What did you do to your Ranger today?

[jeb134]

Added some Nilight LED’s to the bed of the truck. The kit on Amazon has two 60” light strips that are perfect for the Ranger bed and really lights everything up nicely.

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[joeb427]

what did I do to my Ranger today??

not good. my wife's heavy pottery pumpkin decoration fell off a weak shelf in my garage...

That sucks!
If it was my wife, I'd hold back my sexual favors with her!

 

[AzScorpion]

That sucks!
If it was my wife, hold back my sexual favors with her!

That wouldn't last an hour!

 

[joeb427]

That wouldn't last an hour!

True!

 

[Msfitoy]

Got mo lights...this time for under hood...very peeved that Ford doesn't include this simple feature

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Got mo lights...this time for under hood...very peeved that Ford doesn't include this simple feature

Hi Sid,

Background...We did this in 1975, we had a hood light on a reel like a drop light...really cool option. Triggered by a mercury switch when the hood was raised. What we found was that many customers parked in such a way the switch triggered and the customer found a dead battery in the morning. The option was deleted...this is way before LED lights. I really liked the "drop light" on my FSeries that towed my race car.

So for your comment on being very peeved. It is not a simple matter to add such a feature on the assembly line and we have to test the installation for durability for over 1,000,000 cycles. Does you install meet these requirements? So peeve away...it is sure easy to harpoon the manufacturer as most folks do not understand the testing that goes on behind the scenes for options offered to the buying public. BTW...Ford Marketing has input on if this sort of option has enough take rate to make the development worth the effort.

Sincerely,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[Msfitoy]

Hi Sid,

Background...We did this in 1975, we had a hood light on a reel like a drop light...really cool option. Triggered by a mercury switch when the hood was raised. What we found was that many customers parked in such a way the switch triggered and the customer found a dead battery in the morning. The option was deleted...this is way before LED lights. I really liked the "drop light" on my FSeries that towed my race car.

So for your comment on being very peeved. It is not a simple matter to add such a feature on the assembly line and we have to test the installation for durability for over 1,000,000 cycles. Does you install meet these requirements? So peeve away...it is sure easy to harpoon the manufacturer as most folks do not understand the testing that goes on behind the scenes for options offered to the buying public. BTW...Ford Marketing has input on if this sort of option has enough take rate to make the development worth the effort.

Sincerely,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Hi Phil,
I thought of using mercury switch but that would lead to constant flickering on a 4x4. Next option was a push switch like on the door but that would be too finicky to position and adjust so I wired it to a manual switch (the red thingy). I suppose that's not practical for universal customers as they'll forget and leave it on. My only use for this would be in a BAD situation, at night, and in the dark. Leaving this little LED on would be the least of my problem at that moment lol. However, I can't understand how any company in 2019 can't bake in a switch controlled by the hinge or something stupid simple? Ya more cost but what's the use in opening the hood in the dark if you don't have a flashlight?

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Okay...to be fair to Sid...I sent this on to my Ford contacts... Hopefully they will evaluate this and place it in the correct area inside Ford... I see value in this mod and may think of incorporating it into my Ranger in some sort of mod.... Only thing is I rarely drive at night, being an old fart that is in bed and asleep by 8pm...

You are spot on on a mechanical switch...customers would forget and leave it on. Similar to bed lights not tied into the high mounted third brake light/cargo light assembly.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[PNW_Ranger87]

Got mo lights...this time for under hood...very peeved that Ford doesn't include this simple feature

I know truck people are certainly more likely to investigate under the hood but I have to backup what Phil said along the lines of it not being with it for Ford to add the option. With the number of magnetic/stick on LED work light options it makes more sense for Ford to not add it and just let the people who do want to lift the hood sort out that situation on their own.

 

[Msfitoy]

I don't know if it's just truck people. Everyone's first instinct when their car dies on the road is to open the hood. Even if they don't know what they're looking for. It only make the situation worse for customer experience when they can't see a thing.

Anyway...my problem has been solved with a bit of wiring up LED and a switch

It only take one company to start installing this simple feature (again) and everyone will be on board..

 

[RedlandRanger]

I don't know if it's just truck people. Everyone's first instinct when their car dies on the road is to open the hood. Even if they don't know what they're looking for. It only make the situation worse for customer experience when they can't see a thing.

Anyway...my problem has been solved with a bit of wiring up LED and a switch

It only take one company to start installing this simple feature (again) and everyone will be on board..

My daughter's 1994 Mercury Tracer (Escort) hadn a under hood light that went on when you opened the hood! It wasn't LED and it wasn't terribly bright, but it was there!

It would be a very useful feature for sure - LEDs sure make this kind of thing WAY more useful since they are bright and consume very little juice.

 

[PNW_Ranger87]

I don't know if it's just truck people. Everyone's first instinct when their car dies on the road is to open the hood. Even if they don't know what they're looking for. It only make the situation worse for customer experience when they can't see a thing.

Cars are MUCH more reliable than they used to be.

 

[VAMike]

Cars are MUCH more reliable than they used to be.

And there's a lot less you can do on the side of the road if they do break

 

[Msfitoy]

And there's a lot less you can do on the side of the road if they do break

What if you're trying to jump a car without a flash light?

 

[Tangent]

The lack of an underhood light is disturbing. The idea of using a mercury switch is also confusing.

Why not use a mechanical actuated switch? it closes, depresses the spring loaded switch, it opens, it releases the switch. The exact same way door lights used to work. I remember that on my family's '88 Ford Taurus in specific.

Its 2019, I can start my truck with my phone, the idea that you can't have a light that turns on when you open the hood is a bit silly.

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