Ford found out the problem that led to the battery pack catching fireplace on a 2023 F-150 Lightning electrical pickup truck.
On Friday, Ford spokesperson Emma Bergg advised Inexperienced Automotive Reviews the automaker will recall 18 2023 Ford F-150 Lightnings and exchange their high-voltage battery pack.
Bergg confirmed Lightning electrical vehicles themselves won’t get replaced, even at buyer requests. Solely the high-voltage battery pack can be changed. Sellers will set up the brand new packs when they’re in inventory.
Prospects can be notified as quickly as potential. Not like the Chevy Bolt EV recall, Ford won’t advise house owners to cease driving their F-150 Lightnings, park outdoors, or restrict charging.
“The autos handed a pre-delivery high quality verify and linked car information reveals no anomalies,” Bergg defined by way of e mail.
A free loaner car can be supplied to clients but it surely in all probability won’t be a F-150 Lightning. Bergg could not touch upon whether or not the loaners could be F-150s as sellers function independently.
F-150 Lightning manufacturing was halted in February as a consequence of a truck catching on fireplace outdoors whereas present process its pre-delivery high quality verify. A stop-build and stop-ship order was issued. The foundation reason behind the fireplace was decided to be a battery cell manufacturing defect. Packs that may embody suspect cells had been constructed throughout a four-week window on the finish of 2022, in line with Bergg.
Ford will not touch upon what number of vehicles had been constructed with packs with suspect cells in the course of the finish of 2022, solely noting that 18 vehicles constructed throughout that interval made it to sellers and clients.
Ford just isn’t conscious of any stories of crashes, fires, or accidents associated to this recall.
After Ford and battery provider SK On confirmed the foundation causes of the problem, engineering and elements prices had been carried out as new packs had been made, however Ford will not elaborate on what these adjustments are or element why there was a hearth.
Manufacturing of the F-150 Lightning will restart on March 13, which has allowed SK On time to construct up to date battery cells into arrays and packs earlier than delivering them to the manufacturing line.
