(February 27, 2023) Ford will halt  F-150 Lightning production until the end of this week following a battery problem that caused an EV truck to catch fire during a pre-delivery check, according to the company. The production stoppage occurred after a Feb. 4 fire at an outdoor lot near Dearborn, Mich., where vehicles are held for quality checks. One Lightning caught fire and spread to two nearby vehicles, causing the company to halt production the next day. No injuries were reported.

SK On, a South Korean EV battery maker and supplier for the F-150, has started building battery cells again at a plant in Georgia. However, it will take time “to ensure they are back to building high-quality cells and to deliver them to the Lightning production line,” Ford said.

Ford will continue to hold completed trucks until engineering and production changes are made. The company said it does not believe vehicles already in use by customers are affected by the fire issue.

Ford previously said that production at its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn would be postponed until at least the end of this past week as engineers identified the root cause of the battery problem.

The production halt comes at an inopportune time for Ford, which has struggled with quality issues, recalls, and high warranty costs for several years. The problem also stops the production of a popular product.

Last year, Ford sold more than 15,000 Lightning trucks in its first full year of production.

Source: News reports