Malice or incompetence - dealership.

[norcalitguy]

I’m writing this today because I just discovered that one of the primary reasons I chose my specific trim level was based on false information.
When I purchased my 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT, I was told it came equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Centering, and an LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery. At the time of purchase, the salesperson emphasized that the LFP battery was more stable, which was a major factor in my decision to choose the XLT over the Flash trim.
I eventually learned that my XLT lacked ACC and Lane Centering—an issue many buyers seemed to face around that time. I made my peace with that, but I just found out yesterday that I didn't even get the LFP battery. Instead, it has a smaller NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery.
Why should I be expected to have more product knowledge than the dealership? What do you all think—were they lying or just incompetent?
As the saying goes: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."

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[flyct]

I’m writing this today because I just discovered that one of the primary reasons I chose my specific trim level was based on false information.
When I purchased my 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT, I was told it came equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Centering, and an LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery. At the time of purchase, the salesperson emphasized that the LFP battery was more stable, which was a major factor in my decision to choose the XLT over the Flash trim.
I eventually learned that my XLT lacked ACC and Lane Centering—an issue many buyers seemed to face around that time. I made my peace with that, but I just found out yesterday that I didn't even get the LFP battery. Instead, it has a smaller NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery.
Why should I be expected to have more product knowledge than the dealership? What do you all think—were they lying or just incompetent?
As the saying goes: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."

Some dealers and sales reps are BOTH, incompetent and liars!

Some are the opposite. I bought an 2023 from a dealer that didn't know the truck and when I bought my 2024 Platinum the dealer's sales reps were very knowledgeable and truthful. They love teo sell Lightnings and currently show 29 in inventory. https://www.sarasotaford.com/searchnew.aspx?ModelAndTrim=F-150 Lightning

A significant number of the 2nd dealer's sales reps owned Lightnings. Night and day difference from the first dealer.

The world's biggest Ford Truck dealer for sales is Brandon Ford. They have 2,600 vehicles in inventory but only 1 Lightning, They claim to have the largest Superduty trucks in inventory in AMERICA.

About 20 miles south, Sarasota Ford has 29 new Lightnings in stock and love to sell the Lightnings.

 

[chriserx]

I’m writing this today because I just discovered that one of the primary reasons I chose my specific trim level was based on false information.
When I purchased my 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT, I was told it came equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Centering, and an LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery. At the time of purchase, the salesperson emphasized that the LFP battery was more stable, which was a major factor in my decision to choose the XLT over the Flash trim.
I eventually learned that my XLT lacked ACC and Lane Centering—an issue many buyers seemed to face around that time. I made my peace with that, but I just found out yesterday that I didn't even get the LFP battery. Instead, it has a smaller NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery.
Why should I be expected to have more product knowledge than the dealership? What do you all think—were they lying or just incompetent?
As the saying goes: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."

I'd say it was neither on the battery part. There was talk that lower trim models would be switching to LFP but it never happened. As far as ACC/LKA goes, if they had a Flash on the lot, that rules out malice. Good news is it looks like it can be added for a relatively small outlay.

 

[The Weatherman]

Buyer be ware. Which I took to mean buyer be educated.

I knew a lot more about my Lightning than anyone at the dealership, other than the tech in service. He was very well trained and competent.

That said, my dealership was very honest and forthcoming. I would say you have experienced a far to common situation where all that matters is the sale.

The Batteries in these trucks is far safer than the gas and engines in the common ICE vehicle. If you follow the recommendations as provided by the manufacturer (FoMoCo), it will last well beyond our expectations.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I’m writing this today because I just discovered that one of the primary reasons I chose my specific trim level was based on false information.
When I purchased my 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT, I was told it came equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Centering, and an LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery. At the time of purchase, the salesperson emphasized that the LFP battery was more stable, which was a major factor in my decision to choose the XLT over the Flash trim.
I eventually learned that my XLT lacked ACC and Lane Centering—an issue many buyers seemed to face around that time. I made my peace with that, but I just found out yesterday that I didn't even get the LFP battery. Instead, it has a smaller NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery.
Why should I be expected to have more product knowledge than the dealership? What do you all think—were they lying or just incompetent?
As the saying goes: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."

You were mislead in multiple ways. The dealer is incompetent and IMO it’s reasonable to assume their incompetence is based on a malevolent decision not to learn. You can never trust a dealership to tell you the truth. Their job isn’t honesty and state laws protect dealers rather than consumers.

The 2024 XLT only had one battery size: Standard Range, NMC, 98 kWh useable. The 2024 XLT didn’t come with an LFP battery; the Flash did.

You should have received a window sticker upon purchase. That window sticker should list the things it has, including the battery.

You can also decode the VIN to get the proper information about the battery.
Position 8 of your VIN indicates the battery:

Code	Battery Type
S	LFP battery (98
K	Standard Range (NMC) battery
7	Extended Range (NMC) battery w single charger
M	Extended Range (NMC) battery w dual chargers

 

[chriserx]

You were mislead in multiple ways. The dealer is incompetent and IMO it’s reasonable to assume their incompetence is based on a malevolent decision not to learn. You can never trust a dealership to tell you the truth. Their job isn’t honesty and state laws protect dealers rather than consumers.

The 2024 XLT only had one battery size: Standard Range, NMC, 98 kWh useable. The 2024 XLT didn’t come with an LFP battery; the Flash did.

You should have received a window sticker upon purchase. That window sticker should list the things it has, including the battery.

You can also decode the VIN to get the proper information about the battery.
Position 8 of your VIN indicates the battery:

Code	Battery Type
S	LFP battery (98
K	Standard Range (NMC) battery
7	Extended Range (NMC) battery w single charger
M	Extended Range (NMC) battery w dual chargers

The VIN had coding for an LFP but did they ever ship any?

 

[RickLightning]

The VIN had coding for an LFP but did they ever ship any?

No, they did not.

 

[RLXXI]

2 words, Caveat emptor. When I went to get a new truck, I knew more about it than sales did.

 

[RickLightning]

I’m writing this today because I just discovered that one of the primary reasons I chose my specific trim level was based on false information.
When I purchased my 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT, I was told it came equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Centering, and an LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery. At the time of purchase, the salesperson emphasized that the LFP battery was more stable, which was a major factor in my decision to choose the XLT over the Flash trim.
I eventually learned that my XLT lacked ACC and Lane Centering—an issue many buyers seemed to face around that time. I made my peace with that, but I just found out yesterday that I didn't even get the LFP battery. Instead, it has a smaller NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery.
Why should I be expected to have more product knowledge than the dealership? What do you all think—were they lying or just incompetent?
As the saying goes: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."

Curious, is this your first vehicle?

If not, have you found competent sales personnel when you bough other vehicles? I've been driving for 50 years and I can count the competent (meaning product knowledge) salespeople on the fingers of one finger.

When you're spending this kind of money (buying a vehicle), the onus is on the buyer to know what they're buying.

 

[Deleted member 21405]

You were mislead in multiple ways. The dealer is incompetent and IMO it’s reasonable to assume their incompetence is based on a malevolent decision not to learn. You can never trust a dealership to tell you the truth. Their job isn’t honesty and state laws protect dealers rather than consumers.

The 2024 XLT only had one battery size: Standard Range, NMC, 98 kWh useable. The 2024 XLT didn’t come with an LFP battery; the Flash did.

You should have received a window sticker upon purchase. That window sticker should list the things it has, including the battery.

You can also decode the VIN to get the proper information about the battery.
Position 8 of your VIN indicates the battery:

Code	Battery Type
S	LFP battery (98
K	Standard Range (NMC) battery
7	Extended Range (NMC) battery w single charger
M	Extended Range (NMC) battery w dual chargers

I would add that above may only apply to 2024. My 2022 has an “L” in the 8th spot. And my window sticker says nothing specific to battery type/chemistry. I personally wouldn’t expect a salesperson to know the chemistry of the high voltage battery any more than I’d expect them to know the chemistry of the 12v battery. And I wouldn’t expect them to know the battery type on a a plug-in or mild hybrid either. Flat out telling the original poster the wrong thing might be another story though.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

The VIN had coding for an LFP but did they ever ship any?

I think they only shipped the LFP on the Flash, but I honestly have lost track.

 

[RLXXI]

I think they only shipped the LFP on the Flash, but I honestly have lost track.

Nope, none of the Lightnings got the lfp.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Caveat emptor.

Exactly what I wanted to add to the thread, BTW the helpful information on VIN decoding varies by model year, as far as I recall LFP HVB's were planned for some trims of Lightning, but I haven't seen any production examples.

 

[Madams5440]

I’m writing this today because I just discovered that one of the primary reasons I chose my specific trim level was based on false information.
When I purchased my 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT, I was told it came equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Centering, and an LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery. At the time of purchase, the salesperson emphasized that the LFP battery was more stable, which was a major factor in my decision to choose the XLT over the Flash trim.
I eventually learned that my XLT lacked ACC and Lane Centering—an issue many buyers seemed to face around that time. I made my peace with that, but I just found out yesterday that I didn't even get the LFP battery. Instead, it has a smaller NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery.
Why should I be expected to have more product knowledge than the dealership? What do you all think—were they lying or just incompetent?
As the saying goes: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."

If the dealer is anything like our dealer, it's incompetence. Our salesman doesn't educate himself on the products he sells. He just sells. This will factor into choosing a salesman going forward

 

[Grease Lightning]

I think they only shipped the LFP on the Flash, but I honestly have lost track.

See here is a great example of potential an honest mistake. I would expect, especially from how confident you sounded about your reply to others that you had adequately researched the subject to make yourself sound like an authority, but even you missed that Ford apparently never let a production LFP Lightning roll off the line.

I truly hate salesman, car being close to the bottom of the slime pool, but you do need to give them some grace in trying to stay up with a manufacturer that has around 15 active models that all have 3-6 trim levels and then those trim levels have levels and packages and …. What the is Platinum +?

My dealer was embracing this change and had a Model-E salesperson that was the front person for all electric. He was a nice guy but had the knowledge of a kindergartner when it truly came down to the truck. I was having to educate him on how things worked and how to log in/register for this or that. That was a failure in leadership, failure on him for not studying product knowledge, and made them look bad.

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