We now know what brought about an F-150 Lightning to catch hearth in February.
On Friday, Ford spokesperson Emma Berg instructed Motor Authority the automaker will recall 18 2023 F-150 Lightning electrical vans as a result of a battery situation. The difficulty is what led to the hearth in February and can immediate Ford to switch the affected vans’ high-voltage battery packs.
Bergg stated battery provider SK On and Ford decided the hearth was attributable to a battery cell manufacturing defect. Battery packs with the defect have been constructed and shipped to the manufacturing line over a four-week interval on the finish of 2022.
Ford has established that solely 18 F-150 Lightnings with suspect packs from that four-week interval went to sellers and prospects.
Ford sellers will change the packs of the affected F-150 Lightnings for his or her homeowners. Bergg stated the packs might be changed quickly as they’re in inventory. Clients might be notified as quickly as doable.
Ford just isn’t asking prospects to park their electrical vans exterior, cease driving them, or cease charging them as a result of they handed a pre-delivery high quality test and linked car knowledge exhibits no anomalies. No accidents or accidents have been reported as a result of this recall, and the one hearth befell within the Ford pre-delivery lot.
Loaner automobiles might be supplied to prospects whereas their vans’ batteries are changed.
Manufacturing of the F-150 Lightning was halted in February after a truck’s battery pack caught on hearth exterior Ford’s Dearborn plant whereas awaiting pre-delivery high quality inspections. A stop-build order and in-transit stop-ship order have been issued instantly.
As soon as SK On and Ford decided the issue was a battery cell manufacturing defect, elements adjustments have been applied in new packs. Ford would not elaborate on precisely what the defect was.
Bergg reiterated that manufacturing of the F-150 Lightning with a clear inventory of battery packs is nonetheless set to restart on Monday.