Ford F-150 Lightning set on fire: the problem would have been targeted
Recent information allows us to learn more about the battery problem that would have caused the fire of a Ford F-150 Lightning. The fire reportedly occurred when the vehicle was parked in a delivery parking lot on the outskirts of the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Centerwhere Ford builds the vehicle.
Following this incident, Ford immediately halted production of the vehicle to investigate. 3 weeks ago, the battery supplier, SK One, claimed that this was only an isolated case, without going into the details of the problem. Now new documents, published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in the United States, allow us to better understand what happened.
On March 15, 2023, NHTSA posted a reminder affecting 18 copies of the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning regarding its high-voltage battery. In the description of this recall (recall number 23S15), we learn that a short circuit could occur inside the battery when it is fully charged, which could lead to a fire. A letter will be sent to owners on March 27, 2023 advising them that they can have their vehicle’s battery replaced at their dealership, free of charge.
However, it is important to specify that for its part, Transport Canada has still not issued a recall for this design defect. Canadian consumers will therefore have to wait before being able to demand a battery replacement at the dealership.
In one of the documents from the investigation published by NHTSA, it is understood that deviations in the battery assembly process at the supplier’s place allow the aluminum cathode tabs to come into contact with the charged electrolyte, which may cause a short circuit inside the battery and cause a fire.
Neither Ford nor SK One wanted to add more details to the situation. On March 13, 2023, the Dearborn automaker resumed production of its electric pickup truck.
