Post-Accident Repair - Tips and Tricks

[Aminorjourney]

Saved. Back. Thanks, Ford!

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[JayF]

WELL'D-done!

 

[MaintGrl]

Saved. Back. Thanks, Ford!

YAY!,
Just noticed, is that a retractable bumper step, on the left?
If so does it swing /protrude out enough with the tail gate down, to climb in?
What brand, if so . . .

 

[Aminorjourney]

YAY!,
Just noticed, is that a retractable bumper step, on the left?
If so does it swing /protrude out enough with the tail gate down, to climb in?
What brand, if so . . .

 

[MaintGrl]

I''m primarily interested in its operation and use with the tailgate down, which can be cumbersome at best when getting in, . . where to put my foot and what to grab onto to pull myself in.

 

[K6CCC]

I''m primarily interested in its operation and use with the tailgate down, which can be cumbersome at best when getting in, . . where to put my foot and what to grab onto to pull myself in.

Do you not have the pull out step and handle that my 24 Flash has? It is wonderful!

 

[CD4TNF]

Do you not have the pull out step and handle that my 24 Flash has? It is wonderful!

MaintGrl has an XLT from her signature. I wouldn't expect the XLT to have the pull out step.


Niki, I'm looking forward to watching the video update.

 

[K6CCC]

MaintGrl has an XLT from her signature. I wouldn't expect the XLT to have the pull out step.

I realized that after I made my post. I did not remember that the tailgate pull out step started at the Flash trim. It (and the handle) is REALLY useful. I use it very regularly.

 

[MaintGrl]

Do you not have the pull out step and handle that my 24 Flash has? It is wonderful!

No, I have an XLT, No Pull out step, or handle bar...that's why I'm asking....
It's a pain, to hike my leg up on the bumper and grab the Peg Latch for the tailgate, and PULLLLL!

 

[Rayden]

No, I have an XLT, No Pull out step, or handle bar...that's why I'm asking....
It's a pain, to hike my leg up on the bumper and grab the Peg Latch for the tailgate, and PULLLLL!

Ok, I didn't realize that the pull out step/grab bar didn't come on EVERY version of the Lightning. Makes sense now why you'd want the retractable bed step.

 

[Trucked Up EVs]

A previous thread talking about my truck and its original attempted write off has been removed as per my request, following severe online threats and harassment from users on X after the story went viral. I will not discuss it here, and I ask you not to. I will not respond to questions about it here.

The original video on YouTube is still there. It too has had its comments turned off. If you really wish to discuss it, Transport Evolved's discord forum is where civil conversations can be had. No, I'm not linking to it, directly to avoid further exacerbation of the original problem, but it's linked to in every Transport Evolved video on YouTube.

I have created THIS thread because I want to give some F150 Lightning owners in similar situations a way of dealing with their repair procedures without the 1 month and a lot of stress that mine caused.

For those who have been keeping track:

Back in February, our F-150 Lightning was in a rear-end collision in California. Someone ran into the back of us while we were stopped at a light. The truck sustained a small crack on the underside of the left-side bumper mount, and a Ford accident repair place in Oregon told us the truck was fine.

It wasn't. A few months later we discovered the crack had grown. We headed to a different repair facility, who ordered the wrong part, then claimed the only repair procedure was to replace the entire frame — which caused the insurance company to attempt to write the truck off. In our case, I was able to reach out to some contacts at Ford, which resolved the problem completely. I was able to not only get the write-off decision reversed, but the repair authorized.

Here's what you need to know:

1. Ford has a dedicated team at its headquarters whose job is specifically to work on bodywork and repair procedures for their vehicles. They're the ones who design and write repair procedures for the accident repair world. If a repair procedure isn't already available, they're the ones who may be able to provide one.
2. The Lightning DOES have different parts to regular F-150s on some components, including the chassis. In my case, the rear bumper mount — a commonly-replaced part on gas F-150s — was the broken component. The repair shop wanted to follow ICE F-150 repair procedures, but since the Lightning-specific part isn't easily available right now, and they did minimal research, we ended up where we did. Additionally, even though the original insurance adjuster said they thought welding the crack back up would be the appropriate repair, the repair shop wanted to ONLY replace the part - and when they couldn't they claimed a new frame would be required.
3. Repair shops and insurance companies will do the ABSOLUTE MINIMUM to figure out a repair. If a repair procedure isn't available, or the part isn't available, they WILL write the truck off unless you get actively involved.
4. Ford HAS a repair line that repair centers can call for advice. They will look at photos, assess the damage, and advise on repair procedures. This is how my F-150 Lightning was saved. I reached it through my contact at Ford — not through conventional means. That said, body shops AND insurance companies SHOULD be using this resource. They don't. You need to push them to do so at 1-800-327-8281. (US and Canada). This line can direct shops to the nearest Ford Certified Collision Network center, provide repair guidance, and connect them with Ford's specialist team. If your repair shop hasn't called this number, push them to do so before accepting any total loss determination.
5. In my case, after my intervention, I was able to get Ford's team to call my repair garage AND my insurance company and explained the official repair procedure. They provided a written email outlining exactly what was to be done, approved as officially sanctioned by Ford Motor Company. Get it in writing. Always. What Ford said would be 'acceptable' was not what the insurance and repair centre wanted. THEY WOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THE REPAIR WITHOUT FORD'S SANCTIONING.
6. Exactly what is "allowed" will depend on your insurer and where you live. I'm in Oregon, where the rules around chassis integrity are particularly strict. Less so in most other U.S. states. Canada also has some fairly strict rules in certain provinces. I can't speak to Australia or Europe, but I understand some jurisdictions have strong rules as well.
7. In my case, the approved repair was straightforward: drill a stop hole at the end of the crack, V-groove the edges, fill with a solid MIG weld, grind and dress the repair, apply corrosion protection, and cavity wax the inside of the rail. That's it. Simple, cheap, and Ford-sanctioned. Your repair may differ depending on the damage, but the point is — it was fixable. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise without exhausting every avenue first.
8. Once you have Ford's written approval for a repair procedure, your insurance company has very little grounds to refuse it. That document was the thing that reversed the total loss decision in our case. I'm writing this before the repair has been completed, and I understand the repair centre is STILL DRAGGING THEIR FEET - so make sure if this happens to you, you keep ALL DOCUMENTATION AND PHONE RECORDS!

Thank you so much for documenting all of this, and I feel for all you've been through solving this, especially fielding the haters. If I had been in a position of having some of this information I might have saved my truck from being completely written off also, but ICBC in British Columbia, Canada is a whole other horribly bureaucratic animal to deal with.
I am thrilled that you solved this. All the best to you and your wife, and hope you can soon breathe a sigh of relief! Well done, neighbour!

 

[Jesse-Infotainment]

I cant comprehend what about your thread or situation offended or caused someone to get upset.

 

[tls]

It is baffling to me as well!

 

[Aminorjourney]

I cant comprehend what about your thread or situation offended or caused someone to get upset.

I am cognizant the forum does not like us getting 'political'. However, I will say (and I would respectfully request my reply draws a line under further discussion on that path so I don't get in trouble) that recent political changes mean that who I am, who I love, and my identity (which have not been an issue for nearly 30 years) are suddenly an issue.

Plus the standard "Women can't do trucks" mindset of a certain subset of sewer dwellers. The same subset (or at least overlapping on a Venn diagram) who say I can't talk about farming (I grew up on a farm) or can't talk about tech (I used to be a tech journalist) or can't talk about music (I trained as a classical musician and was a teacher for a decade).

Or to boil it even further down. The people who moan about their rights being trodden on when folk ask them to be kind and courteous to all

I will say no more. I respectfully ask folks to do the same

 

[Jesse-Infotainment]

I am cognizant the forum does not like us getting 'political'. However, I will say (and I would respectfully request my reply draws a line under further discussion on that path so I don't get in trouble) that recent political changes mean that who I am, who I love, and my identity (which have not been an issue for nearly 30 years) are suddenly an issue.

Plus the standard "Women can't do trucks" mindset of a certain subset of sewer dwellers. The same subset (or at least overlapping on a Venn diagram) who say I can't talk about farming (I grew up on a farm) or can't talk about tech (I used to be a tech journalist) or can't talk about music (I trained as a classical musician and was a teacher for a decade).

Or to boil it even further down. The people who moan about their rights being trodden on when folk ask them to be kind and courteous to all

I will say no more. I respectfully ask folks to do the same

🫡

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