YearToAvoid

2022 Ford Maverick Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 4 Maverick years

The 2022 Ford Maverick ranks worst of 4 model years, with a Complaint Index of 100, 150 complaints, 28 recalls, and a rank of 1 (worst first). Electrical System problems lead at 31% of complaints, followed by Transmission & Powertrain at 27%.

Complaints
150
Recalls
28
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
8 / 4
Injuries / deaths
4 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
26
23 city / 30 hwy

Top 2022 Ford Maverick problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System46 (31%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain40 (27%)
  3. Other24 (16%)
  4. Engine20 (13%)
  5. Structure & Body17 (11%)
  6. Collision Avoidance & Cameras13 (9%)
  7. Brakes11 (7%)
  8. Airbags9 (6%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires7 (5%)
  10. Steering6 (4%)

What owners report

  • Owners report engine fires, including cases where the engine became fully engulfed within seconds while driving.
  • Some describe fuel line ruptures near the engine that sprayed gas and led to under-hood fires.
  • Side curtain airbags reportedly failed to deploy during side-impact crashes at highway speed.
  • Steering wheel lock-up and loss of power steering have been reported, in one case linked to a battery voltage drop, sometimes coinciding with vehicle rollovers.
  • Owners report adaptive cruise control fighting driver steering input and pulling the truck toward a ditch.
  • One owner described sudden unintended acceleration paired with brake failure while parking.
2022 Ford Maverick complaints: complaints filed per quarter372022 Q12022 Q42023 Q32024 Q22025 Q12025 Q42026 Q3
207 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2022 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q1 (37).

2022 Ford Maverick recalls

28 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V340000May 27, 2026Suspension, Wheels & Tires4,653 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Bronco Sport and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles. The front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly repaired at the vehicle assembly plant, allowing the control arm to disconnect from the front wheel knuckle.

    Risk: A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and repair the front lower control arm ball joints as necessary, free of charge.Owner notification letters were mailed September 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S36. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 29, 2026.

  2. NHTSA 26V104000Feb 20, 2026Electrical System4,381,878 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Exterior lighting:tail lights

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

    Risk: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 17, 2026.

  3. NHTSA 25V685000Oct 10, 2025Other59,006 vehicles

    Equipment:electrical:engine block heater

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

    Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.

See all 28 recalls for the 2022 Ford Maverick →

2022 Ford Maverick fuel economy and fuel cost

City
23 MPG
Highway
30 MPG
Combined
26 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,500
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2022 compared with other Maverick years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002022202320242025
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2022Avoid10015028 !26
2023Good338121 !24.5
2024Caution677215 !25.5

All Ford Maverick years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2022 Ford Maverick a good year to buy?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2022 Maverick is the worst of the 4 model years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 100 and rank 1 (worst first), earning an Avoid verdict relative to other Maverick years.
What problems does the 2022 Ford Maverick have?
NHTSA lists 150 complaints for the 2022 Maverick, led by Electrical System issues (31% of complaints, median mileage 36,000) and Transmission & Powertrain issues (27%, median mileage 73,000). Engine complaints show a median failure mileage of 24,104 miles and include reports of fires.
Does the 2022 Ford Maverick have recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 28 recalls for the 2022 Maverick, including one do-not-drive recall covering front lower control arm ball joints that may have been incorrectly installed.
How does the 2022 Maverick compare to other years?
The 2022 Maverick has a Complaint Index of 100 and rank 1, while 2023 scores 33 (Good), 2024 scores 67 (Caution), and 2025 scores 0 (Best), making 2022 the least favorable year by this measure.
What is the top problem area for the 2022 Maverick?
NHTSA complaint data shows Electrical System issues as the top problem area, accounting for 31% of the 150 complaints filed for the 2022 Maverick.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.