What’s One F-150 Lightning Upgrade You’d Recommend After Living With It?

[TripleAliners]

A lot of mods look great when they’re brand new, but the real test comes after months or years of daily use.

What’s one F-150 Lightning accessory or mod you’ve added that you’re still happy with after months or even years of use?

Maybe it’s something that protects your truck, makes daily driving easier, or just improves the overall ownership experience.


Drop your experience in the comments:

• What mod or accessory is it?
• How long has it been on your truck?
• Would you recommend it to other Lightning owners?
  
  
  

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[riggie]

A carlinkit carplay adapter, with the TorquePro app and a bt obd2 dongle...it has followed me from my bronco sport to my mach-e and now to my flash (with an upgraded carlinkit or two through the years)

Here's my post in the mach-e forum about it POST

 

[Joe Dablock]

My Lightning blue accents make it easy to spot my truck from a 1/4 mile.(excuse the dirt)

 

[djwildstar]

What’s one F-150 Lightning accessory or mod you’ve added that you’re still happy with after months or even years of use?

Modifications
I put AMP Research PowerSteps on my truck less than a month after I bought it. So I've had them for a bit over 3 years, with no problems. I'd recommend them to anyone who needs more-secure footing getting in and out of the cab (I'm over 60, and my wife has arthritis in her hip). Compared to the stock fixed running boards, they deploy lower and farther out, and also allow you to get more of your foot on the running board.

After the first fall with the truck, I found leaves over the radiator (up under the front bumper), so I added a Radiator Grille to my front bumper so that I wouldn't have to periodically shop-vac debris out of this area. Again, no problems with this since it was installed.

Accessories
I keep an OBDLink CX in the glove box of both my Lightning and my wife's Mach-E, again since I got the truck. The main reason I got it was to get live data into ABRP -- it provides calibrated reference consumption data for trip planning, and allows ABRP to monitor battery state of charge during trips. However, I've found that I use it as a diagnostic tool at least as often (including things like checking the 12V state of charge).

I also have a Ford Fast Charging Adapter and a TeslaTap MINI 80A on the Lightning (and the TeslaTap MINI 60A on the Mach-E). I have had no problems with either, and use them multiple times on a typical road trip, and I take 900-1600 mile road trips 2-4 times a year. Caveat: As far as I can tell, TeslaTap has not (yet) gotten their adapters UL2252/CSA-C22.2 certified, so I would recommend that people instead purchase UL/CSA approved products from A2Z or Lectron. I'd also recommend that you purchase 80A-capable adapters for 2022-2023 Lightnings on the chance that you encounter a Tesla Wall Connector or Tesla Destination Charger that will deliver more than 48A (I have found 80A Tesla chargers in the wild, once).

 

[Howieb456]

As a new owner of a used 2025 Lightning Platinum, I still cannot believe that Ford pulled the HomeLink feature in 2024. I guess that Ford was bleeding money and needed to remove features in an attempt to keep the Lightning alive. But it's ridiculous that a Lightning with a sticker price of $91K doesn't have HomeLink. I do see that there are companies that sell new visors, or rearview mirrors with HomeLink, but they are pretty expensive. I guess I can go the route of finding a junked F150 with HomeLink but that feels janky to me as getting a stinky, stained used visor and puttin it in my basically new(less than 9K miles) truck doesn't sit well. I do see there is something I can attach to my garage door opener that will allow it work with my phone. Need more research on that topic. But besides this gripe, I love the truck and everytime I get in it, I still can't believe it's mine.

 

[Space Flash]

As a new owner of a used 2025 Lightning Platinum, I still cannot believe that Ford pulled the HomeLink feature in 2024. I guess that Ford was bleeding money and needed to remove features in an attempt to keep the Lightning alive. But it's ridiculous that a Lightning with a sticker price of $91K doesn't have HomeLink. I do see that there are companies that sell new visors, or rearview mirrors with HomeLink, but they are pretty expensive. I guess I can go the route of finding a junked F150 with HomeLink but that feels janky to me as getting a stinky, stained used visor and puttin it in my basically new(less than 9K miles) truck doesn't sit well. I do see there is something I can attach to my garage door opener that will allow it work with my phone. Need more research on that topic. But besides this gripe, I love the truck and everytime I get in it, I still can't believe it's mine.

Count me as surprised (shocked?) that our '25 didn't have Homelink or a spare tire.

That said, our Lightning won't fit in our garage so I don't miss it that much. Our Genie garage door opener has an app that'll let me open and close it as needed but it's not as convenient.

Also bought a matching used wheel and tire for a spare. Agreed, not sure how much they saved while still providing a "goo repair kit" plus as I understand it, the wiring for the Homelink is already there.

I guess it's not a big deal (for me), but kind of embarrassing for Ford IMHO.

 

[Howieb456]

Count me lucky that I do have a spare tire. I'll check the junkyards this weekend. I've read(maybe on this site) that our current visors are HomeLink ready and it's just a matter of a bit of surgery to take one from an old visor and 'frankestein' it to mine. Or I just use my old Genie remote. First World problems. lol

 

[Mal106]

A dashcam. With all the installed cameras, it should be unnecessary but you need a recording camera at least looking forward for your own protection.

 

[davehu]

Easy, Extang Solod Fold ALX Tonneau Cover. Had one on my Silverado for 4 years and bought one immediately for my Lariat which is going on 3 years.

 

[RickLightning]

I have mats, bedliner (Ford factory), bed mat, mudflaps (painted blue Lightning that needs to be repainted again), dash cam front and rear, ...

But the answer to me is EASY. CarScanner and an OBD dongle, giving me VISIBILITY to important stuff that Ford hides. Driving on a trip, I want to see the ENERGY available. In warm weather it might be 131kW. In the dead of winter it's maybe 107. That times my efficiency equals actual range.

Second is my Diamondback HD tonneau.

 

[RickLightning]

I think @djwildstar wins for "Questions I didn't understand" Alex. You listed 5!

 

[Randys Lightning]

A lot of mods look great when they’re brand new, but the real test comes after months or years of daily use.

What’s one F-150 Lightning accessory or mod you’ve added that you’re still happy with after months or even years of use?

Maybe it’s something that protects your truck, makes daily driving easier, or just improves the overall ownership experience.


Drop your experience in the comments:

• What mod or accessory is it?
• How long has it been on your truck?
• Would you recommend it to other Lightning owners?
  
  
  

 

[Randys Lightning]

K03s

 

[oldman_74]

Homelink Blues can be corrected with: https://www.amazon.com/893MAX-Unive...8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

 

[JayF]

Homelink Blues can be corrected with: https://www.amazon.com/893MAX-Universal-LiftMaster-Garage-Opener/dp/B0DH8633CK/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=D0965K6B6QZ9&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pYcRHsbuyjt4ZwLZw_pnbVq7gjZvg4KI1kbDwRDrct7ORJo43qRRYgBb_95fRX4YmBUl0fXG6fWI_Vpy_nZjDtCWUuNMSFoJw1aZuxytyTmLIwDhMBrvZpeCPQoLxLJZHv9RA2lrqBpo2c5sml4QLNNbxV5yLwK8aDpfIzCpjWqMYXokqO7BuYaFq873Gz5dgBVgMS_TBgrNYoOTN-M6yEhSI08wbbbjCIzJwAPlxJ4HzKo0v5lAM065j1scOwjbR9jVNsrS8rGGXi3BHYlb0aVVGFBTbKYGBWR7qlwMfm8.Tthl_wuryP8JFQAIPuqCJ7Cb5k0rSekTZztB6MhUUAY&dib_tag=se&keywords=homelink+visor+garage+door+opener&qid=1786741418&sprefix=homelionk+visor+,aps,213&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

A clip-on garage door opener is MUCH more clunky than the Homelink. The integrated buttons are one of the things I liked about moving from my old truck.

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