How does the lower front air dam work?

[Charles Juedemann]

I hit a tire tread (with my new Lightning) and busted the lower air dam off. It broke both the mounting panels (brackets) on both sides. They seem complicated with rollers but no connection, like a motor. How does that lower dam work? Do I need to replace the lower dam? I have no warnings so it does not seem to be an issue, but I would like to know what function those rollers accomplish?. The parts to replace the dam are quite expensive, even at ford on line, and I am too old to climb under there and do it. Does anyone know how that dam works and what it does? Thanks Charles

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[hturnerfamily]

the AUTOMATIC AIR DAM works with 12v power, via the 12v battery, and works above 45mph... dropping the full dam down about 4" or so....

this is for aerodynamics efficiency

generally, if there is any issue with the dam not being able to respond, operate, sense, etc., the system will send you an ON-screen Alert, although if the 12v wires were severed/pulled out, that may be why you are not seeing any alerts...

The Air Dam is, yes, a mystery to most, as it is out-of-the-way and out-of-sight when not in use, and only comes down at speed... I did shoot a crude video of this action early on, as well as how the front LOUVERS also operate...

 

[Charles Juedemann]

Thank you William. I do not see any wires or harness connected to the bracket or any motor or any way the dam can be moved. I do not see anything connected to the brackets, and they would have to move synchronized and there is no way to do that. Each side is independent of the other. It seems it would eventually jam. Do you have a link to the operation?
Charles

 

[NW Ontario Ford Lightning]

See it here

 

[Tired Lizard]

Removing them on F150s have couple of photos:
https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...ow-to-instructions-consolidated-update.35520/
https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/removed-active-air-dam-from-my-f-150-diy-writeup.2246/

 

[Charles Juedemann]

Robert from NW Ontario, thank you very much for that excellent explanation. Do you know if there is a way to test the dam operation other than buying a gopro camera? I would think that there is some way to activate the actuators without driving 50 mph. I hit a tire tread and it broke the dam and the actuators. Since it is a new truck (500 miles) I will replace them.

 

[WXman]

Can ForScan shut this off so that the truck isn't looking for it anymore? If I have trouble with mine I'd prefer to just remove it and install a fixed air dam like my F-250 had.

 

[Mike G]

AAD info

 

[02Reaper]

To begin with it would throw a fault on the Instrument panel cluster. Now it still throws a DTC when it doesn't work but only pulls up when you check the DTC codes with forscan. Apparently mine faults out all the time because that code is there anytime I check the DTC's. I clear them out and it comes back.

 

[eopiela]

I hit a tire tread (with my new Lightning) and busted the lower air dam off. It broke both the mounting panels (brackets) on both sides. They seem complicated with rollers but no connection, like a motor. How does that lower dam work? Do I need to replace the lower dam? I have no warnings so it does not seem to be an issue, but I would like to know what function those rollers accomplish?. The parts to replace the dam are quite expensive, even at ford on line, and I am too old to climb under there and do it. Does anyone know how that dam works and what it does? Thanks Charles

I had the exact same thing happen to me this month and my Lightning is in the shop having the dam replaced right now for $850. It seems it is ideally placed to vacuum up tire road debris and totally shattered the vanes on mine, leaving a dent on the air conditioner radiator. No alerts, but definitely nonfunctional so I had it replaced.

 

[NW Ontario Ford Lightning]

Robert from NW Ontario, thank you very much for that excellent explanation. Do you know if there is a way to test the dam operation other than buying a gopro camera? I would think that there is some way to activate the actuators without driving 50 mph. I hit a tire tread and it broke the dam and the actuators. Since it is a new truck (500 miles) I will replace them.

I don't know much about the air dam - this is my first truck with this feature - however many of the operations of the truck (ICE and EV) can be shop tested with a good OBD2 scan tool that allows manual control for shop testing. If you have a suitable scan tool or can barrow/rent one in your area you may be able to test the air dam with the truck stationary.

I have a decent scan tool, I will see if it allows me to command the air dam in the manual controls.
I see there are a lot of youtube vids on disconnecting the air dam, not seeing any that do a stationary test, maybe another member will spot one.

 

[Ry2023]

I hit a tire tread (with my new Lightning) and busted the lower air dam off. It broke both the mounting panels (brackets) on both sides. They seem complicated with rollers but no connection, like a motor. How does that lower dam work? Do I need to replace the lower dam? I have no warnings so it does not seem to be an issue, but I would like to know what function those rollers accomplish?. The parts to replace the dam are quite expensive, even at ford on line, and I am too old to climb under there and do it. Does anyone know how that dam works and what it does? Thanks Charles

Had a similar thing happened to me….. had to take her to the body shop I think without insurance it would’ve been $1200… if it’s just the valance that’s broken… I believe you could probably do it pretty easily…. But if the actuators are broken, you may have to take off the front bumper…. In my case, my actuators were broken so they had to replace them both. mine did not throw a code either because I believe that the actuators will still operational although the plastic that connects it to the valance was broken…. Hope this helps

 

[Charles Juedemann]

It helps, yours is the same as mine. It broke both actuators I am debating weather to fix it or not. One side tells me no, but since it is a new truck (900 miles now) I want to make it right. Just something I will have to decide.
Thanks, Charles

 

[Ry2023]

That’s kind of a road I took… because it’s a fairly new truck. I wanted to make it work….. but I’ll say this. I really didn’t notice any difference driving without it…. I had a 200 mile trip and still got my normal efficiency….

 

[Mike G]

To begin with it would throw a fault on the Instrument panel cluster. Now it still throws a DTC when it doesn't work but only pulls up when you check the DTC codes with forscan. Apparently mine faults out all the time because that code is there anytime I check the DTC's. I clear them out and it comes back.

I took a trip to Augusta from Huntsville last weekend and checked my DTCs when I got back. I had an air dam stuck fault in the PCM and there was zero notification in the IPC. And it was an active fault. I fired up FDRS and performed the PCM selftest as suggested and the faults cleared.

Point is...it doesn't always throw a fault you can see in the IPC.

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