully.
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