ekalb76

I just picked up a 2023 F150 Raptor and I am trying to figure out the light switch in the bed of the truck.

If I hit the button with the ignition on (truck running or not running) all lights work including the two in the bed. If I hit the button with the truck off (locked or unlocked) the two bed lights wont turn on, but the ones in the third brake light and ones the front door mirrors will. Is that normal?

I am coming from a 2019 lariat where that switch would turn the bed lights with the truck off. Not seeing much in Forscan about adjusting it.

addabob

That isn’t how these lights work on my ‘21. When I hit the switch, the 2 bed lights and the lights in the 3rd brake light turn on/off regardless of whether the truck is running and/or locked or not. I have never noticed the mirror zone lights turn on either. Like you said, maybe it is FORScan adjustable if you can find the right parameter.…

viper91681

This is how it is on my 23 as well, so something doesn't seem to be working right on your Raptor.

ekalb76

hmmm. I will keep messing with it. thanks

krugford

I just went out and tested my 2022 XLT over lunch. With no key present, hitting the button in the box does not turn on the box lights, it only illuminates the cab light. I'll take a closer look this afternoon when I have some free time.

edit: I swear that's not how it used to work. I feel like when I first got the truck, the bed switch turned on the box lights regardless of whether a key was present or not.

ekalb76

my old truck certainly worked that way. very weird

krugford

I played with it some more, it's been several days since i drove my truck last and it was in sleep mode. The approach lights did not come on when I entered my shop.

- I unlocked the truck with the fob, switch in the bed DID NOT turn the bed lights on, just the cab light.
- I turned the ignition on with the key present and the switch in the bed operates as expected, bed and cab light comes on.
- I turned the truck back off, with the key in my pocket, the switch in the bed operates as expected, bed and cab light comes on.
- I locked the truck, the switch in the bed still turns on the box lights.
- I put my keys back in the house (~50ft away) and walked back to the truck, switch in the bed operates as expected, bed and cab light comes on.

So I'd say my truck is operating as it always has, it's just that when it was in sleep mode, the box lights don't come on. And apparently, just unlocking the truck with the fob wasn't enough to wake it back up.

Kinda weird behavior to me. If I were to hazard a guess, whatever module is responsible for physically turning on the cab light is not the same module responsible for turning on the box lights when commanded. One (or more) modules on the truck likely do not enter sleep mode like the rest. That in and of itself isn't surprising, since the truck has to keep some part of itself awake to respond to the fob, keypad, and/or door opening.

ekalb76

you're 100% spot on with this! Mine is now behaving as I was expecting it to. I was messing with it last night after not driving it for two days and I'm guessing things were asleep.

Thanks for taking the time to diagnose it.

troy12n

Seems odd to me that they decided the 21+ bed lights should come on automatically. I would be looking for a way to change this. Call me crazy, but i've owned trucks long enough that the above cab bed light (which was optional until the 1993 MY) only came on when you turned it on manually. If you go far enough back, it was a separate switch on the door pillar.

Anyway, I didn't order my 2023 with this option because you had to pay the almost $900 for the "bed technology package" or whatever it's called, you cannot get the LED bed lights separately like you used to be able to. I don't need any of that other stuff, so i'm going the route of either installing aftermarket ones or buying the stock parts and installing them myself.

My brother and dad's 2018 trucks have these lights and they only come on when you tell them to. It should at least be a menu option to set it up one way or another.

artsr2002

Are y'all able to turn off the cargo lights and leave the doors open using the switch in the bed? On mine, If I need to leave the doors open for a bit, say while cleaning out the truck, the cargo lights are on the entire time. The only way they turn off is to close all the doors. I have no bed lights or switch in the bed only the in-cab switch for the cargo lights in the 3rd brake light above the bed.