Ford discovered the problem that led to the battery pack catching hearth on a 2023 F-150 Lightning electrical pickup truck.
On Friday, Ford spokesperson Emma Bergg instructed Inexperienced Automobile Reviews the automaker will recall 18 2023 Ford F-150 Lightnings and substitute their high-voltage battery pack.
Bergg confirmed Lightning electrical vans 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 attainable. Not like the Chevy Bolt EV recall, Ford won’t advise homeowners to cease driving their F-150 Lightnings, park exterior, or restrict charging.
“The vehicles passed a pre-delivery quality check and connected vehicle data shows no anomalies,” Bergg defined by way of e-mail.
A free loaner automobile can be supplied to prospects however it 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 hearth exterior whereas present process its pre-delivery high quality verify. A stop-build and stop-ship order was issued. The foundation explanation for the hearth was decided to be a battery cell manufacturing defect. Packs which may embrace suspect cells had been constructed throughout a four-week window on the finish of 2022, in accordance with Bergg.
Ford will not touch upon what number of vans had been constructed with packs with suspect cells throughout the finish of 2022, solely noting that 18 vans constructed throughout that interval made it to sellers and prospects.
Ford will not be conscious of any experiences of crashes, fires, or accidents associated to this recall.
After Ford and battery provider SK On confirmed the basis causes of the problem, engineering and components expenses 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 fireplace.
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.
