- Ford F-150 drivers say they're hearing mysterious crackling noises from the truck's speakers.
- Online forums are flooded with drivers complaining about the issue, which is likely an amplifier problem.
- It poses a fresh challenge for America's most popular pickup, with Ford recently recalling 870,000 vehicles.
Drivers of Ford's F-150 pickup trucks say they're facing loud bursts of static and sudden noises over their speakers, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
A Ford spokesperson confirmed that around 100 complaints have been made to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about the mysterious noises. Customers in online forums have compared them to a "sonic boom" and the sound of windows shattering.
"We are aware of and addressing an issue with a popping noise from the audio systems of certain vehicles," a Ford spokesperson told Insider.
They continued: "Customers who are experiencing this issue can get a software update from their dealers today and we'll be distributing an over-the-air software update to all potentially affected vehicles in the coming weeks."
The spokesperson said that the audio problems affect a range of different vehicles, including F-150 models from 2021-2023, Expedition SUVs, and the company's 2022 F-150 Lightning electric pickups. The majority of complaints so far stem from its 2022 F-150s, including both its hybrid and gas models, the spokesperson said.
The Ford F-series has been America's best-selling vehicle for the past 46 years, with the company selling one every 49 seconds in 2022. But Ford has faced issues with quality control in the past; the automaker recalled 870,000 F-150s earlier this year after the trucks were found to have an issue that could cause them to brake unexpectedly.
'My left ear is still ringing'
Writing on an F-150 forum, one poster described the malfunction as a "massive sonic boom over my speakers" that caused them to pull over.
Another video, posted to an F-150 forum on Reddit last year, shows a driver starting their truck only to be met by a burst of loud clicking, followed by a blast of static.
Describing the experience on a different forum, another user said: "The initial pop was loud enough that I thought somehow windows had shattered, and 4 hours later my left ear is still ringing."
Speaking to the Journal, F-150 owner Phil Floraday compared the sound to breaking glass.
"My first thought was one of the neighbors must've hit a golf ball that went through a window because that's what it sounded like," he told the Journal.
A spokeswoman for Ford told the newspaper that the company is "working swiftly" to resolve the problem. They said that the unexpected sounds were likely related to problems with an audio amplifier.
These audio issues are a headache for both Ford CEO Jim Farley and the auto giant's flagship F-150 range. Farley has made ironing out bugs and malfunctions a key mission for the company, describing quality as his "no 1 priority" and the company's annual shareholders meeting in May.
Meanwhile, Ford has cut prices of its electric F-150 Lightning as demand for electric vehicles cools and competition increases. Despite being one of America's best-selling electric pick-ups, the Lightning faces a challenge with the imminent launch of Tesla's Cybertruck.
—Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 23, 2023
The long-delayed pick-up is now in production, with deliveries expected to begin later this year. Tesla boss Elon Musk, who in 2019 claimed the Cybertruck would be "more capable" than its F-150 rival, tweeted a picture of a "production candidate" vehicle on this week as he continued to hype up the release.
Watch: Ford revealed its first-ever all-electric pickup truck, the F-150 Lightning
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