New Ford Lightning Owner Stranded Without Ford Home Charging Station

[geographer]

Watch State of Charge videos on YouTube & go to QMerit website. They gave me a quote & had charger installed in a week.

Thank you. I filled out Qmerit's form a couple of days ago. Easy peasy. Looking forward to them getting out here to get me 220 charging capabilities.

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[Sherm]

I certainly hope so. It really sucks to have a new truck and not be able to drive it but one day out of the week. I only get 235 miles of range on an extended-range truck and the Dealership/Ford/Sunrun can't figure out how to get me a Home Charging Station. So yes, I am stranded at home for days.

Was in similar situation so I bought a Ford Pro Charging Station from a gentleman on one of the forums here. Sure enough, after I got the one I purchased installed, the Sunrun one showed up a few days after. I can put the Sunrun one up for sale or maybe install at a retail storage building a friend and I have. The Sunrun came about two weeks after my dealer posted the actual sale.

 

[Nikos]

I certainly hope so. It really sucks to have a new truck and not be able to drive it but one day out of the week. I only get 235 miles of range on an extended-range truck and the Dealership/Ford/Sunrun can't figure out how to get me a Home Charging Station. So yes, I am stranded at home for days.

Hello folks.
I own a Lariat with the ER battery.
Even in cold weather, I get 300 miles when charged to 100%. Since I only charge it to 90% at home, I consistently see 280 miles.
If you own the truck for a short period of time, you will need to teach it how you drive and the truck will learn from you.
I have found also to reset the driving history and you will see that with an ER battery and outside temp lower than 35° would yield 300 miles when you charge it to 100%.
Select Drive Mode. Then Settings, then Vehicle, then stroll down to Driving History and Reset History.
The vehicle will erase all previous history driving data.
Now.....about the charger. The mobile charger will do fine if you have a 240 50 amp outlet. The mobile charger will draw 34-36 amps at a 26-28 miles an hour.
When I take the my Lightning camping, I plug the mobile charger at an 50 amp outlet, and leave it overnight to charge to 100%, which can take up to 8 hours to complete charging. Now....about the 80 amp wallbox charger, (Ford Power Pro Charger), which needs 240V and 100 amp circuit breaker circuit. Once installed, the device and the truck will pull 80amps almost all the time. In hot summer days the wallbox will overheat and stop the charging until it cools down and then start the charging again. In cold environments, below 50°, the charger will do fine without overheating. The factory setting is set at 80 amps from the factory and it draws 80 amps the cord gets warm and really flexible.
Now.....how to get that charger.
If you have ordered the ER battery and the Lariat or Platinum with Intelligent Back Up Power option, you getting the 80 amp charger. It doesn't come with the truck and your dealer is not getting it either.
SunRun has your charger in their CA warehouse. You need to call them, be patient on the phone until you directed to the right person. They will ask you about your vehicle's VIN #, to verify it is sold to you by checking Ford's records. Once the verification is confirmed, you will be asked to verify your address and if you like to have SunRun to install it at your place. Once you make it thru this process, they will ship your charger FedEx to your place within 4-5 days.
I didn't use SunRun for the installation so I requested my charger to be shipped to me.
God luck.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Now....about the 80 amp wallbox charger, (Ford Power Pro Charger), which needs 240V and 100 amp circuit breaker circuit. Once installed, the device and the truck will pull 80amps almost all the time. In hot summer days the wallbox will overheat and stop the charging until it cools down and then start the charging again. In cold environments, below 50°, the charger will do fine without overheating. The factory setting is set at 80 amps from the factory and it draws 80 amps the cord gets warm and really flexible.

Many of us who experienced the premature shutdowns due to overheating resolved this issue with a firmware update.

Curious, if you have connected your FCSP to your home WiFi?
Have you done a complete shutdown of the FCSP since it was first turned on?

The default firmware in the FCSP needs to be updated, this happens while connected to the internet, make sure to fully configure the FCSP is an important step, then after it has run for a day or two, shut down the FCSP at the circuit breaker, leave off for ~5 minutes, then restore power, do not use the FCSP for about 30 minutes, it reconnects to the internet and finalizes any prior firmware changes.

 

[Pioneer74]

Hello folks.
I own a Lariat with the ER battery.
Even in cold weather, I get 300 miles when charged to 100%. Since I only charge it to 90% at home, I consistently see 280 miles.
If you own the truck for a short period of time, you will need to teach it how you drive and the truck will learn from you.
I have found also to reset the driving history and you will see that with an ER battery and outside temp lower than 35° would yield 300 miles when you charge it to 100%.

Just because your dash gives you a DTE of 300 miles doesn't mean it will go that far.

Temps in southern Michigan have ranged from the teens to mid thirties at night lately. My DTE every morning after charging to 90% says 283 to 285 miles. When I drive my 50 mile commute it reduces it by almost double. After my 100 mile round trip, it's usually showing a DTE of around 80 to 90 miles. It's been like this since the DTE update. It doesn't learn or take into account your driving style anymore.

Don't trust that 300 mile number in cold weather. Your truck is lying to you.

 

[Nikos]

Many of us who experienced the premature shutdowns due to overheating resolved this issue with a firmware update.

Curious, if you have connected your FCSP to your home WiFi?
Have you done a complete shutdown of the FCSP since it was first turned on?

The default firmware in the FCSP needs to be updated, this happens while connected to the internet, make sure to fully configure the FCSP is an important step, then after it has run for a day or two, shut down the FCSP at the circuit breaker, leave off for ~5 minutes, then restore power, do not use the FCSP for about 30 minutes, it reconnects to the internet and finalizes any prior firmware changes.

Glad you mentioned all of the above.
Getting the wallbox to work has been an ordeal that was taking care of quite recently. First the wallbox would not recognize it's access code. So for couple months while I was in communications with Siemens and Ford, the wallbox was just a charger. The truck was doing all the work.
Siemens, eventually found that one letter in the access code was a lower case letter than an upper case letter. Then I had issues with my Ford Power Pro app unable to recognize the charger. My Ford Power Pro Charger is installed next to my 48 amp Charge Point Flex Home charger.
The app will pick that charger first. I had to shut down the Charge Point device and start the process again to find the Siemens charger. Needless to say that I had arranged a three way call between Ford, Siemens and myself, for almost 2 1/2 hours to resolve my issues.
It worked. Yes....as soon as Siemens detected their charger on their servers, they uploaded the latest firmware, which took almost 20 min. They were numerous factory resets and shutdowns performed to resolve my issues.
Currently, the wallbox charger is working as advertised. It receives the firmware updates and communicates with FordPass app.
Ford was very helpful in the entire process also. Honestly they tried hard to resolve the problems that I had with the charger.
Also currently both chargers coexist without any interference. I even use my 80 amp charger to charge my Mach E.
What I am not thrilled about this Siemens charger or the Ford Power Pro app is the info details that it displays. My Charge Point app gives me details of power drawn real time.
Also the cost of the total KW drawn in every charging event. Power Pro app is only gives you the KWs drawn after you finished charging the truck. The app needs more updates to address these shortcomings.
Now though it all works. Don't forget that the installation of this Wallbox, is a legitimate $1100 tax credit. I had one with my Charge Point Flex taken in 2021.
All is well with the Lightning which I use every day since I took delivery.
Hot, warm, cold, frigid weather, the truck is doing fine. It just takes/uses more energy to warm it's battery and occupants on cold/frigid days. Preconditioning is a must for some of us. It is another habit we have to adjust/learn to do. ICE vehicles have remote start and conditioning.
As long as the vehicle is hooked up to a charger and FordPass is configured for conditioning, it will work every time keeping the truck warm and ready for your cold morning commute. Don't be surprised to see 10KW used upin the process.
Happy New Year everyone.

 

[Nikos]

Just because your dash gives you a DTE of 300 miles doesn't mean it will go that far.

Temps in southern Michigan have ranged from the teens to mid thirties at night lately. My DTE every morning after charging to 90% says 283 to 285 miles. When I drive my 50 mile commute it reduces it by almost double. After my 100 mile round trip, it's usually showing a DTE of around 80 to 90 miles. It's been like this since the DTE update. It doesn't learn or take into account your driving style anymore.

Don't trust that 300 mile number in cold weather. Your truck is lying to you.

I don't disagree with you. Cold temps in SC are not to compare with MI. Although lately, I have seen teens and single digit temps for couple days even here in the upper corner of SC. I am comfortable with what my truck is doing. I interpret all the indications displayed/given to me constantly.
You all do the same. You drive your vehicles differently in different weather conditions.
What you telling me is quite true.
We have adapted and willing to adjust to this New Normal. I am comfortable with it.
It is not perfect. For me it is the new normal. I don't think of it, unless I have to drive out west where the distances are long with spotty charging opportunities if you are off the interstate infrastructure.
I am quite comfortable for being the early adaptor. Risk management is what I can cope with in my life. It is fine. It has worked with me. I am extremely happy with my Lightning and my Mach E.
Happy New Year folks.

 

[Leroyjac75]

I got the extended range but it was a mannequin for the dealership and had close to 900 miles on it before I took possession.

Reset your EV history when you charge it back up. Then it will start from 309 or so and adjust to your driving. Raise your tire pressure instead of rolling on soft tires. I average over 2 mi/ kW - about 290.

 

[Charley]

I certainly hope so. It really sucks to have a new truck and not be able to drive it but one day out of the week. I only get 235 miles of range on an extended-range truck and the Dealership/Ford/Sunrun can't figure out how to get me a Home Charging Station. So yes, I am stranded at home for days.

Not to deviate from the original question again but to address the range questions there are temperature conditions and charger/truck settings that can limit the charge. I can get 290-300 miles if desired. I am charging in Florida and adjust charging so as NOT to fully charge every time. I only full charge when traveling.

 

[geographer]

Update 1/6/2023:

I apologize if anyone felt anxious about the subject of the post as some expressed.

After many failed attempts to work with the dealership, Ford, and Sunrun to get the charging equipment that was owed to me, I turned to this forum as a social bullhorn.

Yesterday, I was able to talk to a Ford representative in the BEV department and get assigned a case number and was told that I should receive an email from Sunrun for delivery address confirmation. He said that leadership just became aware of the issue that mannequin Ford Lightning owners were experiencing with not getting the charging equipment. Another forum member sent an email to the CEO a few days ago... perhaps coincidental.

As far as the range of the truck, I have reset the EV driving history and watched numerous videos on this forum and have implemented some of the suggestions to extend the range and increase mi/kWh.

Thank you everyone for your input and I will keep you posted as I receive the equipment and get it installed.

 

[Aschool]

I would say good luck to having a response from anyone at Sunrun. I've been calling and emailing excessively to be heard. I get the same "A note has been made and you will have someone contact you within 1 to 2 buisness days"....which is absolutely incorrect. I've been dealing with Alexandria via email only and the process of getting my charger sent out has been beyond frustrating and disappointing. Going on week #4.....shame on Ford and Sunrun for this process.

If there was any information stating that a charger is coming, a queue in line, expected delivery date....really anything would be an improvement. At the moment, I as a customer, am left to sit in limbo not knowing what the status of the situation is. To be determined...

 

[Sherm]

Reset your EV history when you charge it back up. Then it will start from 309 or so and adjust to your driving. Raise your tire pressure instead of rolling on soft tires. I average over 2 mi/ kW - about 290.

What pressure do you have your tires at?
Mine are 45.

 

[Leroyjac75]

What pressure do you have your tires at?
Mine are 45.

I set mine at 46, which gives me cold psi of 43, and when tires are fully heated, 48-49. It is still below max and it does help my mileage and still ride smooth.

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