2018 F150 Factory Trailer brake controller question
#121
Ok, sounds better, lol. I just bought mine, built in Dearborn, and it has the fuse box defect. I have the same controller that Fairway Ford sells. They are top notch people but then again my local parts department is awesome too, it's the sales parts that has given me the problems. Having said that they're stepping up now, we'll see how long it takes to fix my truck's issue. I bought it a week ago and still haven't taken possession of it. Not accepting a defective truck. I bought it to tow so I need the TBC. It's in the hands of Ford, waiting on their permission and instructions to fix it.
#122
I can report success with a manual installation. I have a 2018 3.5L Eco SuperCrew with 5.5' bed (Purchased in November, built in Dearborn). I confirmed that I have the proper fuse in the proper place. I purchased JL3Z-2C006-AA from here:
https://parts.autonationfordwhitebea...ke-jl3z2c006aa
I installed it using this video:
I enabled it with Forscan following this video:
The brake controller responds well, gain setting works, and if I squeeze it without the trailer plugged it, I get a warning. I'm very pleased I was able to do this without the dealer. (Not that they would have done it anyway)
https://parts.autonationfordwhitebea...ke-jl3z2c006aa
I installed it using this video:
I enabled it with Forscan following this video:
The brake controller responds well, gain setting works, and if I squeeze it without the trailer plugged it, I get a warning. I'm very pleased I was able to do this without the dealer. (Not that they would have done it anyway)
The following users liked this post:
LE_Ranger (02-11-2020)
#123
Yes as long as you have the fuse there is no issue at all and the dealers won't have a problem with it. In your case since you flashed it if you have to take it in for a warranty repair you're going to have to remove the TBC and reflash or they can void your warranty. I got that straight from Ford this evening when I was with them for over an hour trying trying to get them to approve a fix for my truck.
If I had the fuse I'd buy the controller and install it myself to save a lot of money but I'd take it to a dealer to get flashed. This way it's covered under the 36 month bumper to bumper factory warranty. After that use Forscan to activate other cool things.
In my case Ford is really pissing me off now. I just heard from from the dealer today and they basically told me take it or take it. That's when I called ford Customer Service for an hour.
The dealer sent me the same canned message Ford sends that someone posted earlier saying engineering is looking into it but there's nothing that can be done.
I'm considering not accepting it and talking with an attorney to cancel the whole thing or I could just accept it knowing I don't have a TBC so I can't tow anything heavy and hoping they fix it soon.
This second option also gives me a chance to start making a ton of noise on Ford and national TV show's Facebook pages plus local TV stations regarding Ford selling defective trucks. That might make them find a fix quicker. I'll figure it out tomorrow, I really like the truck but I also don't really need it if I can't tow with it. Oh well...
If I had the fuse I'd buy the controller and install it myself to save a lot of money but I'd take it to a dealer to get flashed. This way it's covered under the 36 month bumper to bumper factory warranty. After that use Forscan to activate other cool things.
In my case Ford is really pissing me off now. I just heard from from the dealer today and they basically told me take it or take it. That's when I called ford Customer Service for an hour.
The dealer sent me the same canned message Ford sends that someone posted earlier saying engineering is looking into it but there's nothing that can be done.
I'm considering not accepting it and talking with an attorney to cancel the whole thing or I could just accept it knowing I don't have a TBC so I can't tow anything heavy and hoping they fix it soon.
This second option also gives me a chance to start making a ton of noise on Ford and national TV show's Facebook pages plus local TV stations regarding Ford selling defective trucks. That might make them find a fix quicker. I'll figure it out tomorrow, I really like the truck but I also don't really need it if I can't tow with it. Oh well...
Last edited by AeroCare; 02-26-2018 at 11:02 PM.
#124
Just confirmed with my dealer that they are going to install the JL3Z-14A068-E fuse panel. This was what the wonderful Expressway Ford guys did. I’m scheduled to have it installed on Monday or Tuesday. I will post the outcome, but I expect my results to be the same as what the folks at Expressway Ford found. A working TBC after all is said and done.
Dont know now if you will all be as fortunate, but my thoughts are the squeaky wheel gets the grease. I had to email and keep emailing until someone at Ford Corporate listened.
Keep pestering your dealers and send those emails. Maybe now with us sending our dealers the part number for the fuse block they will get the attention needed and they will put out a service bulletin.
Dont know now if you will all be as fortunate, but my thoughts are the squeaky wheel gets the grease. I had to email and keep emailing until someone at Ford Corporate listened.
Keep pestering your dealers and send those emails. Maybe now with us sending our dealers the part number for the fuse block they will get the attention needed and they will put out a service bulletin.
#125
I'm not sure you're right about the warranty being effected. I think there is another comment earlier in this thread where someone mentioned a particular law that protects consumers in this case.
#126
Corwin Ford in Springfield MO, the guys up in Canada had the fix first. Expressway Ford, outstanding bunch to talk to.
Look back in on the string and you will find who I sent my email to. Remember that frustration is fine to express but you’ll get more with honey than vinegar.
My battery junction box should be here tomorrow and installed this week sometime. I’ll let you know more as I have i
Ford Customer Relations is a joke. Find the email and send a polite email.
Look back in on the string and you will find who I sent my email to. Remember that frustration is fine to express but you’ll get more with honey than vinegar.
My battery junction box should be here tomorrow and installed this week sometime. I’ll let you know more as I have i
Ford Customer Relations is a joke. Find the email and send a polite email.
The following users liked this post:
ExpresswayFord (02-28-2018)
#127
Corwin Ford in Springfield MO, the guys up in Canada had the fix first. Expressway Ford, outstanding bunch to talk to.
Look back in on the string and you will find who I sent my email to. Remember that frustration is fine to express but you’ll get more with honey than vinegar.
My battery junction box should be here tomorrow and installed this week sometime. I’ll let you know more as I have i
Ford Customer Relations is a joke. Find the email and send a polite email.
Look back in on the string and you will find who I sent my email to. Remember that frustration is fine to express but you’ll get more with honey than vinegar.
My battery junction box should be here tomorrow and installed this week sometime. I’ll let you know more as I have i
Ford Customer Relations is a joke. Find the email and send a polite email.
Last edited by AeroCare; 02-27-2018 at 01:45 AM.
#128
WOW, less than 12 hours later, who would have thought that a simple email would do the trick. I'm sure it's the wording I used versus the email itself but I sent that email after midnight last night and this morning I got a call from the office of Ford Executive Director of Customer Service telling me that they had contacted the dealer and told them what part to order and to cover it all under warranty !
I texted my dealer and they said they received the info and it's all in process. We'll see when they get the part because I'm not accepting the truck until it's ready.
I texted my dealer and they said they received the info and it's all in process. We'll see when they get the part because I'm not accepting the truck until it's ready.
#129
Whats that email, maybe I can get some action on the backordered IWE's for mine!
#130
I have an appointment on Wednesday, next week to install the trailer brake controller. The parts department at one Ford dealership will have both parts in before my appointment (brake controller and the $214 fuse panel, mentioned earlier in this group). Another Ford dealership refused to order the parts in advance (before diagnosing my issue), saying those are electronic parts, which cannot be returned. I also have an open case with Ford customer service. The service manager (where I have my appointment with, and happens to be a nasty person), told me that what people say on web is bull****, and if I happen to need another fuse panel, that would mean I am adding a new capability to my truck which was not part of my original VIN (and my case # doesn't mean anything). I cannot believe that I paid $34,000 to Ford in order to listen to their bull****. This is my first truck and I didn't know anything about towing packages and brake controllers. The Battleship Ford in Manassas Virginia lied to me about my truck's towing capability and I remember exactly asking Amy Cooke (who sold me the truck) when I press the brake pedal, would the trailer brakes get activated, and she said yes. That was a complete lie because the 7-pin connector only operates the brake lights on the trailer and one requires the brake controller to activate the trailer brakes. I am saying the Ford dealer lied to me in order to make a sale because they sell trucks all the time and it is part of their job to know about different towing packages and brake controllers. I will never purchase a Ford vehicle again, after paying $34,000, I now have to deal with nasty service department people for many years to come...