Email From Ford Today

[NH_Bulldog]

I received an interesting email from Ford today announcing a new account feature where you can check your specific vehicle’s cargo and towing capability. It is VIN specific, tells you your GVWR, Max Payload and GCWR. You plug in weight of passengers, weight of accessories, and weight of cargo. Then you can select conventional, gooseneck or 5th wheel and it tells you your maximum pin weight or tongue weight and maximum trailer weight.

I think it is informative and may help add some clarity for people to visualize/understand what their vehicle is and is not capable of. Nothing will replace actual numbers and scale readings, but is a good starting point. I don’t know if this is just new to Ford, or if other brands have it, but it is pretty slick.

[Max23]

Is there a specific url or just search fords website?

[NH_Bulldog]

You have to have an existing account at www.ford.com or be able to create one.

Once you are at the website, you click on “Menu” in the upper right corner, and select “Vehicle Dashboard” in the dropdown, it will prompt you to sign in if you are not already and then will take you to your vehicle specific page (as long as you have entered your VIN and owner info). The vehicle dashboard shows everything at a glance; vehicle health report, any recalls, current mileage, tire pressure, service history, maintenance schedule, software status, etc. plus the new “Towing Calculator”.

[markcee]

No luck with this for my 2019 so may only be available for new/newer trucks. I already had a login and can see the dashboard and the various links to check with topics related to my truck, but towing calculator is absent.

I never received the Ford email so it must only be going out if your vehicle qualifies for this service.

[jasin1]

Ram has the vin lookup as well but i can see where manufacturers can change the numbers to suit themselves when necessary or when warranty issues start popping up…say they start having a large number of trucks coming in for warranty with blown rear diffs…they decide to lower the towing capacity and then your 20k max towing truck is only capable of 17k as far as official specs go.

probably wouldn’t affect your warranty but could hurt resale if someone is looking for a truck to tow their toyhauler…id take a screenshot of whatever it says online in case it changes down the line

TFL truck just posted this a few days ago …it seems the payload stayed the same but max towing dropped…maybe the max tow max horsepower/torque wars were just a sham for the last couple of years? i know the truck numbers really jumped in 2020 ..1000 ft lb of torque etc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgbfexE7QUU

[NH_Bulldog]

I read an article earlier this week that discussed the terms we use to describe trucks. It used to be a 1/2 ton truck could carry 1,000 lbs. a 3/4 ton truck could carry 1,500 lbs. and a 1 ton could carry 2,000 lbs. Obviously times change, since 1/2 ton trucks can now carry over 2,000 lbs and 1 ton trucks can carry well in excess of 2 tons, yet we still call them 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton trucks…..

[Max23]

Originally Posted by markcee

No luck with this for my 2019 so may only be available for new/newer trucks. I already had a login and can see the dashboard and the various links to check with topics related to my truck, but towing calculator is absent.

I never received the Ford email so it must only be going out if your vehicle qualifies for this service.

Not available with my 2018 either. Must be right, only available for newer trucks. Guess I need a new truck. LOL!!!!! I did however find out I have a sync update available!!! oooooohhh, big deal right??? LOL

[JRTJH]

This is just a guess, but has anyone considered that this "new app feature" is a way for Ford to help owners identify that their "current vehicle" is inadequate for their needs and to "motivate them toward buying a new vehicle" ?????

In the world of marketing, it's a "win-win" if Ford can help talk owners into believing their current vehicle is overloaded... The only reason they haven't "broadened the program" to include "Pre Sync 4 vehicles" is because the technology isn't there to support the app in Sync 2 and Sync 3 vehicles... Otherwise, the website would be "telling all of us that we are approaching the need for a new vehicle"..... JMHO, YMMV

[NH_Bulldog]

It works with Sync3 which is what I have. My truck has no fancy bells and whistles. I do use the FordPass app, but that’s as high tech as I get.

[RJS3791RD]

I also received the email mail. I had purchased a new truck late last year. After receiving the email, I too logged in and and was “playing” with the app. For me, it’s a tool for education of the owners to insure they know what the vehicle is and is not rated to haul / carry.

As an employee of an automotive manufacturer (not Ford), I personally don’t see this as an attempt by Ford to stimulate demand for current owners to purchase a new truck. I do however believe that it is an attempt to keep their customer base engaged in their digital platform so that when there is a need for a new vehicle, they go back to Ford.

[sierraman68]

It worked for me. I already had an account with my VIN number registered so when I logged in I was able to find and select Towing Calculator in the menu. Nice tool …. Thanks

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by jasin1

Ram has the vin lookup as well but i can see where manufacturers can change the numbers to suit themselves when necessary or when warranty issues start popping up…say they start having a large number of trucks coming in for warranty with blown rear diffs…they decide to lower the towing capacity and then your 20k max towing truck is only capable of 17k as far as official specs go.

probably wouldn’t affect your warranty but could hurt resale if someone is looking for a truck to tow their toyhauler…id take a screenshot of whatever it says online in case it changes down the line .............

Well it seems that only goes back five years! I have checked my stats in the past on the Ram side and got the following results.

MAX PAYLOAD 5,410.58LBS
MAX TOWING 25,210.58LBS

The payload listed on the Payload sticker is 5,411 lbs.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by jasin1

Ram has the vin lookup as well but i can see where manufacturers can change the numbers to suit themselves when necessary or when warranty issues start popping up…say they start having a large number of trucks coming in for warranty with blown rear diffs…they decide to lower the towing capacity and then your 20k max towing truck is only capable of 17k as far as official specs go.

probably wouldn’t affect your warranty but could hurt resale if someone is looking for a truck to tow their toyhauler…id take a screenshot of whatever it says online in case it changes down the line

TFL truck just posted this a few days ago …it seems the payload stayed the same but max towing dropped…maybe the max tow max horsepower/torque wars were just a sham for the last couple of years? i know the truck numbers really jumped in 2020 ..1000 ft lb of torque etc

looks like Ford is derating some of their trucks also just like Ram…i suspect they are adjusting for warranty issues (Ram and Ford)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFw3aWEbTBE