If you own a newer model Ford F-150 pickup, your truck may have an issue.
Ford announced that it is recalling more than 166,000 F-150s because of an issue with their headlights. The affected headlights may not dim properly, therefore being too bright and reducing visibility for other drivers.
The recall only includes F-150s from the 2018-2020 model years and affects pickups that are equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality.
The problem is a glitch with the headlight switch software which may lead the daytime running lamps to remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the headlight switch is manually changed from the “Auto” position to “Headlamps On”.
In other words, when turning the low-beam headlights on, the switch may fail to also dim the truck’s daytime lights, causing both to be on at the same time and making the lights too bright. The problem does not occur when the switch is left in the “Auto” position.
The issue means the trucks involved in the recall do not comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard for Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment.
According to documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ford is not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to the issue.
Ford will notify owners and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 9, 2020. You can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Their reference number for this recall is 20C03.
To see if your vehicle is included in the recall, just search your 17-digit vehicle identification number on the NHTSA’s vehicle safety website. You can also call the group’s safety hotline at 888-327-4236. The NHTSA’s reference number for this recall is 20V097000.
Ford’s investigation into the issue began in October 2019 in response to a customer’s observation about the headlights. The recall was approved on Feb. 14, 2020.
Kaitlin is a freelance multimedia journalist with a degree in journalism and psychology. Along with Don't Waste Your Money, she also writes for Simplemost, where she covers new product and food launches and overall general news. You can email her at kaitlingateswrites@gmail.com or find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/KaitlinGatesWrites. More.
