Very Disappointed with Ford and Sun Run.

[BakerMom]

I have been calling Sun Run for 4 weeks now and they continue to say there is a data issue and cannot send the charger I should have gotten for free after buying the Platinium F-150. I just called for the fourth time to Sun Run and was given another reason why the charger has not shipped. I think I jumped the gun buying an EV so quickly and I had high hopes for Ford. I called the dealer to see if they could hep resolve this and they say they will call me back. I've called two times and no one calls me back . I know once they make the sale they could care less and that has been clear. Sun run says it is a Ford issue and they are waiting to hear from Ford. Crickets... no charger after 4 weeks. Not to mention the dealer actually lied about the range. They did say that the extended range battery would have some loss due to cold (I have seen this even in 53 degree weather), but not to the extent I experienced. I am disappointed that I was sold a car that is over 90,000 and the lack of customer service is shocking. Between the terrible range I get with this and the fact that I still can't even find out when I will get a charger I might just sell the car for a loss. I will say the F-150 drives really well, but if you try to take it on the highway and drive at 70MPH good luck getting a range greater than 195/200 miles. And this is also without turning on any heat, heated seats, steering wheel, etc. Then you have to find an open charger that is ultra fast. Because if your traveling out of town and try to charge at a regular charger it will take you hours. At an 350Kwh charger it takes about 40 minutes. I know I am rambling, but what I was sold and what the reality has been is incredible. I think the FTC should actually investigate the claims Ford dealers are making when they sell the EV. They actually lie and then after buying you realize how terrible the situation is you are stuck with a very expensive truck that you could not take on a trip out of town. I may get rid of this truck before anyone from SunRun even calls me back about this "free" charger.

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[Computermedic78]

I'm in the same boat. I went as far as to walk into the dealership and try to get rid of it. They wanted me to take a $20k hit after having the truck for a week and a half. Consumer affairs forced them to diagnose it and they found an open recall and a software update bulletin both related to battery management. I'm not sure how they managed to sell a truck with an open recall.....Might be worth having yours looked at. I was getting 150 mile range on the highway. Lariat ER.

 

[RickLightning]

I have been calling Sun Run for 4 weeks now and they continue to say there is a data issue and cannot send the charger I should have gotten for free after buying the Platinium F-150. I just called for the fourth time to Sun Run and was given another reason why the charger has not shipped. I think I jumped the gun buying an EV so quickly and I had high hopes for Ford. I called the dealer to see if they could hep resolve this and they say they will call me back. I've called two times and no one calls me back (Napelton in Libertyville, IL). I know once they make the sale they could care less and that has been clear. Sun run says it is a Ford issue and they are waiting to hear from Ford. Crickets... no charger after 4 weeks. Not to mention the dealer actually lied about the range. They did say that the extended range battery would have some loss due to cold (I have seen this even in 53 degree weather), but not to the extent I experienced. I am disappointed that I was sold a car that is over 90,000 and the lack of customer service is shocking. Between the terrible range I get with this and the fact that I still can't even find out when I will get a charger I might just sell the car for a loss. I will say the F-150 drives really well, but if you try to take it on the highway and drive at 70MPH good luck getting a range greater than 195/200 miles. And this is also without turning on any heat, heated seats, steering wheel, etc. Then you have to find an open charger that is ultra fast. Because if your traveling out of town and try to charge at a regular charger it will take you hours. At an 350Kwh charger it takes about 40 minutes. I know I am rambling, but what I was sold and what the reality has been is incredible. I think the FTC should actually investigate the claims Ford dealers are making when they sell the EV. They actually lie and then after buying you realize how terrible the situation is you are stuck with a very expensive truck that you could not take on a trip out of town. I may get rid of this truck before anyone from SunRun even calls me back about this "free" charger.

I understand your frustration with the 80amp charger not being available. Mine came in 6 days back in May. There's clearly something going on, and Ford should be communicating about it, and has not.

As to your other comments, you're driving in Illinois in the cold weather. Yes, you lose range. If you didn't know that, that's on you.

Yes, you need to find a DC Fast Charger. If you plan a trip, use the tools available like A Better Route Planner and PlugShare to plan your trip. Electrify America, when they work, are your best bet. You want to charge to 80%, not higher, because charging speed slows dramatically. And, you want to be navigating to that charger using Ford Navigation, because it will prewarm the battery starting about 18.6 miles from the charger, but only if you're using the navigation and it's your next destination.

I've driven about 26,000 miles with Mach-Es, and a few thousand with the truck. Just took a 4,708 mile trip in October with the Mach-E.

 

[F150ROD]

Me too.

 

[Tony Burgh]

Four snarky posts written and deleted.
Good Luck. Hope things work out for you.

 

[Budshark]

I had the same issue.
Got assigned a Sunrun case number. Took about 6 weeks of back and forth before I finally got a shipping number. Charger arrived 4-5 days later.

 

[Jim Lewis]

I have a 2023 Lightning ER. I have made four or five ~168-mile round trips between Austin and San Antonio, TX doing 65 to 70 mph on IH-35 most of the way using only ~60% of the charge in my ER battery. I use BC, and am usually trailing behind a vehicle (at a safe distance of 3 to 4 car lengths, often an 18-wheeler, because all other vehicles are whizzing by me above the speed limit, etc. My mileage at that speed works out to about 283 miles per full charge, but I always stay between 20% and 80% SOC and usually right around 50% SOC for city driving. I accelerate and brake very gently to maximize range, to not get dinged by the State Farm Drive Safe & Save app for excessive driving, and to maximize the long-term lifespan of my battery. I haven't experienced significant cold yet in my Lightning, but I figure, since I have yet to drive more than 200 miles in one day, I won't have to spend 40 minutes or anything like that on a charger to add enough miles to return home with >20% SOC on my battery. Using just the provided Mobile Charger at my daughter's house in Austin for eight to ten hours (didn't keep careful track), I was able to add about 10% charge back.

There are lots of chargers strung out along IH-35 between Austin and San Antonio. Since I'm a ~78-year-old retiree, if I have to spend 40 minutes at a charger somewhere, it's not going to be the end of the world for me. At my age, I have very little to rush to, and it's great to enjoy every remaining minute on the planet in a relaxed way.

My lifetime combined city/highway driving with the vehicle (~60% city, ~40% highway) workers out to 328 miles on a full charge at temps between 60 and 106 deg F so far) or 2.5 mi/kWh, in line with the EPA estimates of Lightning range. So I seem to have got what I paid for. I'm sorry you didn't find the same.

 

[BlueLightningII]

I have a brand new one I'll sell you cheap. When you finally get yours you can make your money back

 

[EdRudy]

Sounds like somebody should have bought an ICE instead of an EV.

Hope everything works out for you!

 

[Adventureboy]

I feel for you. I got mine within a week in January. I've heard supply issues are the main delay. In the meantime, it might cost you a bit, but an aftermarket adjustable amperage EVSE is a VERY USEFUL tool for me and it would bridge the gap until the FCSP comes in. It will continue to provide options if you travel to areas that don't have a charger installed but have plug-in options. It may be cheaper to go this route rather than use a DCFC if it takes several weeks to come in. Certainly more convenient.

You will still need power roughed in with a 50A outlet to power it. Perhaps get Sun Run to rough in your 100 amp circuit and install a 50A breaker on a 14-50R and use the portable charger while you wait. Then they can just drop the 14-50P and wire to the FCSP and swap the breaker when the FCSP comes in.

 

[62F1004x4]

I have gone through this as well as others on the forum and seriously considered returning the truck after the third week of ownership. I called Ford and explained my frustration and that problem was poorly followed up. That is to say that things go wrong but after having for 6 months it’s getting better and am enjoying driving it. Hang in there.

 

[Ekiehn]

I sympathize with everyone who lives in colder climates, it is as its best in moderate to warm weather. @RickLighting said it well and I would suggest diving into this forum to learn all you can. Typical of many but not a dealers, they don't know enough about the new tech to give people a heads up.. they are afraid of loosing the sale. If they had the right info and maybe links to this forum they would probably make the sale anyway... The charger is a problem that needs to be resolved and the suggestion to see if you can get Sunrun to do all the wiring for the charger or buy one cheap and when you get yours sell the new one is good advice. You need to be able to charge at home and pre condition the cab in colder weather. We are early adopters, the penalty is we have to put up with some of this stuff, the payoff is that it really is a great Truck and when all of a sudden when that tipping point hits and everyone has one and is saying how great it is you can smile and say, yup I know I've had mine since 23 or 22

 

[jthew]

I have been calling Sun Run for 4 weeks now and they continue to say there is a data issue and cannot send the charger I should have gotten for free after buying the Platinium F-150. I just called for the fourth time to Sun Run and was given another reason why the charger has not shipped. I think I jumped the gun buying an EV so quickly and I had high hopes for Ford. I called the dealer to see if they could hep resolve this and they say they will call me back. I've called two times and no one calls me back . I know once they make the sale they could care less and that has been clear. Sun run says it is a Ford issue and they are waiting to hear from Ford. Crickets... no charger after 4 weeks. Not to mention the dealer actually lied about the range. They did say that the extended range battery would have some loss due to cold (I have seen this even in 53 degree weather), but not to the extent I experienced. I am disappointed that I was sold a car that is over 90,000 and the lack of customer service is shocking. Between the terrible range I get with this and the fact that I still can't even find out when I will get a charger I might just sell the car for a loss. I will say the F-150 drives really well, but if you try to take it on the highway and drive at 70MPH good luck getting a range greater than 195/200 miles. And this is also without turning on any heat, heated seats, steering wheel, etc. Then you have to find an open charger that is ultra fast. Because if your traveling out of town and try to charge at a regular charger it will take you hours. At an 350Kwh charger it takes about 40 minutes. I know I am rambling, but what I was sold and what the reality has been is incredible. I think the FTC should actually investigate the claims Ford dealers are making when they sell the EV. They actually lie and then after buying you realize how terrible the situation is you are stuck with a very expensive truck that you could not take on a trip out of town. I may get rid of this truck before anyone from SunRun even calls me back about this "free" charger.

 

[jthew]

I will give you 50K tommorrow if you are ready to sell!

 

[gregoryhcain]

I have ‘23 Lariat and got my FCSP within a week ov delivery. Bought a second FCSP from Ford for my second home and got it in just days. Clearly something is wrong with your charger delivery and Ford needs to straighten it out quickly. But the cold and speed issues require some further consideration. If you’ve owned gas trucks and tracked your gas mileage your numbers decreases geometricly. Just simple college physics 101. Wind resistance increases by the square of the velocity. You only notice it in a gas or diesel if you track it or monitor your expenditure vs speed. For instance, I drive the same forty mile stretch (80m RT) to work every day and in our 45 degree weather I average 2.2 m/kWh driving 60mph. If I drive 70 that drops to 1.6; 37% more cost for a 16% increase in speed. Fortunately our speed limit is 60 and I drive 60 and the other guy who passes me gets to pay more for fuel and meet Washington’s finest and help fill the state coffers. At 45 degrees my range would drop to about 210 from 290 driving 70 vs 60. Now in an EV you won’t notice the expense. One home I pay 11c/kWh, the other 7c/kWH, average 9c/kWh. So for an 80 mile daily commute I would pay 1.25 more in electricity to go 10 mph faster. My gas truck, which I still own, the difference for the two speeds is about 7.50. Over a twenty day work day month I would barely notice the difference in my Lightning, but over a month or a year in my gas truck it would start to sting. But the ticket from the WSP for 10 over and my insurance premium increases would make even this seem small. So driving 60, even 65 will increase range, get you there safer and leave more potential energy in your battery, and forgo meeting Law Enforcement. But once you get your FCSP, you might not care unless your daily commute is well over 150 miles. It takes 10 seconds to plug in, 10 seconds to unplug and charges at night, giving me an 80% SOC every morning without ever stopping at a gas station. I shop at Costco and pity those in those in the pump lines 10 cars deep to save 50c/gal. As for long trips and towing; you just have to plan your route and you fill find PlugShare and ABRP along with Ford’s nave will get you where you need to go with the least amount of inconvenience in our developing networks that are far from mature. I vacationed 600-1600 miles over half a dozen times both towing my boat and not towing this past year in the Lightning. Has it been hassel free? No it has not. But every trip I get better at planning and the network is slowly improving. Gas stations at every corner did not spring up overnight; it will take charging networks a while to build. But in the long run it will be better for all concerned. I truly wish you the best of luck getting your FCSP; once you do you’ll love this truck.

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