Success! F150 Lightning (PRO) Auto Aero Dam AND Auto Shutters -- in action.

[hturnerfamily]

Finally got around to 'videoing' the action of the front lower Auto Aero Dam...which has been said would automatically drop down at 45mph...

I found that it does not 'immediately' deploy, probably for nuisance deployments, right at 45mph, but after a few seconds at that speed.
It also will reset itself after the speed has dropped past 45mph, and after a few seconds or so at that speed...if not a little longer.

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[hturnerfamily]

Here's the front lower Auto SHUTTERS, in action, OPEN and CLOSED, to provide standing cooling and air movement to the battery pack...
when the truck is parked and OFF, the Shutters automatically OPEN, and the fan/cooling runs when the truck is CHARGING, or the battery pack is at a certain temperature.
when the truck is ON and in GEAR, the Shutters will automatically CLOSE, to provide the best AERO while moving, and since the battery pack doesn't necessarily need cooling while air is already moving during travel.

my tiny camera is mounting temporarily to the front shutter opening...

the video shows the truck leaving the carport, and starting to close, then eventually closing totally when I got up to some speed, at about the 25 second mark of the video...(35 seconds on the video itself)... these also closed back when I returned to the carport...

 

[hturnerfamily]

I knew my 'new' tiny backup camera for my camper would come in handy!
Wifi and directly to my iPhone while towing, or filming... : )

 

[Firestop]

Interesting...thank you for posting this!

I saw a FB post documenting a trip and towing experience from Oregon to AZ and back…well written and informative. His biggest issue, other than charging infrastructure, appeared to be overheating of the battery while driving/towing in ~100F temps, and the impact of the accumulated battery heat slowing his DC fast charging stops.

I wonder, in addition to being controlled by vehicle speed, if the shutter closing would be overridden by a high battery temp threshold to provide additional cooling to supplement the liquid cooling system In high heat scenarios? Trade off aerodynamics to protect the battery?

 

[hturnerfamily]

I imagine it could certainly be part of the operation, though it would be difficult to flesh that out since you don't really know 'when' the battery would need that additional cooling, unless you keep a video camera on the front shutters at ALL times... : ) Sounds like a 'ask a Ford Engineer' question.

 

[timothyedwards]

Very interesting info. I have had a few "Active Air Dam System Fault" messages pop up on my driver screen last weekend when I was at freeway speeds. So I have been researching this topic. Haven't snapped a pic of the error yet.

 

[hturnerfamily]

strange, but sounds like maybe a blockage of the ability for the unit to move down at speed...but, who knows.

 

[timothyedwards]

Popped up entering our neighborhood.

 

[hturnerfamily]

...I wonder what the 'manual' will say : /

 

[frautumn]

Very interesting info. I have had a few "Active Air Dam System Fault" messages pop up on my driver screen last weekend when I was at freeway speeds. So I have been researching this topic. Haven't snapped a pic of the error yet.

Yep, I've been getting that error as well, pic below. There are conversations about it in the ICE F150 forum, so not uncommon I guess for it to fail. I'll be having my dealer look at it first time I take it in for a checkup.

 

[hturnerfamily]

or a fault with the speed sensor

 

[astricklin]

Interesting...thank you for posting this!

I saw a FB post documenting a trip and towing experience from Oregon to AZ and back…well written and informative. His biggest issue, other than charging infrastructure, appeared to be overheating of the battery while driving/towing in ~100F temps, and the impact of the accumulated battery heat slowing his DC fast charging stops.

I wonder, in addition to being controlled by vehicle speed, if the shutter closing would be overridden by a high battery temp threshold to provide additional cooling to supplement the liquid cooling system In high heat scenarios? Trade off aerodynamics to protect the battery?

I wonder if this truck has the max tow package. If so, I'm somewhat shocked at it overheating.

 

[hturnerfamily]

while the Automatic Shutters and Fan and Radiator are probably positioned to give cooling while parked and charging, I don't see why it wouldn't work the other way around, if needed... although I believe that the CHILLERS/CoolingSystem is designed to provide cooling while the vehicle is moving, and the Shutters/Fan/Radiator while at rest, and the truck is OFF. I will admit that I only hear this FAN when I first turn on the truck, usually in the morning, after charging. I'll also admit that I have NOT ever heard the fan operating while the truck is sitting and charging. Interesting.

MaxTow does provide the double CHILLER option, to help further cool the battery, especially if under a heavy load or aero push, but it changes nothing about the Charging characteristics of the truck, and is not operational unless the truck is ON, and maybe even only when it is MOVING/IN GEAR. It's hard to ascertain that, for sure though, without Ford's engineers chiming in. : )

 

[Firestop]

while the Automatic Shutters and Fan and Radiator are probably positioned to give cooling while parked and charging, I don't see why it wouldn't work the other way around, if needed... although I believe that the CHILLERS/CoolingSystem is designed to provide cooling while the vehicle is moving, and the Shutters/Fan/Radiator while at rest, and the truck is OFF. I will admit that I only hear this FAN when I first turn on the truck, usually in the morning, after charging. I'll also admit that I have NOT ever heard the fan operating while the truck is sitting and charging. Interesting.

MaxTow does provide the double CHILLER option, to help further cool the battery, especially if under a heavy load or aero push, but it changes nothing about the Charging characteristics of the truck, and is not operational unless the truck is ON, and maybe even only when it is MOVING/IN GEAR. It's hard to ascertain that, for sure though, without Ford's engineers chiming in. : )

Yeah, that is what Tom is reporting in his discussion /comments on his lastest DC fast charging post/video….

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...r-dc-fast-charge-deep-dive.12587/#post-266598

 

[schoon81]

Popped up entering our neighborhood.

Same here

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