Minor Annoyance for F-150 Owner Whose Infotainment and Interior Lights Persistently Remain on when Every Time he Switches his Truck Off

A Ford F-150 lightning owner, John Tunca, recently expressed frustration that the screen on his truck stubbornly remained on even after switching off the truck. He can unlock the truck to get the lights going, then turn it off to get the screen to log off. However,  the buttons also replicate the same problem. 

According to his post on the Ford F-150 Lightning Enthusiasts Facebook group, “It is a slight annoyance. The truck doesn't do it all the time, but it does happen occasionally. The truck is off, but the screen stays on and will stay on. I can unlock the truck to get the lights going, then lock it to get the screen to turn off, but the buttons below it will stay lit up until I turn the truck on and off.”

The most obvious danger of this malfunction is the risk of excessive battery drain. While the infotainment screen and other dash lights do not necessarily consume as much power as the radio, for example, if they remain on for an extended period or do not turn off, they eventually deplete the auxiliary battery. A similar recorded instance occurred when a family was traveling out of state. Upon returning, they hit the start button on their Ford Explorer, and the dash lights came on, but the vehicle did not start. However, this was in a gas-powered vehicle instead of an electric one. This could leave the owner stranded if is not able to start. It may also affect the range capability because of the unnecessary drain, though this is over time if the problem is not sorted. 

Documented Reports of Previous Incidences

Dash or screen lights remaining on is not an uncommon feature for F-150 owners, considering the several instances this has happened previously. A 2018 F-150 owner shared that their vehicle’s screen sometimes remains on after the engine is turned off and the door is opened. In this case, they relied on a 10-minute accessory delay to turn it off. Similarly, a user on F150forum.com stated that the large center stack within their truck remained backlit for an extended time after closing the door. The exterior and dome lights turned off immediately, but the prolonged illumination of the infotainment screen was still puzzling.

In a thread on the F150 LightningForum.com, a member also described a situation where their 2023 Lariat screen remained on after the owner started it. At times, it would restart after a few minutes and other times, the vehicle would have to be powered down and restarted. 

Many group members related to the issue on the thread, indicating they had also experienced the same problem. Jordan Newton claimed his truck did it all the time. He had to push the start button three times to get the truck to turn off. Dale Smith also gave his account, saying he did this the previous night. The radio was playing, and the check-back seat screen was on. It took ten minutes before finally shutting off. 

The Potential for Software or Hardware Issues

Chief among the potential causes would be software issues. The SYNC 4 infotainment system may sometimes fail to shut down completely. Alternatively, a bug in the system could be causing the screen to remain on even if the vehicle is switched off. In either of these cases, you could do a soft reset by holding the power and seeking buttons to attempt a solution. If Ford pushed an Over-The-Air update, it may have resulted in unintended bugs in the system as well. Some owners also report screen issues if an OTA update failed or was incomplete. The way to deal with this is to check for new updates or manually reinstall the software at the dealership. 

That said, the problem may also be hardware-related. Faulty Body Control modules control the cabin lighting, infotainment, and exterior lights. Faulty BCMs may not send the proper shutdown signals, which in turn causes the screen to remain on even after the engine shuts off. It could also be from a stuck relay or electrical short. Some relays may stick in a closed position, thereby preventing shutdown. If you have a similar problem and suspect it is one of these, go to the dealership and run a diagnostic test. 

They will reflash or replace the BCM or relays if need be. The likelihood of a software-related issue is higher than that of a hardware cause, though. Ford may eventually release an update if the problem is more widespread. For now, anyone with such an issue could try troubleshooting steps like checking their doors, testing relays, and doing a system reset. The dealership is also obligated to perform diagnostics at a fair rate and, if the issue is covered under warranty, perform the repairs.  

Image source: Ford F150 Lightning EV Enthusiasts Facebook Group and Ford.com Inventory

Nicholas Muhoro is an automotive journalist covering car news and has a decade of experience sharing working at HotCars and TopSpeed. You can follow Nicholas on X and on LinkedIn to stay in touch and follow his news coverage at Torque News.