NSFW: The video above contains some language that's not safe for work or around children. The owner appears to be frustrated and uses a few curse words as he explains the situation.
If you've been following InsideEVs and Tesla news for some time, you may be aware of YouTube influencer James Klafehn. He's now the proud owner of a Ford F-150 Lightning electric truck that he says is causing him some grief. In fact, Klafehn reminds us of all the issues he had with his Tesla, and the Lightning is bringing back memories.
Klafehn is an EV owner who's into DIY projects. We actually covered some of his videos about his T-Rex project, which is a camper with a range extender that he built to tow with his Tesla Model X. While the project was super interesting, much of Klafehn's coverage ended up being about his failed Tesla experience. To make a long story short, the situation was so troubling that Tesla ended up buying back his Model X.
He also owned an older RAV4 EV and went on to buy a Toyota RAV4 Prime, which he has also had issues with. Much like the Model X, Klafehn made videos about the RAV4's many problems, "major flaws," and 10 reasons he hates it. However, he also published a long list of positive stories about projects he's done with the PHEV.
Fast-forward to more recent times, and Klafehn took delivery of his Ford F-150 Lightning. After sharing that he's had a really good experience with it so far, he tells us that the frunk won't close. He's actually ready to head out with the kids, but can't leave with the frunk open. He read on forums that other people have had the same issue, but there's no way to know for sure.
Kalfehn also says his massaging seats haven't worked since he took delivery, but he doesn't have time to deal with service, so he's just going without. Now, he's in the midst of a move, and the truck is holding him up. He considered having it towed away and fixed, but he simply can't be without a truck, so he rigged a bungee cord to shut the frunk. The truck is drivable, but it makes a constant sound to warn the driver that the frunk is open.
Klafehn says he decided to stop at the local Ford dealer he had called the day before. He claims that their diagnostics reveal that the truck has all sorts of error codes, which he finds weird since he hasn't had any other issues. The dealer was able to get the frunk closed, but the dashboard warning and constant beeping won't go away.
After explaining the whole story, Klafehn admits that he used an OBD tool to try to figure out what was wrong with the truck. He says a rep at the Ford dealer warned him that the device could have caused all the problems and error codes. If that's the case, he may have to pay for the fixes out of pocket, and it could be pricey. However, Klafehn says there's a new update he needs to run on the truck, which could potentially solve all of his problems.
He ends by reminding us of all the issues he had with his Tesla Model X, which he says was "garbage," and he can only hope that the experience with the F-150 Lightning doesn't end up mirroring his Tesla experience.
Do you think Klafehn should be concerned? Is he just too picky or easily bothered by his various vehicles' constant issues? Or, are these simply typical issues that are to be expected of a new model, and especially of an automaker's transition to electric vehicles? Leave us your thoughts in the comment section below.
Source: James Klafehn (YouTube)