Had my Lightning for about a month now, and I’m totally in love with it after upgrading from my 13-year-old Prius. It’s my daily driver and road trip buddy. BlueCruise is pretty cool, but I’m sure there are other things I should know about. Any tips or hidden features I should check out?
You can actually run a toaster oven from the back seat and bake cookies on the go…
Morgan said:
You can actually run a toaster oven from the back seat and bake cookies on the go…
When you stop to charge, you can run a George Foreman grill and an airfryer at the same time on the tailgate
@Jonah
Why stop there? You could even fire up an electric BBQ, two induction hobs, and a coffee machine!
Jaden said:
@Jonah
Why stop there? You could even fire up an electric BBQ, two induction hobs, and a coffee machine!
Big fan of portable kitchens on wheels!
Here are a few hidden features:
- There’s a button on the door to fold the mirrors.
- If you open the sunroof without touching the sunshade, it’ll automatically retract.
- There’s a cargo light switch in the bed and another button that lights up the mirrors to see the side of the road at low speeds.
- A few pennies under the spring in the console lid will help it stay fully open instead of halfway.
- Pro trailer backup can help you back under a hitch.
- In 1-pedal mode, letting off the accelerator gives you full regen braking, while in 2-pedal mode, it’s half regen and half friction when braking lightly.
- There’s an extra glove box above the main one.
- If your key fob dies, there’s a slot in the front cup holder that will still recognize the key.
- There’s a physical key in the glovebox for if the 12V battery dies.
And a few more essentials:
- No power steering fluid, but keep an eye on antifreeze, brake, and wiper fluids.
- If a level 3 charger won’t release the cord, there’s a manual release cable under the hood.
- The powered tailgate stops moving if you shift into gear.
- Bed outlet has a max output of 7200 watts.
Enjoy your new truck!
@Laurel
That console lid trick is genius! Can’t wait to try it.
@Laurel
The passive key slot can also be used to set up ‘MyKey’ with driving restrictions. Handy if you’ve got kids or friends who like to test the limits.
@Laurel
This list is gold! And I don’t even own a Lightning.
@Laurel
Are you sure about braking differences in 1-pedal vs. 2-pedal? I think normal braking in 2-pedal mode is all regen until about 5 mph or so.
Devin said:
@Laurel
Are you sure about braking differences in 1-pedal vs. 2-pedal? I think normal braking in 2-pedal mode is all regen until about 5 mph or so.
That’s what the brake coach suggests. Only Ford engineers would know for sure!
Just discovered that slightly lifting the tailgate when it’s lowered will trigger auto-close. Had my truck since January and didn’t know!
Morgan said:
Just discovered that slightly lifting the tailgate when it’s lowered will trigger auto-close. Had my truck since January and didn’t know!
Look at you with your fancy tailgate, LOL. XLT owner here, a bit jealous. 
@Merritt
The Pro model just entered the chat!
Keaton said:
@Merritt
The Pro model just entered the chat!
Subaru Forester owner here, quietly observing.
@Merritt
Wait, my '23 XLT does this. Is it an option?
OliverBennett said:
@Merritt
Wait, my '23 XLT does this. Is it an option?
Must be. My ‘24 doesn’t have it.
@Merritt
Honestly, you’re better off without it. I disabled mine after it kept opening at the wrong time.
Ollie said:
@Merritt
Honestly, you’re better off without it. I disabled mine after it kept opening at the wrong time.
Same here on my ‘24 Lariat. Closed on me once while I was loading parts, and I accidentally opened it with the fob while loading my bike. The powered tailgate is cool, but sometimes it’s more hassle than it’s worth.
@Shannon
Wish we could swap it for a simple manual handle.