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Ford F-150 daytime running lights fail to dim properly

NHTSA campaign 20V097000 · Reported 2020-02-21 · Ford Motor Company

medium How serious is it? About this label

This mainly creates a hazard for other drivers rather than a sudden failure of your truck, and there is no warning against driving, so you can keep using it until the free fix is done.

What's wrong, in plain English

On these trucks with the upgraded LED headlights, the daytime running lights may stay at full brightness instead of dimming down when you turn the light switch from the automatic setting to headlights on. Bright lights that will not dim can dazzle drivers coming toward you and make it harder for them to see the road. That breaks a federal lighting rule. The fix is a free software reprogramming of a computer module in the truck, and it has been available since March 2020.

What you should do

1. Look up your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm your truck falls under recall 20C03.
2. Call a Ford dealer and ask for the free reprogramming, which is a quick software job.
3. Reach Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 if your dealer has questions or you need help finding one.

Affected vehicles (3)

2018 Ford F-150
2019 Ford F-150
2020 Ford F-150

Who to contact

Ford — official Ford recall lookup

Customer service: 1-866-436-7332

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Ford exterior lighting recalls: headlights, tail lights and brake lights · all 26 Ford recalls in this area

Official notice

Component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from the "Autolamps" switch position to "Headlamps On." As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment."
Safety risk: DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.