Make Having An Adequate Power Supply A Requirement To Be An EV-Certified Ford Dealer

[Jim Lewis]

@Ford Motor Company:

Hi, Brian

I'd like to suggest that having an adequate power supply for flash programming be a requirement for EV-Certified Dealer status. To "enforce" that contingency, when a dealer performs a recall update, such as the parking pawl update (25C69) or the trailer light update (25C10), perhaps the submitted service record would have to reference the power supply used to perform the update.

Right now, the FDRS instructions may direct the tech to connect a power supply to maintain voltage, but it's my understanding that there is no specification for the required amperage. It's left to the tech's discretion how best to maintain voltage. If they've been through Ford's EV training, presumably they should know what's required.

However, in March 2025, when I went in for the front parking sensor update (CSP 24B56), my dealer trashed my 12V battery, probably by the tech using an inadequate power supply or none at all. https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...2-24-f-150-lightning-trucks.21145/post-491225 When I went in in April 2026 for the two recall updates and asked which power supply would be used this time, I got vague, uncertain answers from the CSA. When I tried to get a more specific answer from the service manager's office, the person I spoke to didn't know the specs of their power supplies but said something to the effect, "Look, we buy them from Ford, so they must be OK." Well, Ford approves a whole host of power supplies, some of which are low-power and perhaps OK for an F-150 ICE vehicle, but not for a Lightning.

Particularly since Ford has stopped producing Lightnings and module replacements will become increasingly hard to come by over time, Ford should require EV-certified dealers to meet an EV power-supply standard when flash-programming a Lightning. Given that Ford is sunsetting the Lightning and dealing with dealers is harder than herding cats, this suggestion may go over like a lead balloon. But dealer indifference should not give them a "get-out-of-jail-free" card to potentially degrade a truck's 12V battery or, worse, trash a truck module during an update. Something should be done to more strongly "encourage" dealers to do the right thing if they want EV-certified status.

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[RickLightning]

They could just lie...

 

[TaxmanHog]

Inspection by FoMoCo regional service manager for franchise compliance might help.

 

[Jim Lewis]

They could just lie...

Details! Details!

Yeah, I thought about how to "authenticate" the use of an adequate power supply, but I just wanted to alert @Ford Motor Company to the issue, which has been discussed a number of times on the forum without anyone suggesting that Ford actually do something about it, AFAIK.

Presumably, to systematically lie would require an institutional conspiracy from the techs right up to the service manager and maybe even beyond. And Ford could make the EV-certified dealer label at risk if the lie were discovered.

My AI friends tell me that shops already scan VINs, RO numbers, parts labels, and tool serials in some workflows, so FDRS, at the point where it advises hooking up a power supply, could require scanning the barcode on the power supply. The tech could confirm on screen that the device is in supply mode, not charging mode, etc.

A more foolproof way to monitor what's happening during flash programming would be to have the power supply report its connection status and performance to FDRS via USB, Bluetooth, or Ethernet throughout the programming process.

Toyota/Lexus, GM, and Subaru are much more specific than Ford about which power supplies can be used to flash-program specific vehicles.

The software tools are there to help OEMs move toward much tighter programming-environment verification. Perhaps it would add unacceptable expense and complexity to power supplies, but it would make it harder for dealers to fudge power supply requirements.

Just having the power supply used in any flashing programming documented in the service record would be a simple, small initial step in the right direction.

 

[Ted23Lightning]

Details! Details!

Yeah, I thought about how to "authenticate" the use of an adequate power supply, but I just wanted to alert @Ford Motor Company to the issue, which has been discussed a number of times on the forum without anyone suggesting that Ford actually do something about it, AFAIK.

Presumably, to systematically lie would require an institutional conspiracy from the techs right up to the service manager and maybe even beyond. And Ford could make the EV-certified dealer label at risk if the lie were discovered.

My AI friends tell me that shops already scan VINs, RO numbers, parts labels, and tool serials in some workflows, so FDRS, at the point where it advises hooking up a power supply, could require scanning the barcode on the power supply. The tech could confirm on screen that the device is in supply mode, not charging mode, etc.

A more foolproof way to monitor what's happening during flash programming would be to have the power supply report its connection status and performance to FDRS via USB, Bluetooth, or Ethernet throughout the programming process.

Toyota/Lexus, GM, and Subaru are much more specific than Ford about which power supplies can be used to flash-program specific vehicles.

The software tools are there to help OEMs move toward much tighter programming-environment verification. Perhaps it would add unacceptable expense and complexity to power supplies, but it would make it harder for dealers to fudge power supply requirements.

Just having the power supply used in any flashing programming documented in the service record would be a simple, small initial step in the right direction.

When using FDRS, it shows u the vehicles voltage on the bottom right of the screen.

 

[Jim Lewis]

When using FDRS, it shows u the vehicles voltage on the bottom right of the screen.

Yes, even an inadequate power supply can cause an adequate voltage to be read in FDRS to start out with. The question is whether a power supply adequate to maintain a high voltage throughout programming is being used. I'm suggesting that Ford should provide stronger "encouragement" to use an adequate power supply and document its use, ideally in a way that's hard to fabricate. Technicians are supposed to monitor voltage levels throughout programming, but when you see a big dip, it's too late to do anything about it. An ounce of prevention is worth all the voltage readings in the world. If FDRS logged a time trace of voltage, that would help document that nothing untoward happened, but, AFAIK, FDRS just displays instantaneous voltage, which provides no permanent record.

 

[RickLightning]

Understand all that, but...

When I bought my 2022 from an out of state dealership, a condition of sale was doing every update in FDRS until none were left. My salesman proudly sent a picture of it being updated.

A forum member was monitoring the updates, and noted the 12v was down to 10v and updates were failing.... Told salesman to have them move the ground connector to a vehicle ground... Of course south of the BMS would have worked. This tech had no idea.

I had the BMS replaced by mobile tech. They had to run an update. No power supply was connected...

12v failed test just before 3 years and was replaced by dealer. BMS was not reset...

12v showed Shutting Down message after returning from dealership updates... Put on Battery Tender, no more message, proof that tech didn't put it on power supply.

Posts here and on Mach-E forum show many techs don't follow directions in system, including bleeding air from cooling system.

 

[21st Century Truck]

Not a Ford tech nor a Dealership Advisor but just a customer like so many here...

I have switched dealerships in the past when I sensed "games". Life has attuned my spidey-sense antennas to this. I'm sure most of us feel this way.

What I also noticed is that a great dealer service department over time often devolves to an adequate service department... and vice versa. Some service techs I've trusted in such great service departments, have at times let me behind the service curtain to meet the technicians in the shop. Invariably (over time) the very best techs who are super-solid and informative and who think carefully through the problems, end up eventually jumping ship to another dealership down the road.

What this repeating phenomenon tells me is that the techs, good bad or mediocre, are really at the bottom of the dealership food chains and are more often than not treated as foot soldiers no matter their individual quality. I can't thus blame them for randomly jumping around when the opportunity arrives... and of course, we the customers pay the consequences.

In the past the very best such techs that I've met have gone independent. There used to be many such guys. Unfortunately, with the increasing complexity of cars and their electronics and the attendant OEM tool ecosystems, I think, sadly, that the indie mechanic route has been closing for years because the $$$ tool investments are just too great.

 

[SFsparkie]

During a mobil update for the parking paw I had a Ford tech tell me that Ford would not provide him with a 12V power supply. He did purchase his own. That day in my driveway we used my power supply.

 

[chl]

When mobile service came to my house in March 2026 to do the trailer module reprogramming update, I asked if he was going to hook up a power supply.
He said he would not need to.

When he was done he said he also did another update that the truck needed.

During the conversation we had about making an optional change to allow PPOB when the truck is OFF, which he tried but could not figure out how to do, he said he had 'messed up' doing an update and bricked a vehicle and had to reload all the module programming which he said took him a long time, and his boss was not happy about it.

I didn't ask but I imagine in that case he did not use a power supply when one was needed for a major FDRS service.

He did not leave any paperwork and the specifics about the updates never showed up anywhere I could find in my update history at Ford . com.

When he left I reattached my truck to my 1A maintainer and it turned green again after about 1/2 hour.

The Ford techs should know where to hook up the negative downstream of the BMS, all of us know that, and Ford F-150s have had the BMS (and weak battery issues as a result) for several model years prior to the Lightning from what I have read and seen in YouTube videos anyway.

But we have all heard stories about apparently poorly trained techs who don't hook up the power supply correctly, or when replacing a 12v battery do not reset the BMS, among other things.

Without getting to technical, not hooking up the negative connection downstream of the BMS will cause the truck to lose track of the actual SOC of the 12v battery. It may see the charge going out of the battery and power supply into the 12v systems of the truck and think that is actually battery discharging. At some point the truck may think the battery SOC is too low and start shedding loads.

Maybe even shutting the truck off or going into a 'deep sleep power down mode' during an FDRS update which will brick the truck. That could also happen with an inadequate power supply connected correctly as well.

Another thing to be concerned about is when hooked up incorrectly is that the battery could be overcharged damaging the internal structure.

As mentioned in previous posts, over charging can cause swelling, cracking of the case and venting of flammable gases (e.g., hydrogen sulfide).

Many ICE vehicle fires can be traced back to a problem with the 12V system, like a short circuit which can cause the battery to heat up, vent gases and even explode, among other things.

Completely discharging a lead acid battery can also lead to permanent damage.

So how the tech damaged the OP's battery during an update could be either from a prolonged full discharge or an over charging.

If it was because of an inadequate power supply connected improperly, I suspect that would have stopped the FDRS programming and bricked the truck.

If it was an almost adequate power supply (for the FDRS) connected correctly, it could have lead to the battery being too deeply discharged but allow the FDRS to proceed. If the battery was already weak due to age and inadequate topping off which has been an on-going problem with the F-150, that could have pushed it over the edge.

If it was a high amp power supply connected improperly, then it could have over charged the battery and caused internal damage.

A high amp power supply connected correctly should have cause no issues unless the BMS had a problem.

One other possibility is coincidence, that is, the battery was on its last legs and about to fail whether or not the truck was being updated.

We cannot control what the techs do when we aren't watching, but we can take some preventive measures to avoid the slow death of a battery that is rarely topped off to 100%, by keeping it on a maintainer when not using the truck.

 

[ridgebackpilot]

Last week I took my 2022 Lightning to the dealer for a 10K mile service, including some software recalls and updates. They decided not to perform one of the recalls because they had bricked another Lightning that morning while trying to perform the same recall update. This thread makes me wonder whether failing to use an adequate power supply might be part of their problem…

 

[PJnc284]

That's why I do my own. Of course they've decided to more than double the cost of a 2 day license now though.

 

[Jim Lewis]

Playing devils advocate here.

What makes you think they didn't use the proper power supply in the first place? if it's your argument because your 12v battery died, you really need a new argument because lead acid batteries have been a crap shoot from day 1 as to when they may go bad. There is no life expectancy, there is a life span hope they make it past the warranty given.

I could go on and on in over 40 years as a professional mechanic/technician how many times I've had batteries go bad and still be relatively new, citing my own experience with my own vehicles first and foremost, had 3 of them go out in ways that might bend your mind, not to mention customer vehicles. Had tops pop right off and douse the engine compartments in acid. Had them split the sides wide open, melt the terminals off the case etc....

My last truck as an example had it's battery go bad in less than 9 months from brand new. I've had them go bad during electrical/electronic services such as this and those were all on a regular vehicle who's battery main load is start up.

There is NO difference between a regular ice vehicle battery and our trucks LVB except physical size and load capacity.

The absolute last thing any tech wants is a comeback, comebacks cost everyone money but especially the tech because if he doesn't fix it right the first time, he keeps working on it for FREE until he does. Don't know about you but I'm not placing my families security in jeopardy to not take a couple of mins and grab the proper tool for the job at hand. To imply the tech would do something like that is not only an insult to them, it's an insult to humanity one would actually think they would self sabotage their entire livelihood and their families that rely on him for support over a f@!#ing battery charger. Absolutely ridiculous thinking!

Of all the schools Ford sent us to over the years, not once did they ever train us to use the wrong tool or teach us "Just use what you want it'll be ok", if your mind snaps back to the tech was lazy or in a hurry, go back and reread what I said about self sabotage.

It doesn't matter exactly why my battery failed. The basic point of my post is that on one's service record, the exact number of liters (or quarts) of some service fluid will be documented along with the specific product brand name, but in the very important matter of what tool was used to perform flash programming and what settings were used, there is no documentation. But there should be. That's my main point.

If you check out the thread on the front parking sensor: https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...certain-2022-24-f-150-lightning-trucks.21145/, IIRC, you will find a number of other people besides myself who reported that update trashed their 12V battery. Throughout the forum, there has been discussion of some dealer techs not appreciating that the Lightning has potentially much more demanding power requirements during flash programming than an ICE F-150. It's not just the battery size; it's the potential current draw during programming, particularly if the HVB contacts that sustain the 12V battery are opened at some point in the flash sequence. Having your job at risk does not automatically make you smart on the job. Having FDRS remind a tech of specific power supply requirements and settings and requiring the tech to vouch for them might be a "let's do it smarter" step in the right direction.

I also think Ford could have more owner-friendly commentary in the service record. For example, I had my 10K-mile inspection. The service report says nowhere that it was a 10K-mile inspection, but it details items that are part of that checkup: tire rotation, 28-point inspection, 12V battery check, brake check, etc. But as far as informing the owner, some of the inspection items are in Greek service code and not informative in everyday English. For example,

03FORZRBATT RBATT
BATTERY REQUIRES FUTURE ATTENTION
GREEN BATTERY

What does that mean? The service advisor had departed by the time I could pick up my truck. Is the "battery requires future attention" just a throw-away CYA advisory, something based on the three-year age of my truck (and not taking into account that the truck's current 12V battery is a 1-year-old replacement for the 2-year-old original OEM 12V battery that went bad after the front parking sensor update), or what? There are no plain English service record notes for the owner. My 12V battery has been trickle-charged by a NOCO Genius2 through the battery jump points almost 100% of the time while the truck has been parked in my garage since the battery was replaced in March 2025.

The Ford app lists my 4/20/26 dealer visit under the Service History tab as "scheduled maintenance," but on the Upcoming tab, it still flags my 10K-mile inspection as overdue. Inquiries to Ford and the dealer led to both finger-pointing at the other with no resolution, @Ford Motor Company.

Yes, customers like me always think there's a better way to run a business. In Ford Motor Company's case, that might actually be true.

 

[Jim Lewis]

Every system has a procedure for testing and it's completely laid out in the techs service manual....

Sounds like you want your dealer to give you a complete novel...

The question isn't whether there is a reference procedure but whether the technician actually followed it on a particular vehicle. Two different things.

Saying I'd like better documentation and methodology that encourages a technician to follow the official procedure is not asking for a complete novel. Having a pre-existing template that is checked off step-by-step would facilitate documentation. AI-assisted voice transcription is now used in medical settings. An autoshop might be a little noisy for that. But particularly when one is working on a $100K vehicle, one might want to adequately document a bare minimum that shows you've followed official procedure.

About a year ago I had a cardiac ablation to control paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. A catheter was passed into my heart, punctured a wall of my heart, and used radio frequency to kill some tissue that was too electrically active. The cardiac electrophysiologist didn't write a novel but he thoroughly documented what he did and a clear description of the procedure is available to me in my electronic medical records, including his descriptive findings as he went along. The description is not very long, only key vitals and observations implying the success of the operation. So, in the 21st century, computer science has enabled thorough documentation. It's just not everybody has yet arrived in the 21st century or has the financial wherewithal to support that level of performance.

 

[Maquis]

During a mobil update for the parking paw I had a Ford tech tell me that Ford would not provide him with a 12V power supply. He did purchase his own. That day in my driveway we used my power supply.

Ford doesn’t supply tools - ever. What the dealership provides vs what techs must supply out of their own pocket varies by dealership. I would expect the dealership to provide a power supply, but who knows?

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