2023 FORD F150 warning

CONNECTING A TRAILER
PRECAUTIONS
Do not tow a trailer until you drive yourvehicle at least 1,000 mi (1,600 km).
Consult your local motor vehicle laws fortowing a trailer.
See the instructions included with towingaccessories for the proper installation andadjustment specifications.
Service your vehicle more frequently if youtow a trailer. See Normal ScheduledMaintenance (page 670).
If you use a rental trailer, follow theinstructions the rental agency gives you.
When attaching the trailer wiring connectorto your vehicle, only use a proper fittingconnector that works with the vehicle andtrailer functions.
Account for the trailer coupler weight aspart of your vehicle load when calculatingthe total vehicle weight.
Do not exceed the load limits. SeeCalculating the Load Limit (page 407).
HITCHES
HOOKING UP A TRAILER USING AWEIGHT-DISTRIBUTING HITCH
WARNING: Do not adjust the springbars so that your vehicle's rear bumperis higher than before attaching the trailer.Doing so will defeat the function of theweight-distributing hitch, which maycause unpredictable handling, and couldresult in serious personal injury.
A weight-distributing hitch helps distributetongue load to all towing vehicle and trailerwheels. For more information, visit the linksin the following table.
WebsiteMarket
https://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/
United States ofAmerica
https://www.fleet.ford.ca/towing-guides/
Canada
CONNECTING A TRAILER
Recognizing a Trailer
1.Attach the trailer and wiring connectorto your vehicle.
2.Switch on your vehicle.
3.Set up a profile for the trailer using thetouchscreen.
Note:If your vehicle does not recognize thetrailer, press and hold the brake pedal for afew seconds.
Note:Trailer profiles store trailer types,dimensions, preferences, trailer specificmileage and fuel economy.
Note:Disabling the trailer detectionnotification makes the default trailer profileactive when the system detects aconnection.
414
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMConnecting a Trailer

When the trailer disconnects in this state,the vehicle alarm sounds and the systemsends an alert to your FordPass app.
Note:For reliable trailer detection, thetrailer’s lamps must be SAE certified foreach intended purpose.
Note:If the trailer is not compatible withthe feature, the turn signals flash twice.
Switching the Trailer ConnectionAlarm On and Off
1.Press Features on the touchscreen.
2.Press Towing.
3.Press Manage trailers.
4.Press the currently active trailer'sname.
5.Switch Trailer Connection Alarm onor off.
Note:The alarm disables by default. If thesystem detects a trailer, it can beconfigurable.
Note:Settings are applicable only for theselected trailer profile.
Trailer Connector Battery Lead
The trailer receives power from the vehicletrailer connector battery lead when thefollowing occurs:
•Your vehicle is in accessory mode orswitched on.
•The trailer wiring connector is free ofcorrosion or other damage.
•The vehicle battery is not low.
•When the trailer has a battery:
•The trailer battery voltage is within5 volts of the vehicle batteryvoltage.
•When you have the trailer batteryproperly connected.
TRAILER LIGHTING CHECK
WARNING: Never connect anytrailer lamp wiring to the vehicle's taillamp wiring; this may damage theelectrical system resulting in fire. Contactyour authorized dealer as soon aspossible for assistance in proper trailertow wiring installation. Additionalelectrical equipment may be required.
Perform a trailer light illuminationsequence to confirm that all lights arefunctioning by using the FordPass app orthe vehicle's touchscreen.
Performing the Trailer LightingCheck Using the Touchscreen
1.Press Features on the touchscreen.
2.Press Towing.
3.Press Trailer Light Check.
4.Press Start.
416
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMConnecting a Trailer

CONNECTING A TRAILER – TROUBLESHOOTING
CONNECTING A TRAILER – INFORMATION MESSAGES
DescriptionMessage
The system senses a trailer connectionbecomes disconnected, either intentionallyor unintentionally, during a given ignitioncycle.
Trailer Disconnected
There are certain faults in your vehiclewiring and trailer wiring or brake system.Trailer Wiring Fault
There is a fault with your trailer battery, oryour trailer battery voltage is very low.Trailer Battery Not Charging See Manual
One or more tires on your trailer is belowthe specified tire pressure.Trailer Tire Low Specified:
Displays when one or more tires on thetrailer is above the recommended temper-ature.
Trailer Tire Over Temperature
A trailer tire pressure sensor is malfunc-tioning. If the warning stays on or continuesto come on, have the system checked assoon as possible.
Trailer Tire Pressure Sensor Fault
The trailer tire pressure monitoring systemis malfunctioning. If the warning stays onor continues to come on, have the systemchecked.
Trailer Tire Pressure Monitor Fault
The system cannot detect the trailer tirepressure monitoring system.Trailer Tire Pressure Monitor Capability NotDetected
The trailer tire pressure monitoring systemis not setup.Trailer Tire Pressure Indication Not SetupSee Manual
417
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMConnecting a Trailer

TOWING A TRAILER
PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Do not exceedthe GVWR or the GAWRspecified on the certificationlabel.
WARNING: Towing trailersbeyond the maximumrecommended gross trailerweight exceeds the limit of yourvehicle and could result in enginedamage, transmission damage,structural damage, loss ofvehicle control, vehicle rolloverand personal injury.
WARNING: Do not exceedthe lowest rating capacity foryour vehicle or trailer hitch.Overloading your vehicle ortrailer hitch can impair yourvehicle stability and handling.Failure to follow this instructioncould result in the loss of controlof your vehicle, personal injury ordeath.
WARNING: Make sure thatthe vertical load on the tow ballis between the minimum andmaximum recommended weightat all times. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in theloss of control of your vehicle,personal injury or death.
WARNING: Do not cut,drill, weld or modify the trailerhitch. Modifying the trailer hitchcould reduce the hitch rating.
WARNING: The anti-lockbrake system does not controlthe trailer brakes.
TRAILER BRAKE
PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Do not connect atrailer's hydraulic brake system directlyto your vehicle's brake system. Yourvehicle may not have enough brakingpower and your chances of having acollision greatly increase.
WARNING: Do not tow a trailerfitted with electric trailer brakes unlessyour vehicle is fitted with a compatibleaftermarket electronic trailer brakecontroller. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in the loss ofcontrol of your vehicle, personal injury ordeath. For additional information andassistance, we recommend that youcontact an authorized dealer.
Electric brakes and manual, automatic orsurge-type trailer brakes are safe if youinstall them properly and adjust them tothe manufacturer's specifications. Thetrailer brakes must meet local and federalregulations.
The rating for the tow vehicle's brakingsystem operation is at the gross vehicleweight rating, not the gross combinedweight rating.
418
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMTowing a Trailer

TOWING A TRAILER – TROUBLESHOOTING
TOWING A TRAILER – INFORMATION MESSAGES
DetailsMessage
The left-hand trailer turn lamp requiresservice.Trailer Left Turn Lamps Fault Check Lamps
The right-hand trailer turn lamp requiresservice.Trailer Right Turn Lamps Fault CheckLamps
The trailer battery voltage is too low tocharge.Trailer Battery Not Charging See Manual
The system detects a short created by thetrailer lamps. Inspect and repair the trailerwiring, or have the system checked as soonas possible.
Trailer Lighting Module Fault See Manual
The trailer stoplamps require service.Trailer Stop Lamps Fault Check Lamps
Verify the trailer brake connections aresecure and that the aftermarket trailerbrake controller device is correctly installed.Perform a trailer brake and trailer lightcheck if possible. If the message persists,have your vehicle checked as soon aspossible.
Trailer brake system fault See manual
Perform a trailer brake and trailer lightcheck if possible. If the message persists,have your vehicle checked as soon aspossible.
Trailer brake module fault
The trailer sway control detects trailersway. Reduce the vehicle's speed.Trailer Sway Reduce Speed
Displays when one or more tires on thetrailer is above the recommended temper-ature.
Trailer Tire Over Temperature
One or more tires on your trailer is belowthe specified tire pressure.Trailer Tire Low Specified:
A trailer tire pressure sensor requiresservice. If the warning stays on or continuesto come on, have the system checked assoon as possible.
Trailer Tire Pressure Sensor Fault
423
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMTowing a Trailer

DetailsMessage
The trailer tire pressure monitoring systemrequires service. If the warning stays on orcontinues to come on, have the systemchecked as soon as possible.
Trailer Tire Pressure Monitor Fault
The system cannot detect the trailer tirepressure monitoring system.Trailer Tire Pressure Monitor Capability NotDetected
The trailer tire pressure monitoring systemis not setup.Trailer Tire Pressure Indication Not SetupSee Manual
424
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMTowing a Trailer

WHAT IS THE INTEGRATED
TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER
The trailer brake controller assists insmooth and effective trailer braking basedon the towing vehicle’s brake pressure.
INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE
CONTROLLER PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Use the integratedtrailer brake controller to properly adjustthe trailer brakes and check allconnections before towing a trailer.Failure to follow this instruction couldresult in the loss of control of yourvehicle, personal injury or death.
•Only use the manual control lever forproper adjustment of the gain duringtrailer setup. Misuse, such asapplication during trailer sway, couldcause instability of trailer or towvehicle.
•Avoid towing in adverse weatherconditions. The trailer brake controllerdoes not provide anti-lock control ofthe trailer wheels. Trailer wheels canlock up on slippery surfaces, resultingin reduced stability of trailer and towvehicle.
•The trailer brake controller is only afactory-installed or dealer-installeditem. Ford is not responsible forwarranty or performance of thecontroller due to misuse or customerinstallation.
Note:Do not attempt removal of the trailerbrake controller without consulting theWorkshop Manual. Damage to the unit mayresult.
Note:Make sure to set the integrated trailerbrake controller gain to 0 if you are using anaftermarket trailer brake controller.
USING THE INTEGRATED
TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER
1.Make sure the trailer brakes are in goodworking condition, functioning normallyand properly adjusted. See your trailerdealer if necessary.
Note:An authorized dealer can diagnosethe trailer brake controller to determineexactly which trailer fault has occurred. Yourvehicle warranty does not cover issues withyour trailer.
2.Hook up the trailer and make theelectrical connections according to thetrailer manufacturer's instructions.
Note:Select default mode if the trailer hassurge brakes, or no brakes at all. The systemhas no effect on the braking performanceof the trailer in either of these cases.
Note:If a trailer is connected by a four-pinconnector, the trailer braking function willnot be supported.
3.When you plug in a trailer with electricor electric-over-hydraulic brakes, amessage confirming connectionappears in the information display.
4.Use the gain adjustment to find thedesired starting point. A gain setting of6.0 is a good starting point for heavierloads.
Note:Use the following steps to adjust thegain setting whenever road, weather andtrailer, or vehicle loading conditions, changefrom when you initially set the gain.
5.In a traffic-free environment, tow thetrailer on a dry, level surface andsqueeze the manual control levercompletely.
425
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMIntegrated Trailer Brake Controller (If Equipped)

HOW DOES TRAILER SWAY
CONTROL WORK
Trailer Sway Control
The system applies the brakes to theindividual wheels and reduces enginetorque to aid vehicle stability.
If the trailer begins to sway, the stabilitycontrol lamp flashes and the messageTrailer Sway Reduce Speed appears inthe information display.
Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe todo so. Check the vertical weight on thetow ball and trailer load distribution.
TRAILER SWAY CONTROL
PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Turning off trailer swaycontrol increases the risk of loss ofvehicle control, serious injury or death.Ford does not recommend disabling thisfeature except in situations where speedreduction may be detrimental (such ashill climbing), the driver has significanttrailer towing experience, and can controltrailer sway and maintain safe operation.
Note:This feature only activates whensignificant trailer sway occurs.
Note:This feature does not prevent trailersway, but reduces it once it begins.
Note:This feature cannot stop all trailersfrom swaying.
Note:In some cases, if vehicle speed is toohigh, the system may activate multipletimes, gradually reducing vehicle speed.
SWITCHING TRAILER SWAY
CONTROL ON AND OFF
1.Press Features on the touchscreen.
2.Press Towing.
3.Switch Trailer Sway Control on or off.
The system turns on each time you startyour vehicle.
430
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMTrailer Sway Control