Powertrain Malfunction / Reduced Power every few days

[mxg249]

About every 5-7 days I get the wrench on the dashboard. In the Fordpass app I get the message: "Powertrain Malfunction / Reduced Power" - contact dealer immediately.

The thing is I never lose power, both motors work and there is no perceived issue. Usually after a night on my level 2 charger everything is fine, the wrench icon goes away.

I called various dealers and they all basically said that without an active code they won't do much and furthermore they'll probably just clear the code and see if it comes back. My 12 volt battery is "healthy" so I don't think that is the issue.

Is this just something to deal with or should I be more proactive?

This truck is pretty awesome but I could make better software vibe coding with ChatGPT.

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[GoodSam]

"Powertrain Malfunction / Reduced Power"

There has been a lot of Gear Shift Modules or Gear Shifter assembly problems that produce the PM/RP problem. See:
https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...pped-delivery-of-gear-shift-module-gsm.25749/

 

[TaxmanHog]

Is this just something to deal with or should I be more proactive?

Bring it in for diagnostic

 

[BlueLightning]

About every 5-7 days I get the wrench on the dashboard. In the Fordpass app I get the message: "Powertrain Malfunction / Reduced Power" - contact dealer immediately.

Had same issue four times, first two visits no answers, third time replaced heater core in cab that feeds from high voltage battery.

Picked up and drove less than a mile and wrench came back with warning not to shut off or truck won’t start back up and to drive directly to the dealership.

The fourth fix was again a heater cab core, (faulty 1st replacement) and 12 volt battery?

No issues since but awaiting the ordered frunk molding clips x3 that were lost with vehicle being in shop almost thirty days

 

[Scorpio3d]

Had same issue four times, first two visits no answers, third time replaced heater core in cab that feeds from high voltage battery.

Picked up and drove less than a mile and wrench came back with warning not to shut off or truck won’t start back up and to drive directly to the dealership.

The fourth fix was again a heater cab core, (faulty 1st replacement) and 12 volt battery?

No issues since but awaiting the ordered frunk molding clips x3 that were lost with vehicle being in shop almost thirty days

Yes, this is unknown issue with the frunk tabs. I someone created a 3-D printer version somewhere on this forum.

 

[Joe Dablock]

Yep, me too. Wrench appears, and next day it is gone. A day or so later the same thing repeats.

 

[kubel]

i just started getting this issue too, appears and disappears as if nothing ever happened. Once on 4/30, it disappeared after letting the truck sit a few hours. The next day I towed a heavy load for 200 miles, no issues. Another wrench and powertrain fault on 5/4 when on a 200 mile trip back (not towing), it disappeared mid-trip.

The truck will still AC charge with this fault. Haven't tried DC charging- and that's the worry. I don't feel this truck is reliable enough to take on long distance trips with this fault.

Not sure if these are relevant observations, but:

Both happened when the truck was at a high state of charge.
Both times happened when the truck was cold soaked and then temps got higher during the day.
First happened about 10 minutes after a car wash.
Second happened when it was dry.
Both times it threw a wrench icon on the dash.
No noticable power reduction.

When I hop into forscan, I'm not able to pull any DTCs for those times. I do see a stored code P2C85 (external isolation fault), but the dates don't line up.

 

[BlueLightning]

Well it’s only been less than thirty day since last yellow and red wrench. Last red wrench in March of 2025 almost in shop for thirty days.

Well yesterday the yellow wrench came back “service soon” then today turned red.

Six times in less than a year…

“Powertrain?”

Ford what’s up??

 

[kubel]

If it's throwing a yellow wrench icon at any point, it's storing a DTC which the dealer should be able to pull. Mine ended up being P0929 in the GSM which was a problem detected with Ford's rediculous self moving shifter feature. They replaced the shifter assembly to resolve the issue.

Don't let them just reset the code- it tells them exactly what the problem is. Insist they fix the problem.

This is apparently a very common issue not just in Lightnings. Ford should have taken Tesla's approach: "The best part is no part".

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