Water in rear light bar

[blazetke]

Welp, I am now a 2 time victim of this issue. $1400 repair. Ford BEV Rep says they’ll help pay for it, but not cover it entirely. Ford Protect says it’s not a covered part despite me having lighting as an option. I’ve been pulled over and given a warning for it being out. Kinda sucks that I’m we’re getting screwed by Ford on a known issue.

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[TwentyTwentyThree]

Welp, I am now a 2 time victim of this issue. $1400 repair. Ford BEV Rep says they’ll help pay for it, but not cover it entirely. Ford Protect says it’s not a covered part despite me having lighting as an option. I’ve been pulled over and given a warning for it being out. Kinda sucks that I’m we’re getting screwed by Ford on a known issue.

Welp, I am now a 2 time victim of this issue. $1400 repair. Ford BEV Rep says they’ll help pay for it, but not cover it entirely. Ford Protect says it’s not a covered part despite me having lighting as an option. I’ve been pulled over and given a warning for it being out. Kinda sucks that I’m we’re getting screwed by Ford on a known issue.

Hold up.
The lighting add on package you buy through granger doesn’t cover the light bar??!?!?!?!?

 

[RLXXI]

Should be the same as what Flood Ford sells, which is where I got mine and it clearly states you have to have the EV ESP and have lighting selected as an optional coverage. Here's a snip from the brochure.

 

[luebri]

Reminder to everyone... please file claims with NHTSA, it takes just a few minutes. Pushing for another NHTSA recall is probably the only long term recourse we have.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index

 

[Randall Stephens]

Welp, I am now a 2 time victim of this issue. $1400 repair. Ford BEV Rep says they’ll help pay for it, but not cover it entirely. Ford Protect says it’s not a covered part despite me having lighting as an option. I’ve been pulled over and given a warning for it being out. Kinda sucks that I’m we’re getting screwed by Ford on a known issue.

You paid for the proper coverage. Give them one more chance then lawyer up.

 

[Pjunior76]

It gets better...no cracks... original part is defective...but to get my truck back they want $199! See attached. Shame on Ford.

Well, looks like a dead end. Tried the letter to Ford and got denied (attached).

Overall this really disheartens me. My father worked as a machine repairman for Ford for over 40 years. He retired on 01/01/01. So, since 1960, our family has only known Ford products...including but not limited to: Econoline van, Escort, Aerostar, F-150, Lightning, Probe, Windstar, Explorer, Explorer Sport, Escape, Bronco, Edge, Focus, LTD, Ranger, Flex, and Mustang. I think we also had a Thunderbird and Taurus, but can't say definitively.

Myself I spent ~$150k in the past 2 years for the 2023 Lightning, 2025 Escape and 2025 Bronco. These will be the last 3 Ford vehicles that I will ever buy.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Well, looks like a dead end. Tried the letter to Ford and got denied (attached).

Overall this really disheartens me. My father worked as a machine repairman for Ford for over 40 years. He retired on 01/01/01. So, since 1960, our family has only known Ford products...including but not limited to: Econoline van, Escort, Aerostar, F-150, Lightning, Probe, Windstar, Explorer, Explorer Sport, Escape, Bronco, Edge, Focus, LTD, Ranger, Flex, and Mustang. I think we also had a Thunderbird and Taurus, but can't say definitively.

Myself I spent ~$150k in the past 2 years for the 2023 Lightning, 2025 Escape and 2025 Bronco. These will be the last 3 Ford vehicles that I will ever buy.

I'm going to send your case to a different team to review. Someone will be reaching out next week.

 

[blazetke]

I am disheartened by the selectiveness of response by Ford. I don’t have family that worked for Ford, I don’t have the money to buy three vehicles in three years, this is my first Ford. This will also be my last.

I had a perfectly good gas truck when I chose to purchase a Lightning. The fact that Ford has a known defect on a vehicle and is taking no responsibility to ensure that this problem goes away, therefore taking money out of the pockets of not just myself, but countless others is beyond reproach.

The fact that I have an extended service plan that refuses to cover this and tells me to go file a claim with my insurance, which could put me at risk of having my insurance company drop me for having a vehicle with a known defect is not acceptable.

Not everybody can afford this repair. If Ford‘s not willing to figure out a solution for the light bar, discontinue the light bar and put a normal tailgate on your truck.

Patiently waiting for a response from Ford…

V/r,

Jeff Sarver
SGT, USA (Retired)

 

[Dinozero]

You guys are freaking me the heck out so I have the premium EVESP from Ford and I paid for the lighting option



But for some reason, this would not be covered???

 

[blazetke]

You guys are freaking me the heck out so I have the premium EVESP from Ford and I paid for the lighting option



But for some reason, this would not be covered???

It’s not covered. I find myself asking why I bothered to purchase the same coverage.

 

[Dinozero]

It’s not covered. I find myself asking why I bothered to purchase the same coverage.

I mean, this seriously has me considering getting a refund for my whole warranty. Whatever is left.

What is the point? Is there any thing that they can .2 in the fine print that would show this is excluded? What the hell does interior in exterior lighting mean?

 

[Fuzzbutt]

I'm working through the same thing. I have the PremiumCARE with the lighting option and they're trying to say that it's not covered. I have no idea how they're coming to that conclusion. It's also amazing that the recalls that are out there don't appear to show up for my truck even though it's having what seems to be the exact same issue and manufactured within the date window.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V418-7566.PDF

It really seems like this is scoped much too narrowly.

 

[ddbrooke]

I've posted my experience in another thread on this issue but I'll summarize it here.
After being told by my dealer that a second replacement isn't covered they gave me a number for the Ford Recall Team. I spoke to a lady that told me that I had 'good will credit' through my wife's purchase of two Lincolns??? Made no sense to me.

She repeatedly asked me what portion of the repair cost I was willing to pay. My answer was zero each time. She directed me to go back to the dealer and have them create an estimate and email it to her. Weeks later because of the diligence of the service rep at Shultz Ford Harmarville, Pa. I finally heard back from her with the news that Ford would cover the repair. But once again she asked how much I would pay. I finally just threw out $200-$300. Once I told her that she finally explained that if I paid nothing, the parts would be as is no warranty and by paying something I would get the normal 1yr warranty.
The dealer will complete the repair this Friday.

I'm glad I'm being taken care of but this is ridiculous. The ' IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL' letter sent to me in June of 2023, makes clear that Ford and NHTSA considered this to be a serious safety issue and that it would take until the 4th quarter of 2023 for a redesigned part to be made available.
So when the redesign fails to fix the issue Ford gets to just say ' we gave it a shot, what more do you want us to do'.

To the Ford rep that monitors this forum. It's quite obvious that this is not an isolated problem. From just a goodwill point of view, why is your company willing to create such a negative experience for your loyal customers over a clearly defective part.

 

[GoodSam]

I'm working through the same thing. I have the PremiumCARE with the lighting option and they're trying to say that it's not covered. I have no idea how they're coming to that conclusion. It's also amazing that the recalls that are out there don't appear to show up for my truck even though it's having what seems to be the exact same issue and manufactured within the date window.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V418-7566.PDF

It really seems like this is scoped much too narrowly.

Very disappointing. Time to go to court, class action? Or just a small claims?

 

[DarkL1ghtn1ng]

Hey all, just wanted to tag on to this thread as I am facing the same issue. I reported water in the tailgate light bar to my dealer earlier this year, right after I left the 3/36 coverage (I too have PremiumCARE with Lighting coverage) and was told back then that some level of water intrusion is "normal" and was denied a replacement. Recently I noticed the light bar is completely out, and now am having the same issues as you all getting replaced. Despite it being an LED light, Ford warranty is considering it a "body part" and not covering it. My service advisor is still trying to get it covered but reading all your problems is not filling me with hope.

While this truck has never stranded me, every single time it has had to go in for service it has taken a long time to fix. Last year it spent 76 consecutive days in service. Last month it was in for two weeks to replace a failed 12v battery. Now to see this problem somehow not be even a covered repair is pissing me off. I too have been a lifelong Ford guy (traded a 19 Raptor for this, I also have a GT350 currently) but my experience has me really doubting it will be a Ford that replaces this truck eventually.

Following this thread for hopefully some good news....

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