New Issues After Rear Light Bar Recall Repair

[TAPCF]

Yesterday I took my 2023 Lightning Lariat to my dealer to have the rear light bar replaced due to the most recent recall. Since it was Friday, I told the dealership that I had to have the truck back for the weekend. The service representative called me late in the afternoon and told me that they had finished with the new light bar but the technician now had a problem that he couldn’t figure out how to fix. The front camera would no longer work. They actually brought the truck to my home and told me that they would contact me next week to set up a time to fix the camera issue. When I backed the truck out of my driveway this morning, a message came up which said that there was no reverse brake assist and to check the manual. I tried the possible correction procedure in the manual but the message persists. Now the truck has no front camera or backup brake assist. I’m regretting ever taking it in for the recall since everything worked until I did!

Sponsored

 

[TaxmanHog]

Keep us posted, I assume you double checked the SYNC screen settings, there is a switch where backup brake assist can be disabled, maybe it got turned off in error?

 

[TAPCF]

The first thing I did was check the Sync screen settings. Unfortunately everything on the screen was turned on even though the assist apparently is not working.

 

[Gimme_my_MME]

Think they used the wrong camera in the rear which messes up the network for the rest of them

 

[Mike G]

Think they used the wrong camera in the rear which messes up the network for the rest of them

That camera should not have been changed. He should still have the same camera he came in there with. They were just supposed to remove it from the old light bar and put it into the new one.

I've had the rear brake assist occasionally stop working for no apparent reason and then it clears and is fine the next time I start.

I think something software related is going on and what I would try first is a ten minute disconnect of the 12V battery to see if that resets things.

 

[Gimme_my_MME]

They are not SUPPOSED to touch the camera. But lots did on the initial recall and installed the wrong part which took down the camera network so only the rear worked

 

[Mike G]

They are not SUPPOSED to touch the camera. But lots did on the initial recall and installed the wrong part which took down the camera network so only the rear worked

Yeah, okay...but if it was working before he brought the truck in this time.....?

 

[SFsparkie]

Just as an observation: My rear light bar replacement was preformed in my driveway by Ford. The rear camera was removed and re-installed in the process. After installation was complete the Ford technician used FDRS to reset the rear camera. He said it put the camera on the network.

 

[chl]

How many Ford techs does it take to change a light bar?

 

[TAPCF]

I thought I would pass along my latest escapade in the ongoing light bar recall saga. After being told that the tech couldn’t figure out how to fix the lost camera issue and that I would need to get it back to the service department, I called and got it scheduled for today - Thursday, August 13, 8:30 am. I just received a call from a service representative who told that she had bad news. Someone scheduled me without her knowledge (she apparently is in charge of my case. She wasn’t at work when I took it in this morning) and she told me that the part that was broken during the recall repair was ordered but wasn’t available. In fact this part which should fix all my now existing camera issues is back ordered and it should be at least a month at the earliest before the dealership would get this part. I told her that she initially told me last week that the service technician couldn’t figure out the problem and I should get it back to them to fix it. She said she couldn’t recall but it didn’t make any difference because the part is now broken and is back ordered. Not having front or side cameras makes parking more difficult than I realized. I totally regret taking this in for the recall. Everything worked fine until the service department got their hands on my once great pickup!

 

[Zprime29]

Wow...kinda hard to justify not giving us the right to do these repairs ourselves when the trained professionals are breaking things.

 

[TAPCF]

How this issue is being handled makes me really concerned with any future issues now that Ford has discontinued the Lightning. If I have to wait at least a month for a part in 2026, what will the situation be like in another year or two? I now am seriously considering moving on to another vehicle that isn’t a Ford. We have had Ford EV’s since 2001 but I may take a serious look at GM’s products since we live in state where all vehicles are sold through dealers.

 

[DavidS]

I thought I would pass along my latest escapade in the ongoing light bar recall saga. After being told that the tech couldn’t figure out how to fix the lost camera issue and that I would need to get it back to the service department, I called and got it scheduled for today - Thursday, August 13, 8:30 am. I just received a call from a service representative who told that she had bad news. Someone scheduled me without her knowledge (she apparently is in charge of my case. She wasn’t at work when I took it in this morning) and she told me that the part that was broken during the recall repair was ordered but wasn’t available. In fact this part which should fix all my now existing camera issues is back ordered and it should be at least a month at the earliest before the dealership would get this part. I told her that she initially told me last week that the service technician couldn’t figure out the problem and I should get it back to them to fix it. She said she couldn’t recall but it didn’t make any difference because the part is now broken and is back ordered. Not having front or side cameras makes parking more difficult than I realized. I totally regret taking this in for the recall. Everything worked fine until the service department got their hands on my once great pickup!

Sounds like they don’t want to do further troubleshooting without a replacement part available or it’s an easier pathway just to replace the part and then troubleshoot. Not sure what the Ford service tech turnover is like, but given that before the Lightning was cancelled, qualified service techs were on short supply, finding a shop with techs with Lightning expertise is going to be the weak point. Identifying root causes and correct parts and procedures is not something every service tech is going to be capable of doing.

 

[chl]

How this issue is being handled makes me really concerned with any future issues now that Ford has discontinued the Lightning. If I have to wait at least a month for a part in 2026, what will the situation be like in another year or two? I now am seriously considering moving on to another vehicle that isn’t a Ford. We have had Ford EV’s since 2001 but I may take a serious look at GM’s products since we live in state where all vehicles are sold through dealers.

Imagine this scenario (from a Canadian owner):

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...g-owner-youtuber-on-evs-deemed-totaled.32374/

Sponsored