Repair cost is out of control $5,600 bill on 2018 F150 for some tail lamps.

I don't believe that

Uhhhhhhhh...24 Carat???

While this $5,600 stated total wasn't just for the tail light assembly parts, also involving several burnt out radar modules and shorted wiring harnesses plus diagnostic and install labor at shop rates, the really surprising part here was the fact that just the tail light assemblies alone (without any of the radar modules, wiring, or labor) are $1200-$1400 apiece!

$2400+ for the pair of tail light assemblies. That's wild.

I've replaced tail light assemblies on two different trucks within the past decade or so, an early 2010s Toyota Tundra and an early 2010s Dodge Ram. Either truck involved something like $50 for each light assembly. ~$100 total, per truck.

I'd expect tail light assemblies that included the provisions for mounting radar sensors would be a bit more expensive, but not 24x as expensive at $2400!

The housings are just over $1k each
$1,428 msrp, each
https://parts.autonationfordwh...dCZlPTMtNWwtdjYtZ2Fz

LED housings, not sure if that includes the BLIS [blind spot] modules

For comparison, replacement tail light assemblies for my current 2022 model year SUV are ~$140 each. So it's not something that's true for all new cars. Ford is jacking up the price here.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
not sure if that includes the BLIS [blind spot] modules

The guy in the video claims it does not, and states that those are an additional ~$1k more, with the modules running $450 each and their mounting plates/heatsinks running $50 each.


Something like $500 for a radar module and $140 for the tail light would seem about right...

But $500 for a radar module and $1200 for the tail light is downright ridiculous. The tail light assembly is just some plastic and LEDs.

1 headlight assy on my 2015 sierra was $900 wholesale cost in 2017. dumbass deer hit me while I was slowing down on the highway. Fucker didn't even lay there long enough for me to shoot him.

OEMs have been squeezing suppliers for years on service parts, now the supply has dried up and you get stupidity like this.

Circa 2017 I had a 2004 Mercury Montego (like a Ford Five Hundred, which is in turn basically a Taurus) that had a tail light fill with water, short out and blow the brake light fuse. This wouldn't have been so bad, but that fuse also powered a "bus" (i.e., a communication line) to the engine computer, which disabled the starter circuit and left the owner walking. Not only was the light one giant LED, but because that car was only made for two years and few were sold, it was hard to get, and some $400 when we did. I reiterate, this was a 2004 model. With all the "nanny" shit built into cars these days that makes them even more stupidly complicated, I can believe the OP.

Astounding, just for the housing. Found a dealer selling the passenger lens housing "on sale" for a under a grand.

https://www.fairwayfordparts.n...passenger-kl3z13404b

Worse part? It'll probably have the SAME slow leak and in another five years will need all of the affected parts replaced again.

quote:

Originally posted by Jelly:

Repair cost is out of control $5,600 bill on 2018 F150 for some tail lamps.

I bought a new 1963 356B Porsche for $3,450.

Few years later, my wife and I returned to the continental U.S. after working in Puerto Rico for a few years. We bought two new cars, a 1968 Mustang and a 1968 BMW 1600. Combined cost for these two new cars was less than the $5,600 for the F150 tail lamps.

I can believe it.

Father-in-law’s Acura SUV got tapped in a parking lot, rear bumper cover need a replacement for around $700 to $800, body shop told him he’s very lucky that none of the sensors got destroyed in a harder hit. Otherwise it would be around a $3000 job.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I can believe it.

Father-in-law’s Acura SUV got tapped in a parking lot, rear bumper cover need a replacement for around $700 to $800, body shop told him he’s very lucky that none of the sensors got destroyed in a harder hit. Otherwise it would be around a $3000 job.

I’m dealing with the exact same situation. It happened 2 years ago at my dermatologist. Just went it for a multi year check (they want me in there every year but I have no skin issues) and some Hispanic dudes in an old shitbox F150 tapped the rear of my Ridgeline. Broke the bumper cover and did some minor paint damage. I’ve been after my shop that I use here for 2 years to get it booked in. He’s been down employees since Covid and since it’s an out of pocket job that is $1500 total, well he’s more interested in doing the big bank insurance jobs. My truck is a 2019. It has no ADAS whatsoever, no parking sensors, none of that bullshit. I was pissed off, royally, when this happened as I always park remote/secure, and it’s the last thing you want to happen to a vehicle with 5k miles on it at the time. It was still “new” to me in 2021. But I quickly got over it and told myself “Well if it had the sensors, etc, probably 3k” at which point I would have just filed an insurance claim. Anything under 2k is not worth a claim. The bastards will just raise your rates and you’ll more in the long run.

quote:

Ford is jacking up the price here.

Ford is jacked up.

Last time I knew (2017) LED headlight assemblies for the Cadillac CTS ran around a thousand dollars per side.

OEM headlights for my 12 year old Lexus RX350 retail for over $1800 each.

Granted, these are some fancy HID, auto-leveling, turn with the steering wheel units, but still...

and believe me when I say, it doesn't take much of a bump to the front bumper to crack the lens, break a couple of mounting tabs, and render them 'useless' as far as the repair shop is concerned.

You'd think that an empty housing could be had, so all those fancy components that still work just fine could be transferred. If they're out there, I couldn't find them.

I just went through that with a 2008 Lexus. My mechanic commented Lexus is forcing them to purchase entire assemblies to replace parts on them, greatly increasing costs.

Those headlights with the plastic lenses now turn yellow, get scratched, and created an entire industry to keep them clear. With all that, we can't just buy a simple replacement lense.

Ha!

Fuck that

Welp, he was told to get the 2017.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
While this $5,600 stated total wasn't just for the tail light assembly parts, also involving several burnt out radar modules and shorted wiring harnesses plus diagnostic and install labor at shop rates, the really surprising part here was the fact that just the tail light assemblies alone (without any of the radar modules, wiring, or labor) are $1200-$1400 apiece!

$2400+ for the pair of tail light assemblies. That's wild.

I've replaced tail light assemblies on two different trucks within the past decade or so, an early 2010s Toyota Tundra and an early 2010s Dodge Ram. Either truck involved something like $50 for each light assembly. ~$100 total, per truck.

I'd expect tail light assemblies that included the provisions for mounting radar sensors would be a bit more expensive, but not 24x as expensive at $2400!

For comparison.....I drive a 2020 F150 S-CREW, XLT trim. 3.5 ecoboost, middle trim package (301a). So it has SOME of the lickies & chewies, but not all of them. Mirrors have heat & turn signal indicators, parking sensors, rear view camera in the tailgate, etc. Recently replaced my rear passenger side taillight assembly after an unfortunate....ahem.....backing incident involving a brush hog mower. Anyway, point is, I went to my local Ford dealer & bought the assembly for $141. It took about 15 minutes total to remove the broken one and reinstall the new one. Took longer to unbox the new assembly than it did to install it. I don't understand WTAF costs $1200-1400 in the Limited trim assembly, or how that's even possible. LED lamps are cheaper than incandescent these days. I mean, dude basically had a cascading system failure because of TAILLIGHTS? Crazy.

quote:

dude basically had a cascading system failure because of TAILLIGHTS? Crazy.

That is something else. A little blinker fluid and BAM! The f150 goes down for the count.