The Ford F-150 is not only the best-selling pickup in America, but it is also a vehicle with great towing capacity and now with a function that you may not have known about. The F-150 offers a scale mode that allows you to know how much weight you load on the bed of the pickup through the taillights.
The legendary Ford F-150 has many positive attributes, with its ability to tow a heavy load, robust powertrain options, advanced technologies and off-road prowess. Considering that the F-150 is the best-selling vehicle, it receives a lot of media attention, and it is surprising that very few people are aware of the unique feature of its taillight , but here we will tell you what it is and how it works.
F-150 smart taillights show weight / payload in bed
The F-150 has an on-board scale feature that allows you to see how much weight / payload is on the vehicle bed , but how can you see the weight / payload? You can see it just by looking at the taillights.
The smart taillights on the F-150 have a feature that is similar to the battery charge indicator on a smartphone. With LED lights on a built-in vertical bar, it displays the F-150’s payload capacity percentage . This is how Ford describes it in its press release:
“As the truck is loaded, all four lights illuminate, indicating that it is fully loaded. If the truck is overloaded, the top lights blink. Maximum payload based on truck configuration is programmed into the system. In addition, the truck can be configured in scale mode, which zeroes the current load and allows the approximate weighing of additional items loaded on the platform, ”explains Ford.
Advantages of the F-150 smart taillight function
The F-150’s smart taillight feature is groundbreaking. When one looks at a taillight, few would think of it beyond its traditional function of allowing people to see the edge of the vehicle. Who would think of putting a secret feature inside of it to determine the payload? Ford did, and the advantage of the smart taillight is that you can easily see how much weight you are carrying in the bed of the truck. You do not need to use any other device or use any other way to measure weight. It’s right in front of you while you’re charging, with the smart tail light’s four-bar indicator.
In addition to the Onboard Scales smart taillight, F-150 customers can measure how much payload is on the truck in two other ways. You can see it in the graphical representation on the touch screen inside the cabin, or you can also see the weight in bed by viewing the FordPass app on your smartphone.
What is the maximum payload capacity of the F-150?
The F-150 can carry a heavy load. It boasts a best- in-class maximum payload capacity of 3,250 pounds . Plus, the F-150 is a towing beast, with a class-leading maximum towing capacity of 14,000 pounds.